10,000 attend Stone Soul Music and Food Festival

Type text of update here.

Kirk Fauntleroy, with his sunglasses reflecting the scene, came to the fifth annual Stone Soul Music and Food Festival Saturday to observe, he said.

"And admire a few girls," said Fauntleroy, who came with four friends to the festival on Brown's Island in downtown Richmond from Tappahannock.

The festival drew a sell-out crowd of 10,000 people, with more arriving than departing by late afternoon.

"You know when it's your time to leave -- when the young people start coming," said Virginia Reid, as she and her husband, Rudolph, tromped six or so blocks to their car.

The Chesterfield County couple, originally from New York, arrived at Brown's Island at noon to hear Eric Benét and other gospel singers. They love jazz but are not much into rap, she said.

"I liked everything about it," Reid said. "We actually wanted to see what Richmond has to offer." She said she was impressed -- "a little bit, it's getting there."

Gospel opened the show with Crystal Aikin, God's Image, Maurette Brown Clark, James Fortune and LaKisha Jones, the fourth runner-up on the sixth season of "American Idol."

Pamela Christian from Chesterfield said she came to hear rhythm-and-blues singer Joe but was staying through to the end to hear Petersburg's own Trey Songz, "the prince of R&B," according to his Web site.

"This is right on, this is what's happening -- it's our thing," said Ron Byrd of Richmond, sipping on a beer.

"It's like a reunion. We all come together."

Tickets were $20 in advance. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia.

Contact Carol Hazard at (804) 775-8023 or .