It's not hard to make about 200,000 folks happy.
Just give them free music — and good food. Then more free music, and more food. And don't forget beer and wine, and arts and crafts. You could probably use some good weather — or tents to keep people dry from the bad weather. And don't forget those Porta-Pottys.
This weekend's fourth annual Richmond Folk Festival, the successor to the National Folk Festival held here in 2005 to 2007, will have them all. The festival runs from this evening through Sunday afternoon along the downtown riverfront and Brown's Island.
Some 32 musical acts will share seven stages starting at 6 p.m. today. The festival isn't just for fiddlers and pickers; it features a broad range of musical acts.
Performers range from the Jamaican group The Mighty Diamonds to the Qi Shu Fang Peking Opera, a song and dance and martial arts troupe.
The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar will offer free admission and programming. The Richmond Times-Dispatch Virginia Folklife Stage will feature a Turkey Call Contest and Workshop, while the Richmond Ballet will offer free performances at its building on Canal Street between Fourth and Fifth streets.
"It's very international," said Ida Mamusu, the chef and owner of Africanne on Main in Richmond and one of more than 30 food vendors on site.
"There are all walks of life, all ages — they are very cheerful," she said Thursday as she set up her booth on Brown's Island. The booth will serve sweet fried plantains, couscous and curried fried chicken wings, among other items.
"People spend money. They eat well. They relax. And they really dance."
As long as the dance is not a rain dance, it looks like the festival — which goes on rain or shine — will be mostly dry.
The weekend forecast from the National Weather Service calls for intermittent rain to cease by the time the festival kicks off tonight, with clear skies, sunshine and temperatures in the mid-70s Saturday through Sunday, when the last guitar is strummed at 6 p.m.
Free parking and free shuttle service will be provided every 20 minutes from two locations: Spring Rock Green at 7202 Midlothian Turnpike, and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield at 2015 Staples Mill Road. Shuttles will run today beginning at 4:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Nader Hagez hopes festivalgoers bring their appetites. The longtime Richmond vendor was busy setting up his expansive food stand Thursday, stocked with about 2 tons of vegetables and about 2 tons of meat — chicken, beef and lamb.
The festival, he says, announces to the rest of the world that the Richmond area is relevant culturally and musically.
The 34-year-old Lebanese-American even brought his Egyptian drum, just in case the spirit moves him.
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