Announces Second Group of Artists Performing at the 2022 Richmond Folk Festival

The Richmond Folk Festival returns October 7-9, 2022, and celebrates its 18th anniversary, having become one of Virginia’s largest and most beloved events. The festival draws attendees each year to downtown Richmond’s riverfront to celebrate the roots, richness, and variety of American culture through music, dance, traditional crafts, storytelling, and food. 

The free, three-day event hosts 200,000 people over the weekend and is presented by Venture Richmond Events in partnership with the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA), the Virginia Folklife Program, the Center for Cultural Vibrancy, Children’s Museum, and the City of Richmond.

Featuring six stages and showcasing music and dance from more than 30 performing groups from around the nation and the world, the Richmond Folk Festival today announces 10 artists of what will once again be a culturally diverse and inspiring program. Of the new artists being announced today, eight cultural traditions have never before been presented at the festival. 

“While each year the Richmond Folk Festival provides a new artistic program, this year—the event’s 18th—promises to really stand out as a feast for the senses,” said Blaine Waide, associate director for the National Council for the Traditional Arts. “Whether featuring a longstanding local institution like the Art of Noise for the first time or numerous artistic traditions that are new to the festival—polyphonic singing from Epirus, Mauritanian griots, the haunting sounds of Bentonia blues, and many more—the 2022 festival will amaze and captivate audiences.”

Additional artists to be featured at the 2022 Richmond Folk Festival include:

  • 79rs Gang (New Orleans Black Masking Carnival music)
    New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Andre Thierry (zydeco)
    Richmond, California

  • Art of Noise RVA (deejaying)
    Richmond, Virginia

  • Felipe Hostins (Brazilian forró)
    Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil, by way of New York

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

  • Isokratisses (polyphonic singing from Epirus)
    Deropoli and Politsani, Albania

  • Jesse Daniel (honky-tonk country)
    San Marcos, Texas

  • Jimmy “Duck” Holmes (Bentonia blues)
    Bentonia, Mississippi

  • Nani Noam Vazana (Ladino traditional song)
    Amsterdam, the Netherlands

  • Noura Mint Seymali (Mauritanian griot)
    Nouakchott, Mauritania

Click here for extended artist bios, plus audio and video samples on our website.

Volunteer Benefits

The Richmond Folk Festival offers a variety of exciting volunteer opportunities. With over 1,000 volunteers each year, we can't do it without you! The festival is a wonderful place for civic, school, church and office organizations to volunteer. Or simply sign up with your best friend or partner to spend a day together at the festival! Benefits of being a festival volunteer: free t-shirt, free parking and discounts on festival merchandise.

Learn more and sign up here! https://www.richmondfolkfestival.org/volunteer

Encore Performances on VPM

Every Saturday at 5:00pm, catch Virginia Public Media (VPM) broadcasts of favorite performances from the 2021 Richmond Folk Festival. Tune in to Richmond public radio VPM stations 107.3 FM & 93.1 FM for great musical memories. Add these shows to your calendar today:

  • 8/20/22  Rosa Tatuata (Sicilian traditional music)

  • 8/27/22  Pedro Giraudo Tango Ensemble (Argentine tango)

  • 9/3/22    Taj Weekes (reggae)

  • 9/10/22  Sean Jones, Dizzy Spellz, Brinae Ali (jazz, hip hop, and tap dance)

  • 9/17/22  Tres en Punto (trio romantico)

  • 9/24/22  The Western Flyers (western swing)

  • 10/1/22  Sugaray Rayford (blues)

Friends of the Festival

Become a Friend of the Festival to help sustain the Richmond Folk Festival for many years to come! Gifts from our Friends ensure the consistency and future of the performances and programs that we all enjoy the most. Your support is invaluable to us as we work to sustain one of the largest artistic and cultural gatherings in Richmond. Benefits include: weekend parking passes, name mentioned on festival banners and website, a commemorative Richmond Folk Festival Friend of the Festival enameled lapel pin and a limited-edition, screen printed, hand signed and numbered poster by the 2022 official poster artist.

Learn more here! https://www.richmondfolkfestival.org/donations

More information on the festival and additional artists performing will follow in September.