Richmond Folk Festival lights up riverfront

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Shayla Bailey 38

 

One of Virginia’s largest festivals, the Richmond Folk Festival, brought thousands to the River City last weekend for the 13th year Oct. 13-15 at Brown’s Island.

One of the vendors set up in the crafts marketplace is Martin “Rafiki” Owino of the online 

 

art and print shop, K’ Owino Batiks. In his first year at the Folk Festival, Owino sold his pieces of art called “batiks,” which are paintings on cotton fabric. He does this by layering wax and natural dyes on cotton fabric, a technique passed down from generation to generation.

 

“Everything I make is one of a kind,” Owino said. “Nobody can find it anywhere.”

 

Photo by Shayla Bailey.

Owino said his work depicts, and is inspired by, African life in Western Kenya where he’s from. Owino said his art is helping Americans learn about his culture through his work.

 

“I want people to know that I live in a good community,” Ownio said.

Owino was one of the several vendors depicting African culture. Among the items for sale were African inspired jewelry, traditional clothing and handmade leather bracelets.

There were local vendors set up as well , including Studio Two Three. Jake Urbanski is one of the instructors and operations manager of the nonprofit community art studio. The booth had clothing, including T-shirts and bandanas, as well as decorations.

  “It’s social justice and Richmond-centric,” Urbanski said about the T-shirt designs. “So, it’s think global, listen local. We’re proud of our city, but we’re also trying to improve it as we know how.”

  The items for sale had social-justice oriented slogans like “Women’s rights are human rights” as well as Richmond-focused items which featured images of Virginia with a heart over Richmond.

Traditional Moroccan folk group was one of the many multicultural performances at the festival. Photo by Shayla Bailey.

Studio Two Three uses a screen-printing technique for t-shirts, totes and wood signs. For bigger items such as tapestries they use a stream rolling technique.

“They were all printmakers,” Urbanski said about Studio Two Three’s start. “They decided to pull their efforts and share all the equipment they had and rented a studio. [Executive Director] Ashley Hawkins went to VCU for nonprofit management and turned what was this little co-op with four people into a non-profit studio for bigger outreach.”

  To keep the festival free, volunteers walk around with orange buckets asking for donations. Each year, about 1,300 people volunteer at the festival to help set up and take down the event, as well as sell merchandise, conduct donation collections and give out information.

festival attendees of all ages enjoyed live music. Photo by Raelyn Fines

Last year more than 125,000 people attended to celebrate American culture through music, food and vendors.

One of the volunteers at one of the information tents was first-time volunteer, Kayla Diggs-Brody. She and her husband attended previous festivals while they attended VCU. They had always wanted to volunteer, Diggs-Brody said, but were always out of town.

  “It’s a Richmond event,” Diggs-Brody said. “And it’s also folky which I think represents the city in a way. It vibes with I think what a lot of people feel the city gives to them.”

Digg-Brody said compared to previous years, this years festival doesn’t have as many big name acts. However, she thinks that’s good because she gets to hear things that she’s never heard before.

  “We enjoy the diversity of the acts,” Diggs-Brody said. “It always seems like there’s a presence from certain cultures that are always here. There’s always Latino, Native American, Central American, South American artists. There’s always an African or Caribbean influenced group. There’s lots of folksy, country, bluegrassy type music.”

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Emiley Bagalawis, Contributing Writer

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