Time truly flies. It’s hard to believe, but the Richmond Folk Festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary this September 27-29th along the city’s beautiful riverfront. Each of CCV’s principal staff has been connected with the festival since it first came to Richmond as the National Folk Festival in 2005. CCV associate director Josh Kohn curated the festival during his tenure as Programming Manager at the festival’s producing partner the National Council for the Traditional Arts, and CCV executive director Jon Lohman and business manager Tori Talbot held the curatorial and logistical reins of the festival’s Virginia Folklife Area during their time at the Virginia Folklife Program at Virginia Humanities.
Virginia Folklife Area
Over the years the Virginia Folklife Stage and Traditional Crafts Area has become an audience favorite at the festival, each year showcasing a vast and diverse tapestry of Virginia’s cultural landscape, exploring such themes as the state’s contest traditions, maritime traditions, sacred sounds and spaces, and so many more.
Along with continuing to introduce festival audiences to new performing artists, artisans and folk traditions, the stage and crafts area feels like a family, developing its own traditions such as the much anticipated oyster shucking showdowns between champion sisters Deborah Pratt and Clementine Macon, the stirring opening hymns by National Heritage Fellow and Old Time Regular Baptist preacher Frank Newsome, the myriad frontier-era skills of Clyde Jenkins, the epic Sunday closing sets by local gospel legends the Legendary Ingramettes, and the always fresh and exciting collaborations of musical mad scientist and genius Danny Knicely.
Center for Cultural Vibrancy Stage
After Lohman and Talbot left their positions at the Virginia Folklife Program to create CCV, they have continued to produce the performance stage, now called the Center for Cultural Vibrancy Stage, in partnership with the Virginia Folklife Program, which has remained the curator of the Traditional Crafts Area. It has been a wonderful partnership, serving only to strengthen the programming of this beloved nook of the festival, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with them, festival producers Venture Richmond, and the National Council for the Traditional Arts, to produce many wonderful Richmond Folk Festivals in the future.
We are very proud of the rich programming of the Center for Cultural Vibrancy Stage over the years, and this year is no exception. Check out the full line-up we have planned HERE, and don’t miss this amazing event celebrating our 20th anniversary!
Center for Cultural Vibrancy Stage SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28:
12:00-1:00 Sacred Music Workshop featuring Cora Armstrong, The Legendary Ingramettes Ladies, Heather and Tony Mabe (The Junior Sisk Band), and Susan Gaeta and Gina Sobel (Minnush)
1:15-2:00 Kinny Rorrer and the New North Carolina Ramblers (Old-time)
2:15-3:00 Minnush (Contemporary Sephardic)
3:15-4:00 Danny Knicely, Baakari Wilder and John Previti (Jazz and Tap)
4:15-5:00 Kadencia featuring Kily Vializ and Maurice Sanabria (Bomba y Plena)
5:15-6:15 Africa to Appalachia featuring Cheick Hamala Diabate, Danny Knicely and Riley Baugus (African and Appalachian Fusion)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29:
12:00-12:45 Riley Baugus with guests Danny Knicely and Willie Marschner (Old-Time)
1:00-1:45 Anya Hinkle and the Billy Sea featuring John Doyle (Americana)
2:00-2:45 Bill Evans, Steve Smith and Tim May (Bluegrass)
3:00-3:45 Justin Golden and Devil’s Coattails (Traditional Acoustic Blues)
4:00-4:45 Johnny Williams and the Crooked Road Revival (Bluegrass)
5:00-6:00 Legendary Ingramettes (Gospel)
