Final round of Richmond Folk Festival performers announced

In 17 days, the Richmond Folk Festival will commandeer the downtown riverfront.

Throughout the three-day event -- Oct. 9-11 -- 25 acts will perform on six stages scattered throughout the Brown's Island/Tredegar Iron Works area, including three in the Genworth Financial Family Area. In addition, seven groups will perform in the Virginia Folklife Area.

Yesterday, festival organizers released the final nine artists and groups participating in the free event, now in its second year since spinning off from the National Folk Festival.

The 2008 Richmond Folk Festival attracted about 185,000 people.

New to the main stage performance lineup are:

Clinton Fearon and his Boogie Brown Band: Fearon is a Jamaican reggae legend who hails from Tacoma, Wash.

Aubrey Ghent: A virtuoso of gospel-enhanced lap steel guitar.

La Gran Banda: Based in Miami, the group will perform its danceable Colombian village brass.

Lloyd Arneach: A master storyteller from the Eastern Band Cherokee of North Carolina, he'll share stories drawn from his heritage and some self-written ones.

Khogzhumchu: The quartet from the Russian Republic of Tuva in Central Asia will perform its unique style of throat singing.

Paul Zarzyski: The cowboy poet will join Wylie Gustafson in a full band setting and also in stripped-down sets focusing on wordplay.

Performing in the Genworth Family Area will be: The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra; Norfolk's Bob Zentz, who performs sea chanteys and spoon instruction; and, from festival partner JAMinc, Chris Fuller with Frank Coleman, The Company Store and George Turman.

Contact Melissa Ruggieri at (804) 649-6120 or .