Richmond’s colorful foliage may not light up the town as early as cities to her north, but two October outdoor traditions there herald autumn’s arrival as surely as frost on Pennsylvania pumpkins.
The 2nd Street Festival, now in its 22nd year, celebrates the heart and soul of the black community through live music Oct. 2-3. “Two Street” or the “Deuce” is the setting for the musical fete taking place in the historic Jackson Ward neighborhood. On four stages festivalgoers will hear R&B, jazz, gospel music and performances by a host of community groups.
Lisa Sims, with Venture Richmond Events, is the director of the 2nd Street Festival, which is free, begins at noon each day and continues into the evening.
“This is a beautiful event, an institution [and] people love it,” she said. “We have been very lucky. Even when the weather has been iffy, people will come out to celebrate.”
The following weekend, Oct. 8-10, visitors flock to Richmond’s riverfront to celebrate the origins, richness and variety of American culture at the sixth annual Richmond Folk Festival. Taking place on Brown Island throughout this bright October weekend, festivalgoers, surrounded by the glistening James River, will experience a variety of cultures through music, dance, traditional crafts and, of course, food.
Folk Festival Marketing Director Denise Bird notes that a new group of artists has been invited each of the festival’s six years.
“The biggest challenge has been wrestling with the word, ‘folk,’ ” she said. “A lot of people think of folk music as Peter, Paul & Mary, where folk is really traditional music. The people who perform have not studied music in school. [Theirs] are musical traditions and performances learned from great-grandparents and passed down to grandparents and parents. This is also traditional music from around the world.”
And so she explained that cross-generational and world sounds are better referred to as “roots” music. This year’s lineup includes Brazilian capoeira, go-go music from the Washington group Rare Essence and north Indian tabla performed by one of the world’s most famous percussionists, Zakir Hussain. Master of the flat-picked guitar, Tony Rice from Reidsville, N.C., entertains crowds along with Richmond’s own Harold Lilly, who plays gospel on a Hammond B-3 organ.
“Program guides, information booths and pocket guides will tell visitors about every performance, the time and on what stage,” Bird explained. “People can make their own schedules.”
