The Richmond Folk Festival 2008

The first Richmond Folk Festival is taking place this weekend, October 10-12, 2008, on downtown Richmond’s riverfront.

Last year, nearly 175,000 people came down to downtown Richmond's riverfront to attend the Richmond Folk Festival. Up to 200,000 people are expected to attend the Richmond Folk Festival this weekend to celebrate the roots, richness and variety of American culture through music, dance traditional crafts, storytelling and food.

The Richmond Folk Festival is taking place on the banks of downtown Richmond's riverfront, from 2nd to 7th streets and from Byrd Street to the river - including Brown's Island, the American Civil War Center at Tredegar, the lawn of the New Market (Ethyl) Corporation, portions of Federal Reserve parking lots, and Tredegar Street.

In the exact likeness of the hugely successful National Folk Festival in Richmond, the Richmond Folk Festival will feature more than 30 performing groups on seven 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.

Sponsors including Dominion Resources Inc., Richmond Times-Dispatch, Genworth Financial, First Market Bank, Philip Morris USA, SunTrust, Ukrop’s, the City of Richmond, NewMarket Corp., Children's Museum of Richmond and The Community Foundation have committed to help fund the Richmond Folk Festival.

More sponsors are being sought, and expenses are expected to run about $1.4 million.

2008 Performance Schedule

Friday, October 10

Ukrop's/ First Market Bank Stage

• 6:50 - 7:10 p.m. Tezcatlipoca Voladores (Mayan sundance)
• 7:10 - 7:30 p.m. Opening remarks
• 7:30 - 8:15 p.m. Vieux Farka Touré (Saharan blues)
• 8:30 - 9:15 p.m. The Dan Tyminski Band (bluegrass)
• 9:30 - 10:30 p.m. Howard Tate (soul/ R&B)

Wachovia/ Wachovia Securities Stage

• 8:15 - 9:30 p.m. San Jose Taiko (Japanese ritual drumming)

Richmond Times-Dispatch Dance Pavilion

• 8:00 - 9:15 p.m. BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet (Cajun)
• 9:30 - 10:30 p.m. The Itals (reggae)

Saturday, October 11

Ukrop's/ First Market Bank Stage

• 12:15 - 12:45 p.m. Tezcatlipoca Voladores (Mayan sundance)
• 12:45 - 1:30 p.m. Líadan (Irish)
• 1:45 - 2:30 p.m. The Dan Tyminski Band (bluegrass)
• 2:45 -3:45 p.m. Howard Tate (soul/ R&B)
• 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Harmonia (Eastern European)
• 5:15 - 6:00 p.m. Plena Libre (salsa/ bomba y plena)
• 7:00 - 7:30 p.m. Tezcatlipoca Voladores (Mayan sundance)
• 7:30 - 8:15 p.m. Dale Watson (honky tonk country)
• 8:30 - 9:15 p.m. BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet (Cajun)
• 9:30 - 10:30 p.m. The Itals (reggae)

Wachovia/ Wachovia Securities Stage

• 12:00 - 12:45 p.m. San Jose Taiko (Japanese ritual drumming)
• 1:00 - 1:45 p.m. Nadeem Dlaikan & Friends (Arabic)
• 2:00 - 2:45 p.m. Cellicion Traditional Zuni Dancers (Native American)
• 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Picking Partners: Guitar Duos
• 4:15 - 5:15 p.m. Fiddle Traditions
• 5:30 - 6:15 p.m. San Jose Taiko (Japanese ritual drumming)
• 7:45 - 8:30 p.m. Harmonia (Eastern European)
• 8:45 - 9:30 p.m. Líadan (Irish)
• 9:45 - 10:30 p.m. The Dan Tyminski Band (bluegrass)

Dominion Stage

• 12:00 - 12:45 p.m. Robin Kessinger & Todd Hallawell (guitar duo)
• 1:00 - 1:45 p.m. Mark Halata & Texavia (Texas/ Czech polka)
• 2:00 - 2:45 p.m. Vieux Farka Touré (Saharan blues)
• 3:00 - 3:45 p.m. The Itals (reggae)
• 4:00 - 4:30 p.m. Nukariik (Inuit throat singing)
• 4:45 - 5:30 p.m. Nadeem Dlaikan & Friends (Arabic)
• 5:45 - 6:30 p.m. Vieux Farka Touré (Saharan blues)
• 6:45 - 7:15 p.m. Sharde Thomas & Rising Star Fife & Drum (African American fife & drum)

Comcast Stage

• 12:00 - 12:45 p.m. World Rhythm & Blues Connections
• 1:00 - 1:30 p.m. James Cheechoo (Cree fiddle)
• 1:45 - 2:30 p.m. Lee Sexton Band (old-time)
• 2:45 - 3:30 p.m. Grupo Cimarrón (Colombian joropo)
• 3:45 - 4:45 p.m. Countryside Songs Session
• 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Ledward Kaapana & Mike Kaawa (Hawaiian)
• 6:15 - 7:00 p.m. Eddie & Alonzo Pennington (Kentucky thumb-picking)

Richmond Times-Dispatch Dance Pavilion

• 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Dale Watson (honky tonk country)
• 1:15 - 2:15 p.m. BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet (Cajun)
• 2:45 - 4:00 p.m. E.U. (go - go)
• 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Howard Tate (soul/ R&B)
• 6:45 - 7:30 p.m. Salsa Lesson with Eileen Torres
• 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. Plena Libre (salsa/ bomba y plena)
• 8:30 - 8:50 p.m. Sharde Thomas & Rising Star Fife & Drum (African American fife & drum) (floor performance)
• 9:10 - 10:30 p.m. E.U. (go - go)

MWV Virginia Folklife Stage

• 12:00 - 12:45 p.m. Sama Ensemble (Persian percussion ensemble)
• 1:00 - 1:45 p.m. River Nile Band (Sudanese popular music)
• 2:00 - 2:45 p.m. Ganga (Bengali song & music)
• 3:00 - 3:45 p.m. Foodways Traditions
• 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Solazo (Latin American Song)
• 5:15 - 6:00 p.m. River Nile Band (Sudanese popular music)

Genworth Foundation Family Stage

• 12:15 - 1:15 p.m. Tamara & The Shadow Puppets of Java (Javanese shadow puppetry)
• 1:30 - 2:00 p.m. Nukariik (Inuit throat singing)
• 2:15 - 2:45 p.m. James Cheechoo (Cree fiddle)
• 3:00 - 3:45 p.m. Drums No Guns (youth percussion ensemble)
• 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Tamara & The Shadow Puppets of Java (Javanese shadow puppetry)
• 5:15 - 6:00 p.m. Robin Kessinger & Todd Hallawell (guitar duo)

Genworth Foundation Family Activities Stage

• 12:00 - 12:45 p.m. Glass Harmonica with Dean Shostak
• 1:00 - 1:45 p.m. Drums No Guns (youth percussion ensemble)
• 2:00 - 2:45 p.m. Sea Chanteys with Bob Zentz
• 3:00 - 3:30 p.m. Family Belly Dance with Nadira Lampert
• 3:45 - 4:15 p.m. Chris Fuller & Frank Coleman (JAM inc.)
• 4:30 - 5:15 p.m. Glass Harmonica with Dean Shostak
• 5:30 - 6:00 p.m. Sea Chanteys with Bob Zentz

Sunday, October 12

Ukrop's/First Market Bank

• 12:00 - 12:30 p.m. Tezcatlipoca Voladores (Mayan sundance)
• 12:30 - 1:00 p.m. Sharde Thomas & Rising Star Fife & Drum (African American fife & drum)
• 1:15 - 2:00 p.m. Eddie & Alonzo Pennington (Kentucky thumb-picking)
• 2:15 - 3:30 p.m. Larry Bland & The Volunteer Choir (gospel)
• 3:45 - 4:30 p.m. Ledward Kaapana & Mike Kaawa (Hawaiian)
• 4:45 - 5:30 p.m. Grupo Cimarrón(Colombian joropo)
• 5:45 - 6:30 p.m. Plena Libre (salsa/ bomba y plena)

Wachovia/ Wachovia Securities Stage

• 12:00 - 12:45 p.m. Robin Kessinger & Todd Hallawell (guitar duo)
• 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. World Strings Traditions
• 2:15 - 2:45 p.m. James Cheechoo (Cree fiddle)
• 3:00 - 3:45 p.m. Grupo Cimarrón (Colombian joropo)
• 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Líadan (Irish)
• 5:15 - 6:00 p.m. Cellicion Traditional Zuni Dancers (Native American)

Dominion Stage

• 12:30 - 1:15 p.m. Lee Sexton Band (old-time)
• 1:30 - 2:15 p.m. E.U. (go - go)
• 2:30 - 3:15 p.m. Mark Halata & Texavia (Texas/ Czech polka)
• 3:30 - 4:15 p.m. Cellicion Traditional Zuni Dancers (Native American)
• 4:30 - 5:15 p.m. Harmonia (Eastern European)
• 5:30 - 6:15 p.m. Ledward Kaapana & Mike Kaawa (Hawaiian)

Comcast Stage

• 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. World Voices
• 1:45 - 2:45 p.m. World Flute Traditions
• 3:00 - 3:30 p.m. Nukariik (Inuit throat singing)
• 3:45 - 4:30 p.m. Lee Sexton Band (old-time)
• 4:45 - 5:30 p.m. Nadeem Dlaikan & Friends (Arabic)

Richmond Times-Dispatch Dance Pavilion

• 12:15 - 1:15 p.m. Mark Halata & Texavia (Texas/ Czech polka)
• 1:30 - 2:00 p.m. Salsa Lesson w/ Eillen Torres
• 2:00 - 3:15 p.m. Plena Libre (salsa/ bomba y plena)
• 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Dale Watson (honky tonk country)
• 4:45 - 6:00 p.m. E.U. (go - go)

MWV Virginia Folklife Stage

• 12:00 - 12:45 p.m. Rumah Gadang Group (West Sumatran music & dance)
• 1:00 - 1:15 p.m. Dhol Drumming
• 1:15 - 2:00 p.m. Husnu Aydogdu Group (Turkish)
• 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Edelweiss Band (German accordion trio)
• 3:30 - 4:15 p.m. Thongtahn Souvannaphanh (Laotian)
• 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. "Chino" Terrones Dance Company (Peruvian Marinera dance)

Genworth Foundation Family Stage

• 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Tamara And the Shadow Puppets of Java (Javanese shadow puppetry)
• 1:15 - 2:00 p.m. Drums No Guns (youth percussion ensemble)
• 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Tamara and the Shadow Puppets of Java (Javanese shadow puppetry)
• 3:30 - 4:00 p.m. Sharde Thomas & Rising Star Fife & Drum (African American Fife & Drum)
• 4:15 - 5:00 p.m. Eddie & Alonzo Pennington (Kentucky thumb-picking)
• 5:15 - 5:45 p.m. Nukariik (Inuit throat singing)

Genworth Foundation Family Activities Stage

• 12:00 - 12:45 p.m. Sea Chanteys with Bob Zentz
• 1:00 - 1:45 p.m. Glass Harmonica with Dean Shostak
• 2:00 - 2:45 p.m. Sea Chanteys with Bob Zentz
• 3:00 - 3:15 p.m. Dhol Drumming
• 3:15 - 3:45 p.m. The Company Store (JAM Inc.)
• 4:00 - 4:45 p.m. Drums No Guns (youth percussion ensemble)
• 5:00 - 5:30 p.m. Glass Harmonica with Dean Shostak