10/5/21
The Richmond Folk Festival is Back!
The 2021 Richmond Folk Festival has so much to offer: five stages with over 30 different genres of music on Downtown Richmond’s riverfront, food and merchandise vendors featuring all sorts of different cultural offerings, and more. We've narrowed down the list to six of the most need-to-know pieces of information for this year's event, but for all the details about the festival happenings thoughout the October 8-10 weekend, visit the Richmond Folk Festival website here.
1. The Virginia Folklife Area
The 2021 Folklife Area's theme is "MASK" and features the works of Gankhuyag “Ganna” Natsag
Featuring astonishing Mongolian masks and ceremonial costumes, "MASK" will take over the Richmond Times-Dispatch Virginia Folklife Area to showcase artist Gankhuyag “Ganna” Natsag and his family's traditions, costumes and culture throughout the weekend. “MASK” will mark the first time that the entire Virginia Folklife Crafts Area will be devoted to a single artist. See their sacred performance on Sunday, October 10th at 4PM on the Richmond Times-Dispatch Virginia Folklife Stage.
2. The Festival Marketplace
20+ makers and artisans selling one-of-a-kind, handmade products are available to shop throughout the festival weekend
This year's list of vendors include:
- AlterNatives: Handmade /woven textile bags, pillows and clothing from Guatemala
- A.U.M.I.I.T.U: Handmade leather items and accessories; earrings, crossbody bags, cuffs and more
- Fruits of the Spirit: Original Art
- Holston Mountain Hat Project: Hand crocheted and knitted hats, headbands, gloves, scarves
- Khepra Jewelers: Handmade jewelry; sterling silver, gold, brass, and copper
- KVZ Designs: Handmade jewelry, footwear, textiles, and accessories from Guatemala
- Liberatus Jewelry: Handmade jewelry and men’s accessories; sterling silver, brass, copper
- M & M Links: Funky jewelry made with stones, wood, shells, glass, pearls and crystals
- Mexica Crafts: Handmade leather mocs, boots, purses, hats
- Mr G’s Imports: Authentic African handbags, jewelry, baskets, shea butter, t-shirts and other accessories from Mali, Ghana, Togo
- MudLove: Handmade clay products, inspirational bracelets, and mugs
- One Little World: Handmade and fair-trade jewelry, home décor, accessories, stuffed animals
- Pure Shea Store: Handmade organic soaps, scented shea butter, natural hair products, lotions, body oils
- Scensational: Traditional African incense, sticks and cones, body oils, burning pots and charcoals
- Studio Two Three: Richmond themed screen-printed t-shirts, totes, flags, towels, prints
- The Passage: Handmade paper and beaded jewelry, fiber handbags
- Used & Rare: Handmade and recycled pants, shawls, handbags, hats, jewelry, scarves
- Vision of Tibet: Handmade and fair-trade Himalayan crafts, clothing, accessories
- Worlds’ Mini Bazaar: Shalwar Kameez, handbags, skirts, Indian scarves
- Woodland Heights Studio: Handmade clay cups, masks, brooches and framed work
- 920 Jewelry: Handmade earrings, bracelets, necklaces with gemstones
3. The 2021 Poster
Our 2021 Festival Poster Artist is RVA's "The NightOwl," Mickael Broth
Well-known throughout Richmond for his use of witches in his many murals and street art, Mickael Broth is the artist behind this year's Richmond Folk Festival poster. The 2021 posters will be available for sale at the Folk Festival at the Plan 9 merchandise tent locations at the festival. Starting October 11, it will be available to purchase at Plan 9 Music in Carytown and online here.
4. Hardywood's Folkus Pocus
This year's limited edition brew is a full-bodied, hazy IPA
Folkus Pocus is full of freshly-squeezed citrus and ripe peach characters from the Citra hops, further intensified by rounds of dry hopping with Rakua and Wai Iti hops straight from New Zealand, making it the ideal duet partner for your Folk Fest experience! Folkus Pocus will be available only at the Richmond Folk Festival in the WestRock Craft Beer Area .
5. Be a Good Neighbor
Be safe and have fun!
As we join people around the world who are navigating some uncertainty this fall, we know our fans will support us in being good neighbors at this year’s event. We are committed to hosting a safe, welcoming, and vibrant celebration in Downtown Richmond. We are so excited for you to join us if you are comfortable doing so, but please stay home if you’re not feeling well or are showing COVID symptoms.
Please note that due to the highly interactive nature of the activities planned for the CarMax Family Area, the Richmond Folk Festival will not host a family area this year. We ask everyone to be a “good neighbor” and show kindness to one another by following our health and safety guidelines so we can ALL enjoy a fun and safe Richmond Folk Festival.
6. Purchasing Beer and Merchandise
Download the Noble App to Pre-order your drinks
Important to note this year, there are NO CASH SALES on site for beverages or festival merchandise. Debit and Credit cards are accepted. Beverages are available for online ordering - either before you leave home or once you’re on the festival grounds Pre-ordering through the Noble App allows for drinks to be ready when you get there! Please be sure to download the Noble App and create an account/password in preparation for beverage purchasing – and be sure to remember your password! But you can also simply purchase in person with a debit or credit card.