History

The Richmond Folk Festival continues in 2024, carrying on the 20-year tradition established by the hugely successful National Folk Festival in Richmond, Virginia, celebrating the roots, richness and variety of American culture through music, dance, traditional craft and food.  

The Richmond Folk Festival takes place September 27-29, 2024. The Richmond Folk Festival features more than 30 performing groups on six live music stages with continuous music and dance performances, along with a Virginia Folklife demonstration area, children's activities, a folk arts marketplace, regional and ethnic foods and more. The FREE three-day festival is one of the largest events in Virginia, drawing visitors from across the country.

The Richmond Folk Festival is an offshoot of The National Folk Festival which has been held in 28 communities around the country and spent three years on downtown Richmond’s riverfront from 2005 through 2007.


Past Performers

67th-69th National Folk Festivals • Richmond Folk Festivals 2005 - Present

Pocket Guides

Richmond Folk Festival

National Folk Festival

Richmond Folk Festival, October 13-15, 2023

  • gospel

    Annie & the Caldwell Singers

  • Manding

    Baba Commandant & the Mandingo Band

  • salsa

    Bio Ritmo

  • Ukrainian

    Cheres

  • Haudenosaunee social dance

    Chris Thomas & His Smoke Dancers

  • rockabilly and honky-tonk

    Chuck Mead

  • New Orleans funk and R&B

    Cyril Neville w/ Omari Neville & The Fuel

  • Québécois

    Genticorum

  • son jarocho

    Grupo Mono Blanco

  • traditional Hawai’ian hula

    Halau ‘O Lilinoe

  • traditional Tboli music and dance

    Helobung

  • Hindustani violin

    Kala Ramnath

  • Cabo Verdean

    Lutchinha

  • Chicago blues

    Melody Angel

  • bluegrass

    Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

  • zydeco

    Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas

  • quelbe music

    Stanley & The Ten Sleepless Knights

  • Ozark old-time

    State of the Ozarks String Band

Center for Cultural Vibrancy Virginia Folklife Stage

  • Appalachian traditions with Chinese dulcimer

    Danny Knicely and Chao Tan

  • country radio hour

    Farm and Fun Time®

  • Piedmont blues

    Gail Ceasar

  • gospel

    The Legendary Ingramettes

  • honky-tonk

    Martha Spencer and the Wonderland Band

  • New Sounds of Bristol Showcase

  • classic soul

    Rodney Stith

  • gospel and soul

    Sherman Holmes and Cora Armstrong with Reverend Almeta Ingram-Miller, Andrew Alli, Jared Pool, and Jacon Eller

  • Appalachian traditions

    Wayne Henderson and Friends

  • Americana

    Wild Ponies

Richmond Folk Festival, October 7-9, 2022

  • a cappella imbube singing
    Black Umfolosi

  • African American a cappella gospel
    The Legendary Ingramettes

  • beatboxing
    Beatbox Dads

  • Bentonia blues
    Jimmy “Duck” Holmes

  • bluegrass
    Sideline

  • Brazilian forró
    Felipe Hostins

  • Cape Breton
    Beòlach

  • deejaying
    Art of Noise RVA

  • forró dance instructor
    Luciano Lima

  • hill country blues
    Cedric Burnside

  • honky-tonk country
    Jesse Daniel

  • Ladino traditional song
    Nani Noam Vazana

  • Mexican marimba and cumbia
    Son Rompe Pera

  • Moorish griot
    Noura Mint Seymali

  • Moroccan chaabi women’s ensemble
    Bnat el Houariyat & Esraa Warda

  • New Orleans Black Masking Carnival music
    79rs Gang

  • polyphonic singing from Epirus
    Isokratisses

  • pungmul and samulnori
    Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago

  • sacred steel guitar
    Fran Grace

  • Tlingit storyteller, musician, and dancer
    Gene Tagaban (Guuy Yaau)

  • zydeco
    Andre Thierry 

  • zydeco dance instructor
    Jarene Fleming

Center for Cultural Vibrancy Virginia Folklife Stage

  • blues
    Andrew Alli and Josh Small

  • Bolivian/Appalachian
    Ouros with Danny Knicely

  • gospel
    Ken Heath and the True Disciples
    The Legendary Ingramettes

  • Indian Carnatic violin
    Kamalakiran Vinjamuri

  • old-time and bluegrass
    Instrument Makers Jam

  • Puerto Rican bomba
    Bomba Showcase: Tata Cepeda & Semilla Cultural

  • singer-songwriter
    Scott Miller

  • Trinidadian steel pan
    The Josanne Francis Septet

  • Venezuelan/Appalachian
    Larry and Joe

Richmond Folk Festival, October 11-13, 2021

  • Argentine tango
    The Pedro Giraudo Tango Ensemble

  • bluegrass
    Danny Knicely & Will Lee
    Linda Lay & Springfield Exit

  • blues
    Sugaray Rayford

  • bomba y plena
    Plena Es

  • Cajun
    Donny Broussard & the Louisiana Stars

  • go-go
    Rare Essence

  • Irish
    Joanie Madden & Cherish the Ladies

  • jazz, hip hop, and tap dance
    Sean Jones “Dizzy Spellz” feat. Brinae Ali

  • Lakota hoop dance and Northern Plains drum
    Jasmine Bell & North Bear

  • Persian santour
    Nava Persian Trio

  • reggae
    Taj Weekes

  • Sicilian traditional music
    Rosa Tatuata with Michela Musolino

  • trío romántico
    Tres en Punto

  • western swing
    The Western Flyers

Virginia Traditions Folklife Stage

  • bluegrass
    Danny Knicely and Will Lee
    David Via and Corn Tornado
    Linda Lay and Springfield Exit

  • blues
    Justin Golden & the Come Up

  • Gospel
    Gospel Stars of Greensboro
    Legendary Ingramettes with Special Guest Sherman Holmes

  • hip hop and soul
    J Pope and the Hearnow

  • honky-tonk
    Redd Volkaert

  • Mongolian dance and mask making
    Gankhuyag Natsag

  • old-time
    Jackson Cunningham and Nobody’s Business

  • oyster shucking
    Deborah Pratt and Clementine Macon Boyd



Richmond Folk Festival, October 11-13, 2019

  • Afro-Cuban
    Conjunto Guantánamo

  • Afro-funk and go-go orchestra
    Plunky & the Oneness of Juju

  • Aleppian wasla music and whirling dervish dance from Syria
    Aleppo Ensemble

  • Appalachian songs and ballads
    Riley Baugus

  • balafon masters
    Balla Kouyaté & Famoro Dioubaté

  • bluegrass
    Lonesome River Band

  • Cajun
    Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet

  • Carnatic veena
    Saraswathi Ranganathan

  • Delta blues
    Super Chikan & the Fighting Cocks

  • Garifuna
    The Garifuna Collective

  • Georgian polyphonic singing
    Iberi Choir

  • gospel brass “shout band”
    Mangum & Company

  • honky-tonk and country
    Dale Watson

  • Irish step dance and music
    Kevin Doyle & Friends

  • Memphis soul
    Stax Music Academy Alumni Band

  • powwow dance traditions
    Native Pride Dancers

  • puppetry
    Jeghetto

  • salsa dance instructor
    Eileen Torres

  • steel pan orchestra
    CASYM Steel Orchestra

  • Tejano conjunto fiddle
    Panfilo’s Güera

  • traditional music from Epirus
    Petroloukas Halkias & Vasilis Kostas

  • traditional Scottish song, pipes, and whistles
    Julie Fowlis

  • Tuareg guitar
    Bombino

  • Tuvan throat-singing
    Huun Huur Tu

  • zydeco dance instructor
    Talia Moser

Virginia Traditions Folklife Stage
“Hot Rods and Hot Licks”

  • Americana
    Wild Ponies

  • Appalachian singer-songwriters
    Willard Gayheart Family feat. Dori Freeman

  • autoharp virtuoso/folk
    Bryan Bowers Band

  • bluegrass
    Linda Lay & Springfield Exit

  • blues
    Dr. Levine & the Dreaded BluesLady with Andrew Alli

  • gospel
    Legendary Ingramettes with J Pope

  • hip hop and house dance
    Urban Artistry

  • Mongolian contortion
    Madkhai Erdembat

  • old-time
    Whitetop Mountain Band

  • oyster-shucking contest
    Deborah Pratt & Clementine Macon Boyd

  • songwriting showcase
    Dori Freeman, Martha Spencer, Telisha & Doug Williams, and J Pope

  • Virginia Dance Traditions
    Bend, Buck, and Break: Junious Brickhouse, Mandkhai Erdembat, & Danny Knicely

  • youth banjo contest
    The Scott Street Five-String Finals


Richmond Folk Festival
October 12-14, 2018

  • Acadian
    Vishtèn

  • Afro-Colombian champeta
    Tribu Baharú

  • Appalachian storytelling
    Josh Goforth

  • Blue Ridge piano
    Jeff Little Trio

  • bluegrass
    Claire Lynch

  • blues and boogie-woogie piano
    Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne

  • Crimean Tatar
    The New York Crimean Tatar Ensemble

  • gospel
    Cora Harvey Armstrong

  • gospel choir
    Larry Bland & The Volunteer Choir

  • gospel, soul, rhythm and blues
    Mavis Staples

  • Gypsy jazz
    Lulo Reinhardt

  • Irish
    Jarlath Henderson

  • jazz
    Brianna Thomas

  • Kathak dance
    Farah Yasmeen Shaikh

  • Laotian khaen
    Bounxeung Synanonh

  • Manding griot
    Sona Jobarteh

  • New Orleans bounce
    Ricky B

  • old-time
    New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters

  • polish dance instructor
    Marsha Searle

  • polka
    Pan Franek, Zosia & the Polka Towners

  • reggae
    CANCELLED-The Abyssinians

  • reggae
    Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus

  • rockabilly
    Linda Gail Lewis

  • salsa
    Orquesta el Macabeo

  • tamburitza
    Tamburaški Sastav Ponoć

  • traditional wind and percussion music from central-eastern China
    Zhou Family Band

  • Zuni dance and song
    Zuni Olla Maidens

  • zydeco
    Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Roadrunners

  • zydeco dance instructor
    Talia Moser

Virginia Traditions Folklife Stage
“Masquerade”

  • a cappella gospel
    The Chosen Few feat. Tarrence Paschall

  • Americana/blues
    Sherman Holmes Project

  • bluegrass
    Mason Via & Hot Trail Mix

  • bluegrass & old-time duets
    Corrina Rose Logston & Jeremy Stephens

  • classical Persian music
    Nader Majd

  • gospel
    The Legendary Ingramettes 

  • jazz
    Danny Knicely Quartet feat. Bert Carlson

  • Mongolian contortion
    Mandkhai Erdembat

  • music of Vietnam
    Nguyen Dinh Nghia Family

  • Old-time
    New Ballard Branch Bogtrotters

  • Flatpick Guitar Masters
    Scott Fore & Brandon Davis

Richmond Folk Festival
October 13-15, 2017

  • Afro-Venezuelan parranda
    Betsayda Machado y La Parranda El Clavo

  • bluegrass
    Dale Ann Bradley

  • Cabo Verdean funaná
    Bitori feat. Chando Graciosa

  • Cajun dance instructor
    Talia Moser

  • classic big band jazz
    The U.S. Army Blues

  • cumbia amazonica
    Los Wembler’s

  • flamenco
    Corazón de Granada: Flamenco Joven y Jondo

  • go-go
    Be’la Dona

  • gospel
    Spencer Taylor & the Highway QC’s

  • honky-tonk
    Wayne Hancock

  • Irish
    The Green Fields of America

  • Japanese taiko drumming
    Grand Master Seiichi Tanaka & the San Francisco Taiko Dojo

  • jazz guitar
    Jan Knutson

  • Memphis soul
    Don Bryant

  • menhaden sea chanteys
    Northern Neck Chantey Singers

  • Métis fiddle and dance
    Patti Kusturok

  • Moroccan Gnawa
    Innov Gnawa

  • New Orleans brass band
    Paulin Brothers’ Brass Band

  • old-time
    Crooked Road Ramblers

  • Persian tar
    Sahba Motallebi

  • Romanian cimbalom
    Nicolae Feraru

  • soul blues
    Eddie Cotton, Jr.

  • square dance caller
    Julie Shepherd-Powell

  • step team competition

    • A Step Ahead

    • Omega Gamma Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta (sorority)

    • Henrico County Alumnae Chapter - Delta Sigma Theta (sorority)

    • Epsilon Zeta Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho (sorority)

    • Eta Xi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi (fraternity)

    • Phi Delta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi (fraternity)

    • Gamma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha (fraternity)

    • Delta Upsilon Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma—CANCELLED

    • Nu Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi—CANCELLED

    • Coordinator: Mecca Marsh

    • Intermission: The Bolden Academy School of Performing Arts

  • western swing and hot jazz
    Hot Club of Cowtown

  • zydeco
    C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band

Virginia Folklife Area
“Feed Your Soul”

  • Americana
    Sherman Holmes Project

  • country singer-songwriter
    Laura Leigh Jones

  • gospel
    Cora Harvey Armstrong

  • gospel
    The Legendary Ingramettes

  • honky-tonk/country
    Wild Ponies

  • Malian ngoni meets American banjo
    From African to Appalachia: Cheick Hamala Diabate, Sammy Shelor, and Riley Baugus

  • Northern Indian khyal singing
    Ved Sheth

  • Old Regular Baptist a cappella gospel
    Reverend Frank Newsome

  • old-time and bluegrass
    Cabin Creek Boys

  • Sephardic musical traditions
    Susan Gaeta & Gina Sobel

  • Shenandoah Valley and southwestern Virginia
    Danny Knicely’s Next Generation with Eli and Aila Wildman, Victor Furtado, Andrew Vogts, and Jack Dunlap

  • southern soul
    Big G

Richmond Folk Festival
October 7-9, 2016

  • Afghan rubâb and tabla
    Homayoun Sakhi & Salar Nader

  • African American gospel quartet singing
    The Fairfield Four

  • Appalachian songs, stories, and ballads
    Sheila Kay Adams

  • beatboxing
    The Beat[box] Goes On: Nicole Paris & Ed Cage

  • beatboxing
    The Beat[box] Goes On: Rahzel

  • bluegrass
    Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers

  • blues
    Marquise Knox

  • bomba y plena
    Viento de Agua – CANCELLED

  • Brazilian mamulengo
    Chico Simões

  • Bulgarian kaba gaida
    Kaynak Pipers Band

  • Cajun
    BeauSoleil Trio: Doucet, Doucet, & Reed

  • Cajun dance instructor
    Talia Moser

  • Cape Breton and Ontario fiddling
    Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy

  • Congolese soukous
    L’Orchestre Afrisa International

  • conjunto dance instructor
    Tomas Salas

  • conjunto tejano and norteño
    Conteño

  • Cuban son
    Adonis Puentes & the Voice of Cuba Orchestra

  • flamenco
    La Chiqui de Jerez Company feat. Eduardo Guerrero – CANCELLED

  • funk
    Maceo Parker

  • gamelan orchestra
    Balinese All Stars

  • Irish
    Paddy Keenan & Jimmy Noonan

  • klezmer
    Frank London Mini-Klezmer Allstars

  • Lakota hoop dance and flute
    Kevin Locke

  • Piedmont blues and dance
    Phil Wiggins Blues House Party

  • rockabilly
    Jason D. Williams

  • son dance instructor
    Eileen Torres

  • Southern Italian pizzica tarantata
    Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino

  • The Norfolk Sound
    Gary U.S. Bonds with Gene “Daddy G” Barge

  • traditional African American gospel
    The Branchettes

  • traditional Sri Lankan dance
    Sri Lankan Dance Academy of NY

  • “Travis-style” thumb-picked guitar
    Ben Hall

  • zydeco
    Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie

Union Bank & Trust Virginia Folklife Area
“Tasty Licks: Virginia’s Food Traditions”

  • Appalachian singer and songwriter
    Dori Freeman

  • bluegrass
    Shadowgrass

  • bluegrass/singer-songwriters
    David and Mason Via

  • blues/gospel
    Sherman Holmes

  • gospel
    Cora Harvey Armstrong

  • gospel
    The Legendary Ingramettes

  • Northern Indian Khyal singing
    Humayun Khan

  • Old Regular Baptist a cappella gospel
    Reverend Frank Newsome

  • old time
    Unique Sound of the Mountains: Larry Sigmon and Martha Spencer

  • Sephardic folk songs
    Trio Sefardi

  • Tidewater gospel
    The Hurdle Brothers with Reverend Tarrence Paschall

Richmond Folk Festival
October 9-11, 2015

* indicates shared artist with Virginia Folklife

  • Appalachian blues songsters
    The Harris Brothers

  • big band free jazz
    Sun Ra Arkestra

  • bluegrass
    Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass

  • bluegrass gospel
    The Church Sisters*

  • blues
    Shemekia Copeland

  • blues & gospel
    Reverend John Wilkins

  • Cajun
    Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band

  • Cajun dance instructor
    Talia Moser

  • Colombian
    Grupo Rebolú

  • cumbia dance instructor
    Eileen Torres

  • Dominican bachata
    Amargue Bachata Quintet with Andre Veloz

  • Ethiojazz
    Feedel Band

  • Georgian polyphonic chants, songs & dances
    Zedashe

  • Haudenosaunee song & dance
    Oneida Nation Social & Smoke Dancers – CANCELLED
    Ongwehoñwe Singers & Dancers

  • hip hop
    DJ Grandmaster Flash

  • Irish
    The Alt

  • Japanese candy art
    Masaji Candyman

  • jump blues
    Deacon John’s Jump Blues

  • Khmer classical dance
    Cambodian American Heritage Dance Troupe

  • klezmer & cantorial
    Ahava Raba

  • Masters of Appalachian music
    The Virginia Luthiers

  • New England barn dances & contra dance
    Dudley Laufman & His Barn Dance Band

  • Québécois
    De Temps Antan – CANCELLED

  • rockabilly
    Sleepy LaBeef

  • sacred steel guitar (African American gospel)
    The Campbell Brothers

  • South Asian qawwali
    Riyaaz Qawwali

  • tap
    Leonardo Sandoval

  • traditional music & dance from the Persian Gulf
    Ensemble Shanbehzadeh

Union/University of Richmond Virginia Folklife Area
“Youth Will Be Served”

  • Bluegrass
    Bud’s Collective
    Johnny and Jeannette Williams

  • Bluegrass Banjo
    Sammy Shelor

  • bluegrass gospel
    The Church Sisters*

  • bluegrass/Country
    Ash Breeze

  • Bolivian Traditions
    Tinkus Unidos
    Nelly Zapata
    Julia Garcia
    William Pozo-Zarate

  • Elk Creek, Virginia and Traphill, North Carolina
    Kitty Amaral and Presley Barker

  • Gospel
    The Ingramettes, in loving memory of Maggie Ingram
    Zion’s Voice

  • Instrument-Contest Emcee
    Harold Mitchell

  • Luthier and Guitar Player
    Wayne Henderson

  • Multi-Instrumentalist
    Danny Knicely

  • Old Regular Baptist a cappella gospel
    Frank Newsome

  • R&B
    Anhayla

  • Russian Folk Music
    Washington Balalaika Society Orchestra featuring Andrei Saveliev and Aaron Mott

  • Youth Old-Time/Bluegrass Project
    Close Kin

Richmond Folk Festival
October 10-12, 2014

* indicates shared artist with Virginia Folklife

  • Balkan brass band
    Boban and Marko Markovič Orkestar

  • beatbox
    Shodekeh

  • bluegrass
    Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys*

  • blues, gospel, R&B
    The Holmes Brothers

  • Chinese string ensemble
    Ann Yao Trio

  • circus arts
    Derek McAlister

  • country & western
    Kayton Roberts & Friends

  • Dominican merengue
    Joaquin Diaz

  • Egyptian dance and music – replaced Ensemble Shanbehzadeh
    Egyptian Celebration

  • go-go
    Trouble Funk

  • gospel
    Maggie Ingram & the Ingramettes*

  • gospel brass “shout band”
    The Bailey Hummingbirds*

  • gospel choir
    The Virginia State University Gospel Chorale

  • Hawaiian
    Masters of Hawaiian Music: Led Ka’apana, George Kahumoku, Jr., & Richard Ho’opi’i

  • Indian slide guitar
    Debashish Bhattacharya & Family

  • jazz
    Lafayette Gilchrist & the New Volcanoes

  • Mayan sundance
    Tezcatlipoca Voladores

  • merengue instructor
    Eileen Torres

  • Mexican mariachi
    Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano

  • Native American hip hop
    Supaman

  • old-time
    Whitetop Mountaineers

  • Pontic Greek
    Kostas Fetfatsidis and Evan Karapanagiotides

  • Québécois
    Le Vent du Nord

  • urban dance
    Throwdown on Brown: Breakdance Competition

  • soul/R&B
    William Bell

  • Tibetan opera, folk song and dance
    Chaksam-pa

  • traditional music and dance from the Persian Gulf - CANCELLED
    Ensemble Shanbehzadeh

  • West African highlife
    West African Highlife Band

  • zydeco
    Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers

  • zydeco dance instructor
    Talia Moser

Union/University of Richmond Virginia Folklife Area
“Sharing Living Traditions: Celebrating 25 Years of the Virginia Folklife Program at the Richmond Folk Festival”

  • Bluegrass
    Jesse McReynolds*
    Linda and David Lay
    Randy Cook
    Furnace Mountain

  • Bluegrass Banjo
    Sammy Shelor

  • Gospel
    Maggie Ingram and the Ingramettes*

  • Honky Tonk/Country
    Wild Ponies

  • Old Regular Baptist a cappella gospel
    Frank Newsome

  • Old Time
    Crooked Road Ramblers

  • Shout Band
    The Bailey Hummingbirds*

  • West African Traditions
    Cheick Hamala Diabate



Richmond Folk Festival
October 11-13, 2013

  • African American A Cappella Gospel
    The Brotherhood Singers

  • Appalachian Ballads and Songs
    Elizabeth LaPrelle
    Anna Roberts-Gevalt

  • Bluegrass
    The James King Band

  • Buckdance & Old-Time Band
    Thomas Maupin, Daniel Rothwell and Overall Creek with Korey Posey

  • Cajun
    Jesse Lége & Joel Savoy

  • Cajun Dance
    Talia Moser

  • Circus Arts
    Red Trouser Show

  • Garifuna
    Aurelio Martinez

  • Chicaqo Blues
    Lurrie Bell Blues Band

  • Go-Go
    The Chuck Brown All-Star Tribute Band with Special Guests

  • Mali
    Abdoulaye Diabaté and Super Mande

  • Maloya
    Christine Salem

  • Newfoundland Traditional Music
    The Dardanelles

  • New Orleans Brass Band
    Stooges Brass Band

  • Polish Village Music
    The Prusinowski Trio

  • Polka
    The Alex Meixner Band

  • Portuguese Fado
    Nathalie Pires

  • Québécois
    Yves Lambert Trio

  • Rajasthani Music and Dance
    Rhythm of Rajasthan

  • Reggae
    Don Carlos and the Dub Vision Band

  • Rhythm and Blues
    Mighty Sam McClain

  • Salsa
    Spanish Harlem Orchestra

  • Salsa Dance
    Eileen Torres

  • Tuvan Throat Singing
    Alash

  • Vietnamese Bamboo Music
    Khac Chi

  • Western Swing
    Marshall Ford Swing Band

  • Old-time/Country
    Whitetop Mountain Band

Richmond Folk Festival
October 12-14, 2012

  • Argentine Tango
    Hector Del Curto Tango Quartet

  • Bluegrass
    Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice
    Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys

  • Brazilian Forró
    Forró Pé de Serra All Stars

  • Buckdance
    Williette Hinton

  • Chinese Jaw Harp and Calabash Flute
    Wang Li

  • Circus Arts
    Benjamin the Clown

  • Cuban
    Eileen Torres
    Septeto Nacional

  • Delta Blues
    Super Chikan & the Fighting Cocks

  • Ethiopian Azmari Music and Dance
    Fendika

  • Funk & Jazz
    Fred Wesley and the New JBs

  • Haitian Twoubadou
    Ti-Coca et Wanga-Négés

  • Hula Kahiko
    Hula Halau 'o Keikiali'i

  • Iraqi Oud
    Rahim AlHaj

  • Irish & Cape Breton Fiddling
    Liz Carroll Trio & Troy MacGillivray

  • Kiowa/Comanche Music and Dance
    American Indian Music and Dance Show

  • Kosher Gospel
    Joshua Nelson

  • Louisiana Zydeco
    Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Chas

  • Moroccan Gnawa
    Hassan Hakmoun

  • Old-Time
    The Stage Hogs

  • Piedmont Blues
    John Dee Holeman
    Phil Wiggins

  • Rockabilly
    Lance Lipinsky

  • Singer/Songwriter
    Rosanne Cash

  • Swedish American Fiddlers
    Paul Dahlin and the Äkta Spelmän

  • Traditional New Orleans Jazz
    Dr. Michael White and the Original Liberty Jazz Band

  • Bluegrass
    Jesse McReynolds

Richmond Folk Festival
October 14-16, 2011

  • African
    Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba

  • Afro-Cuban
    Pedrito Martinez Group

  • Appalachian Guitar
    Gerald Anderson

  • Azerbajani kamancha
    Imamyar Hasanov & Pejman Hadadi

  • Banjo songs
    Tony Ellis & The Musicians of Braeburn

  • Bluegrass
    Chatham County Line

  • Blues
    Big Time Sarah
    Magic Slim & the Teardrops

  • Cajun / Zydeco
    Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys

  • Cape Breton
    Mary Jane Lamond and Wendy MacIsaac

  • Ceili caller
    Jim Keenan

  • Country
    Cindy Cashdollar
    Redd Volkaert Band

  • Doo-wop
    Larry Chance & The Earls

  • Funk & R&B
    Original P

  • Gospel
    S.H. Thompson Memorial Choir

  • Irish dance
    Old Bay Ceili Band

  • Jewish
    Winograd's Nue Tanzhoyz Kapele with Hank Sapoznik

  • Jewish dance instructor
    Steven Weintraub

  • New Orleans piano
    Davell Crawford

  • Peking Opera
    Qi Shu Fang Peking Opera

  • Punch & Judy
    Professor Horn's Punch & Judy Show (Mark Walker)

  • Reggae
    The Mighty Diamonds

  • Tibetan sacred music and dance
    Tibetan Monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery

  • Traditional Tsimshian dance
    Git Hoan Dancers

  • Trio romantic
    Los Tres Reyes

Richmond Folk Festival
October 8-10, 2010

  • Andean
    Andes Manta

  • Norwegian Hardanger fiddle and song
    Benedicte Maurseth

  • Cajun
    Bonsoir, Catin

  • Haitian mizik rasin
    Boukman Eksperyans

  • Brazilian capoeira
    Capoeira Luanda

  • Rockabilly
    Deke Dickerson and the Ecco-fonics with piano master Daryl Davis
    The Dazzlers
    Victor Mizelle
    Russell Williford

  • Jazz and Mardi Gras Indian traditions
    Donald Harrison Jr. & The Congo Square Nation

  • Bushehri music and dance of Iran
    Ensemble Shanbehzadeh

  • Irish, West Virginia, Missouri and Texas fiddle
    Brendan Mulvihill
    Lester McCumbers
    Charlie Walden
    Jim “Texas Shorty” Chancellor

  • Hammond B-3 gospel organ
    Dr. Harold Lilly

  • Salsa dura
    La Excelencia

  • Chicago Blues
    Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials

  • Conjunto tejano
    Los Texmaniacs

  • Irish
    Lúnasa

  • Brass band
    No BS! Brass Band

  • Tamburitza
    Otrov

  • Bluegrass
    Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band
    Tony Rice

  • Go-Go
    Rare Essence

  • Shape-note singing
    Sand Mountain Sacred Harp Singers

  • Traditional music from Siberia
    Sibirskaya Vechora

  • North Indian tabla
    Zakir Hussain

  • Old Regular Baptist Singing
    Frank Newsome

Richmond Folk Festival
October 9-11, 2009

  • Irish
    Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill

  • Bluegrass gospel
    Paul Williams & Victory Trio

  • East African rumba & soukous
    Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga

  • Indian slide guitar
    Debashish Bhattacharya

  • Go-Go
    Trouble Funk

  • Greek Smyrneika
    Sophia Bilides Trio

  • Zydeco
    Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys

  • Sacred Steel
    Aubrey Ghent

  • Western
    Wylie & The Wild West

  • Acoustic blues
    Phil Wiggins & Corey Harris

  • Puerto Rican bomba
    Jorge Negron’s Master Bomba Ensemble

  • Cowboy poetry
    Paul Zarzyski

  • Traditional Korean dance
    Sounds of Korea (with Min Ji Kim & Bora Ju)

  • Bluegrass innovator
    Jerry Douglas Band

  • Rhythm & Blues
    Swamp Dogg

  • Maine French fiddle
    Don Roy Trio

  • Colombian brass papayera
    La Gran Banda

  • Cherokee storyteller
    Lloyd Arneach

  • Northern Plains drum
    North Bear

  • New Orleans jazz
    Bob French’s Original Tuxedo Jazz Band

  • Jamaican reggae
    Clinton Fearon & The Boogie Brown Band

  • Rhythm & Blues pioneer
    Mr. Wiggles

  • New Orleans Brass Band (parade band)
    No BS! Brass Band

  • Tuvan throat singing
    Khogzhumchu

Richmond Folk Festival
October 10-12, 2008

  • Cajun
    BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet

  • Gospel
    Larry Bland and the Volunteer Choir

  • Zuni flute, song and dance
    The Cellicion Traditional Zuni Dancers

  • Cree fiddler
    James Cheechoo

  • Go-go
    EU

  • Colombian joropo music
    Grupo Cimarrón

  • Texas/Czech polka
    Mark Halata and Texavia

  • Eastern European
    Harmonia

  • Reggae
    The Itals

  • Hawaiian
    Ledward Kaapana and Mike Kaawa

  • Flatpicked and fingerpicked guitar
    Robin Kessinger & Todd Hallawell

  • Old-time
    Lee Sexton Band

  • Honky-tonk country
    Dale Watson

  • Saharan blues
    Vieux Farka Touré

  • Salsa dance instructor
    Eileen Torres

  • Bluegrass
    The Dan Tyminski Band

  • African American fife and drum
    Sharde Thomas and The Rising Star Fife and Drum

  • Mayan sundance
    Tezcatlipoca Voladores

  • Javanese shadow puppetry
    Tamara and the Shadow Puppet Theatre of Java

  • Japanese ritual drumming
    San Jose Taiko

  • Soul/R&B
    Howard Tate

  • Salsa / bomba y plena
    Plena Libre

  • Kentucky thumb-picked guitar
    Eddie & Alonzo Pennington

  • Inuit Throat Singing
    Nukariik

  • Arabic
    Nadeem Dlaikan & Friends

  • Irish
    Líadan

  • Youth percussion ensemble
    Drums No Guns

  • Glass harmonica player (Family Area)
    Dean Shostak

  • Sea chanteys (Family Area)
    Bob Zentz

  • Ships in a bottle (Family area)
    Jim Goodwin

  • Americana
    The Company Store (JAM Inc.)

69th National Folk Festival
Richmond, Virginia
October 12-14, 2007

  • African-American tap and North Indian Kathak dance
    Jason Samuels Smith & Pandit Chitresh Das

  • Zydeco
    Rosie Ledet & The Zydeco Playboys

  • Guatemalan alfombra maker
    Ubaldo Sanchez

  • Filipino Gong Orchestra
    Palabuniyan Kulintang Ensemble

  • Ivorian dance & percussion ensemble
    Kotchegna Dance Company

  • Go-Go
    Junk Yard Band

  • Blues, Gospel and R&B
    The Holmes Brothers

  • New Orleans piano professor
    Henry Butler

  • Blue Ridge guitar and piano
    Wayne Henderson and Jeff Little

  • Irish song and music
    Karan Casey

  • Acadian Music and Dance
    Vishten

  • Autoharp player and singer
    Bryan Bowers

  • Native American Storyteller
    Dovie Thomason

  • Persian santur
    Manoochehr Sadeghi

  • Bluegrass and bluegrass gospel
    Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
    Bluegrass
    Big Country Bluegrass

  • Western Swing
    Elana James & Cindy Cashdollar

  • Ethiopian Christian Liturgical Music
    Moges Seyoum & The Yared Choir

  • Gospel
    Maggie Ingram & The Ingramettes

  • Punch and Judy puppetry
    John Styles

  • 18th-century circus arts
    Signora Bella

  • Historical woodwork and crafts
    Robert Watson

  • American Indian drumming, singing and dance
    Virginia Indian Intertribal Dance Group and Drum

  • Tamburitza musician & composer
    The Jerry Grcevich Tamburitza Orchestra

  • Latin dance music
    Grupo Fantasma

  • Hip-hop innovators
    Wild Style 25th Anniversary Reunion

  • Honky-tonk Cajun
    D.L. Menard with Terry Huval and the Jambalaya Cajun Band

  • Guatemalan marimba
    Marimba Linda Xelajú

  • Chinese music
    Melody of China

  • African American gospel brass
    The Madison Hummingbirds

  • Piedmont blues
    Cephas & Wiggins

  • Bluegrass singing
    Linda & David Lay

68th National Folk Festival
Richmond, Virginia
October 13-15, 2006

  • New Orleans Creole jazz and blues
    Don Vappie & The Creole Jazz Serenaders

  • Bluegrass
    Kenny & Amanda Smith Band

  • Go-Go
    Chuck Brown

  • Blues
    Willie King & The Liberators
    Warner Williams & Jay Summerour
    Jeffrey Scott
    Nat Reese

  • Jamaican ska
    The Skatalites

  • Texas fiddling
    The Quebe Sisters Band

  • Chinese guzheng player
    Grace Chang

  • Québécois
    Le Vent du Nord

  • Sacred Steel
    The Lee Boys

  • Conjunto tejano
    Santiago Jimenez, Jr.

  • Irish
    Boston Edge: Joe Derrane, Seamus Connolly and John McGann

  • Rockabilly
    Sonny Burgess & The Legendary Pacers

  • Cajun
    Lost Bayou Ramblers

  • Crucian scratch band music
    Jamesie & The Allstars with Blinky McIntosh

  • Throat Singing from the Altai Republic
    AltaiKAI

  • Latin dance and jazz
    Carlos de Leon Orchestra

  • Old-time
    New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters

  • Klezmer
    Hank Sapoznik & The Youngers of Zion

  • Appalachian ballads and songs
    Brien Fain
    Elizabeth LaPrelle
    Hazel Dickens

  • Armenian
    Richard Hagopian Ensemble

  • New Orleans Parade Band
    Treme Brass Band

  • Hawaiian Hula Kahiko
    Hula Halau O’Lilinoe

  • Bharata Natyam
    Mythili Prakash and the Dance of India Ensemble

  • Flatpick guitar
    Scott Fore

  • Tobacco auctioneer
    Bob Cage

  • Menhaden chantey singers
    Northern Neck Chantey Singers

  • Chinese rod puppetry
    Yuqin Wang Dragon Art Studio

  • Clowns
    New York Goofs

  • Chinese yo-yo
    Chinese Folk Art Workshop

  • Gourd Ensemble
    Richmond Indigenous Gourd Ensemble

  • African-American work song
    Buckingham Lining Bar Gang

67th National Folk Festival,
Richmond, Virginia
October 7-9, 2005

  • Bluegrass
    Mountain Heart

  • Klezmer
    Frank London’s Klezmer Brass All-Stars

  • Gospel
    The Paschall Brothers
    First African Baptist Singers

  • Blues
    Cephas & Wiggins
    Bernard Allison

  • Puerto Rican Bomba y plena
    Los Pleneros de la 21

  • Shout band
    The Madison Hummingbirds

  • Mexican mariachi
    Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano

  • Cajun
    Savoy Family Band

  • Cape Breton
    J.P. Cormier

  • Irish
    Dervish

  • Music from the Crooked Road, various artists
    Kirk Sutphin
    Sammy Shelor

  • Bulgarian wedding music
    Ivo Papasov & Yuri Yunakov

  • Traditional Cambodian music and dance
    Cambodian-American Heritage Dance Troupe

  • Zydeco
    Zydeco Joe & Lassiez Le Bon Temp Rouler Band

  • Rockabilly
    Hayden Thompson & The Rhythm Rockers

  • New Orleans boogie-woogie piano
    Marcia Ball

  • Nepalese/Himalayan music and dance
    Prem Raja Mahat

  • Black banjo traditions
    Sankofa Strings

  • Malian
    Cheick Hamala Diabate Ensemble

  • Native American Yup’ik
    Chuna McIntyre

  • Cowboy poet
    DW Groethe

  • Bluegrass Banjo
    Sammy Shelor

  • Old-time banjo and fiddle
    Kirk Sutphin



The Richmond Folk Festival is produced by Venture Richmond Events, LLC in partnership with the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA). Other producing partners include the City of Richmond and the Children’s Museum of Richmond.

Venture Richmond is a non-profit organization formed to engage business and community leaders in partnering with the City to enhance the vitality of the community, particularly Downtown, through economic development, marketing, promotion, advocacy and events. Venture Richmond provides enhanced property management services for both the Downtown and Riverfront including; the Clean & Safe program, beautification and landscaping projects and management and maintenance of Brown's Island, the Canal Walk and Belle Isle parking lot. Venture Richmond Events produces Friday Cheers, the 2nd Street Festival, the Richmond Folk Festival, and partners with the Richmond Sportsbackers to produce Dominion Energy Riverrock. Venture Richmond also operates Riverfront Canal Cruises. Both Venture Richmond Events, LLC and Riverfront Canal Cruises, LLC are subsidiaries of Venture Richmond, Inc. For more information visit www.venturerichmond.com.