2023 Richmond Folk Festival
Join us at the Virginia Folklife Area on Saturday, October 14 and Sunday, October 15 to experience the crafts, music, and culture of Bristol and beyond!
News and Events
Event
Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time
For this special Farm and Fun Time® episode, two Bristol duos join Bill and the Belles: Bluegrass sweethearts Linda and David Lay and traditional mountain ballad singer Elizabeth Laprelle and her student in our Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program, Elsa Howell.
Sights & SoundsA Family’s Drag Tradition in Bristol
Seventeen-year-old Anna Fleenor of Bristol first raced on a drag strip as part of a youth racing class. From the passenger seat, her father, Chris—a seasoned racer—offered tips to quell her nerves. But as soon as the light turned green, he gave Anna a command that she still hears in her head when it’s time to race: “Mash it.”
Sights & SoundsVirginia Folklife Program Transcribes Oral Histories for Reedville Fishermen’s Museum
Our Virginia Folklife team recently presented transcribed oral histories to the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum.
NewsAnnouncing the Virginia Folklife Area at the 2023 Richmond Folk Festival
We’re thrilled to share that our Virginia Folklife Area at this year’s Richmond Folk Festival will focus on the crafts, music, and culture of Bristol.
Sights & SoundsDaal, Kirtan & Chunni on the National Mall
On April 9, 2023, the National Mall transformed from a space of American nationalism and Western secularism into a celebration of Punjabi heritage and Sikh history with the 6th annual Sikh Freedom March.
Whether sung or told, hand-crafted or performed, Virginia’s rich folklife refers to the “arts of everyday life” that reflect a sense of traditional knowledge and connection to community.
Virginia’s folkways are rich with traditions that have been rooted in the Commonwealth for centuries, as well as those that more recently have been carried here and nourished by Virginia’s diverse immigrant communities.
