Seven stages, 30+ performing groups, Virginia Folklife Area demonstration area, Crafts Marketplace, ethnic foods and more!
Last year more than 175,000 people made their way to historic downtown Richmond’s riverfront for a fantastic weekend of music, dance and culture from across America!
A Continued Celebration
The Richmond Folk Festival is a continuation of the hugely successful National Folk Festival that was held in Richmond from 2005 through 2007. The oldest multi-cultural traditional arts celebration in the nation, the National Folk Festival has been celebrating the roots, richness and variety of American culture through music, dance, traditional craft and food since 1934.
Date/Hours:
Friday, October 10, 2008 – Sunday, October 12, 2008 (12:00 PM-11:00 PM)
More than 30 performing groups are scheduled to perform on seven different stages throughout the festival. Groups most recently added to the line-up feature everything from go-go to gospel; polka to salsa. The 2008 festival will also feature a reggae band – a first for the festival.
Inuit throat singing
Previously announced performing groups for the 2008 Richmond Folk Festival include The Dan Tyminski Band, you thought George Clooney was singing the song I am a man of constant sorrow in the the movie ‘ O Brother Where art Thou ” it was really Dan Tyminski, who is now one of the top bluegrass bands in America, BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, one of America’s premier Cajun bands and the leading ambassador of Cajun music, Líadan, six young music masters from across the pond in Galway, Limerick and Dublin, Ireland, performing traditional Irish music, Ledward Kaapana & Mike Kaawa, two of Hawaii’s most respected players of the slack-key and 12-string guitar, Howard Tate, performing Soul and R&B, Dale Watson playing original honky-tonk country, Traditional Arabic music performed by the esteemed Nadeem Dlaikan & Friends, Eddie & Alonzo Pennington, from Princeton, Kentucky, performing thumb-picked guitar, Inuit throat singing performed by Nukariik, a sister duo from Ontario, Canada, Eastern European musical group, Harmonia, San Jose Taiko, performing Japanese drum and dance, and the highly anticipated Tezcatlipoca Voladores, performing the “Sundance” which involves jumping from the top of a 90-foot pole and swinging slowly to the ground in circles from the ropes tied to the flyers’ ankles.
E.U.: One of the best go-go groups on the East Coast. Out of Washington D.C., this legendary group epitomizes the go-go sound invented in our nation’s capital with its call-and-response vocals, heavy percussion and serious dose of funk that creates an unrelenting groove.
Larry Bland and the Volunteer Choir: African-American gospel group, Larry Bland and the Volunteer Choir will take to the stage for a much-anticipated Richmond reunion choir in celebration of the group’s 40th anniversary.
Mark Halata and Texavia: From Webster, Texas, Mark Halata and Texavia, will introduce festival-goers to Texas-Czech polka. This uniquely Texas take on the polka tradition blends Tex-Mex, Czech and western honky-tonk into a highly danceable and joyous music. Rooted in Afro-Puerto Rican musical tradition
Plena Libre: Rooted in Afro-Puerto Rican musical tradition, a powerhouse group that has emerged as one of Puerto Rico’s hottest dance bands, brings the irresistible Latin dance music of Puerto Rican salsa and bomba y plena.
The Itals: From Kingston, Jamaica, the Itals will be the first reggae band to be featured at the festival. The Itals is made up of roots reggae legends, who combine soaring three-part harmonies with socially conscious lyrics and danceable grooves.
Lee Sexton Band: From the coalfields of Eastern Kentucky comes the Lee Sexton Band, one of last great Appalachian banjo players and singers of his generation.
Sharde Thomas & The Rising Star Fife and Drum Band: The 2008 festival will showcase a young sensation, Sharde Thomas & The Rising Star Fife and Drum Band, from Sardis, Mississippi. The 18-year old Sharde Thomas breathes new life into the venerable and nearly lost African American pre-blues tradition of fife and drum that she learned from her famous grandfather, Othar Turner.
James Cheechoo: James Cheechoo of Moose Factory, Ontario will be performing Cree fiddling. This unique fiddling style of the Hudson Bay area blends Native Cree elements and the music of the Scottish & French settlers in Northern Ontario.
Vieux Farka Touré: From Bamako, Mali, West Africa, comes Vieux Farka Touré, to play Malian blues. Following in the footsteps of his legendary father, Ali Farka Toure, this master of Malian guitar and desert blues shows the music of his heritage is a living and growing sound.
Todd Hallawell & Robin Kessinger: The festival will also feature another Richmonder, finger-picked guitar player, Todd Hallawell, who will team-up with West Virginia flat-picked guitar master, Robin Kessinger.
Grupo Cimarrón: Grupo Cimarrón comes to the festival from Colombia bringing what’s called joropo music. The cowboys of the Colombian plains created this driving, rhythmic harp-led music, combining centuries-old Spanish, African and New World musical traditions.
The Cellicion Zuni Traditional Dancers: The Cellicion Zuni Traditional Dancers will bring the amazing dancing, drumming, singing and flute playing of the native Zuni peoples who have lived in and around Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, for thousands of years.
Tamara & The Shadow Theatre of Java: Tamara & The Shadow Theatre of Java will perform the art of Javanese shadow puppetry as practiced on the Island of Java, complete with a gamelan orchestra and traditional dance.
Drums No Guns: Richmond’s own, Drums No Guns, will feature drumming and dance performances on the Genworth Foundation Family Stage, as well as running hands-on percussion workshops with children.
Previously announced performing groups for the 2008 Richmond Folk Festival include The Dan Tyminski Band, one of the top bluegrass bands in America, “Dan Tyminski is normally found on the road with Allison Karuss & Union Station, but Tyminski has brought together his own group of good ‘ol boys for The Dan Tyminski Band. Tyminksi, also known for being the singing voice of George Clooney in “O Brother Where Art Thou?” is based out of Nashville, TN and bringing a bit more on the bluegrass side than his normal fair with Union Station.
BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, one of America’s premier Cajun bands and the leading ambassador of Cajun music, Líadan, six young music masters from across the pond in Galway, Limerick and Dublin, Ireland, performing traditional Irish music, Ledward Kaapana & Mike Kaawa, two of Hawaii’s most respected players of the slack-key and 12-string guitar, Howard Tate, performing Soul and R&B, Dale Watson playing original honky-tonk country, Traditional Arabic music performed by the esteemed Nadeem Dlaikan & Friends, Eddie & Alonzo Pennington, from Princeton, Kentucky, performing thumb-picked guitar, Inuit throat singing performed by Nukariik, a sister duo from Ontario, Canada, Eastern European musical group, Harmonia, San Jose Taiko, performing Japanese drum and dance, and the highly anticipated Tezcatlipoca Voladores, performing the “Sundance” which involves jumping from the top of a 90-foot pole and swinging slowly to the ground in circles from the ropes tied to the flyers’ ankles.
Before going any further, let’s clear something up. Despite those first two acts, the “folk” festival isn’t just Americana. Folk music covers the traditional song and dance of any culture. A good example is Nukariik, a duo that performs Innuit throat singing as well as Hawaiian guitar masters Ledward Ka’apana and Mike Kaawa.
Aside from music, attendees will also be given a glimpse into other traditions, like art and, best of all, food.
The Richmond Folk Festival also recently announced the theme for the 2008 MWV Virginia Folklife Area. Entitled New Neighbors: Common Ground in the Commonwealth, it will explore Virginia’s immigrant culture through the artistry, creativity and community life of new immigrants, highlighting artistic achievement, deeply-held cultural expressions and cross-cultural communication. New Neighbors: Common Ground in the Commonwealth explores a number of traditions – covering a range that extends from the religious traditions of Mexican, Mongolian, and Guatemalan artists to the social musics of Sudan and Indonesia and from the dance costumes of Cambodia and Bolivia to the food ways of Czech, Slovak and German immigrants.
The Richmond Folk Festival will also feature a Traditional Craft Marketplace with more than 20 artisans selling a variety of hand-crafted arts from quilting, lace making, pottery and basketry to furniture creation, instrument making and wood carving. The Ethnic Food Court offers festival goers foods from around the world such as West African, Greek, German, Indian, Thai, Caribbean, and Oriental, along with traditional festival foods for those wary of unique tastes.
Richmond Folk Festival is keeping the best tradition of all … it’s free. That’s right — seven stages, over 30 performing groups, access to folk life marketplaces and ethnic foods, all for no admission cost.
So, there’s going to be music, from country to Inuit throat singing, and artisans from the dead to the delicious, and just about everything in between.
This has only scratched the surface of what the Richmond Folk Festival is going to have to offer. Be sure to check the Richmond Folk Festival website for further updates
A Community Effort
Last year more than 1200 people volunteered their time last year to the National Folk Festival, coming from all across Virginia and even as far as Maine and Canada. More than 25 local businesses and community organizations gave sponsorship dollars to pay for this 1.4 million dollar event, which assured FREE admission to attendees. Without this support, this great event would never happen.
Volunteers are still needed click here to find out what you can help with
Richmond Folk Festival Sponsors, Please thank them for their generous contributions :: Ukrop’s/First Market Bank | Wachovia / Wachovia Securities | Genworth Foundation | Dominion | Comcast | NewMarket | The Community Foundation | SunTrust | Philip Morris USA | Richmond Times-Dispatch | MWV | CapitalOne | Loveland Distributing Co | City of Richmond | Children’s Museum of Richmond | National Council for the Traditional Arts | Alcoa Foundation | 93 Octane | JHI | JAMinc. | House of Hayes | SIR | Graphics Gallery | WRVA 1140 | NBC 12 | 102.1 the X | Lite 98 | Q94 | Sports Radio 910 | WCVE | Plan 9 Music |GRTC Transit System | T.F.C. Recycling
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