Richmond Folk Festival: Local Businesses Make Music, Too

Sunday quiz time: What do these businesses have in common?

• Ukrop's Super Markets.

• First Market Bank.

• Altria.

• Genworth Financial.

• NewMarket Corp.

• MeadWestvaco.

• SunTrust.

• Dominion.

• Richmond Times-Dispatch.

They all have long roots in our community.

Yes, but try again.

They all are dealing with challenging times. Nearly all are trying to reinvent themselves for a future that will be much different than their past.

Excellent answer, but you're still not there yet.

Well, maybe there's some concern being old-line businesses; the future is uncertain.

Interesting perspective. But you missed again.

OK, here's the big hint:

Richmond Folk Festival.

Ah, they're the organizations, along with CenterStage and the Community Foundation, that served as major contributors and worked with Venture Richmond and other spirited businesses to put on this year's event. The groups above also made up the stage sponsors and shuttle service.

Right answer. Congratulations.

Based on the crowds' obvious satisfaction, the fifth year of Richmond's Folk Festival was a smashing success. But what was equally striking is how the same businesses and organizations found a way to maintain their support of what may be the best example of regional celebration in Richmond. Altria even jumped in to replace Wachovia to keep one of the big music tents in the mix.

Makes you wonder: What if they didn't pony up?

You know about the turbulence of the grocery, banking, financial, tobacco, manufacturing, and newspaper industries. The undercard of a festival that united people with the joy of music was that a handful of our more recognized companies once again collaborated on the three-day free extravaganza, despite their own internal challenges that are as distracting as a loudspeaker with an annoying hum in it.

As the festival starts to draw a younger, more diverse audience than the initial versions -- which is great for our region -- how many of those who go for free actually think about supporting the businesses and organizations that put on this important event? Again, I wonder.

Applause goes to everyone involved in the Richmond Folk Festival, especially the organizers, the legions of volunteers, city police, firefighters, and other employees as well as the organizations that manned the informational booths that dotted the site. If I missed someone, please take a bow now.

The prolonged recession that served as a backdrop this year might explain why the thank yous were particularly earnest. I can't tell you how many people expressed appreciation for

The Times-Dispatch continuing to boost the festival of all festivals. I hope Venture Richmond, the city, and the other contributors heard them as well. In addition to wonderful stories and music, the RFF served up surprise victories as well. (No, not the needed exercise from all the walking.) Here's one: My wife and I were buying a festival T-shirt on Sunday when the younger sales attendant noticed our sponsor tags. He volunteered that he was considering renewing his subscription to The Times-Dispatch.

I said because of his business, we're able to give back to the community and sponsor a dance tent that fills to capacity with each performance.

He smiled back and nodded, indicating the subscription would continue. That made my weekend.

Long live the Richmond Folk Festival!

. . .

A quick thank you to our readers living at Covenant Woods retirement community in Hanover County and the members of the Italian American Business and Professional Societa for their kind invitations to appear recently as a guest speaker. The questions were sharp, the back-and-forth was engaging, and the conversations afterward were special. A hot meal was even included.

Both visits confirmed that the best part of my job is interacting with informed readers and advertisers. That even includes the gentleman upset that we mistakenly threw his paper in the ditch last week.

Tom Silvestri is leader of the Richmond Media Group and publisher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He can be reached at (804) 649-6121 or at .