What’s Booming RVA: Budget-Friendly Fun
Boomer’s top picks for the week ahead
FREE arts and more with ArtoberVA Pay-What-You-Will experiences all over town, Richmond Folk Festival, and Healthfest – plus more classic RVA fun at Garden Glow and Virginia Vines. What’s Booming RVA: Budget-Friendly Fun.
ArtoberVA Pay-What-You-Will Event Series
Celebrate Richmond arts with pay-what-you-will events, for chances to experience visual and performing arts, arts and crafts classes, all within your budget – whatever it might be.
All month long, throughout the Richmond region.
Richmond Folk Festival.
In its 21st year of celebrating the roots, richness, and variety of American culture. Abundant performances on several stages, Virginia Folklife Exhibition Tent, Riverlore Stage, food trucks, and more. Artists include:
- The Amanda Cook Band (bluegrass) – Fancy Gap, Virginia
- Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy (blues) – Houston, Texas
- Meta & the Cornerstones (reggae) – New York, New York
- Raiatea Helm (Hawaiian falsetto singing) – Honolulu, Hawai’i
- Richard Hagopian Ensemble (Armenian) – Fresno, California
- Son Qba (Cuban son) – Miami, Florida
- Terry & the Zydeco Bad Boys (zydeco) – Duson, Louisiana
- Yamini Kalluri & the Kritya Music Ensemble (Kuchipudi dance) – Lansing, Michigan
- Cécilia (Québécois) – Montreal, Québec, Canada
- Elizabeth King (sacred soul and gospel) – Memphis, Tennessee
- Melissa Carper (classic country) – Austin, Texas
- The Sinquah Family (Hopi hoop dance) – Phoenix, Arizona
- Saami Brothers feat. Ustad Naseeruddin Saami (qawwali and khayal) – Karachi, Pakistan
- Villa 5 (música norteña) – Los Angeles, California
FREE. Oct. 10 to 12, along the riverfront, Richmond.
Healthfest ’25.
Celebrating holistic health, wellness, and sustainable living, with vendors, demonstrations, and food trucks. FREE, registration required.
Oct. 11, noon to 4 p.m., at the Dewey Gottwald Center at the Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond.
Virginia Vines.
Celebrate Virginia Wine Month with samples from some Virginia wineries, learn about wine through cooperage demonstrations and historic gardening experts, graze from food trucks, listen to music, and tour the museum.
Oct. 11, 6 p.m., at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, Richmond.
Garden Glow.
The grounds of Maymont transform after dark with creative lighting throughout the gardens – this year with three new artistic light installations: “Effervescence” blanket of lawn lights, “Peonies,” and “L’Envol” flock of origami-style birds in the treetops. Plus, a Glow Village with food, fire pits, and interactive light installations.
Special benefit night on Oct. 16. Oct. 15 to Nov. 9 at Maymont, Richmond.
Check websites for more details, including prices and registration requirements.
More of What’s Booming in Richmond besides budget-friendly fun
More fun to fill your plate
Boomer’s local feature:
Tony DeSare at ‘Legends on Grace’
