A Free Community Celebration of Music & Arts Supporting Richmond Public Schools
September 26 @ 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Celebrate the vibrant rhythm and creativity of Richmond at the 8th Annual RVA East End Festival! This free, family-friendly outdoor cultural festival brings together world-class headliners, local legends, and talented Richmond Public Schools (RPS) students for an unforgettable day of live music, food, and community fellowship at the historic 17th Street Market.
All proceeds collected via the on-site “Bucket Brigade” and online donations directly fund musical instruments, visual arts equipment, concert attire, and performing arts spaces across nine East End Richmond Public Schools through the RPS Education Foundation.
11:00 AM – Opening Ceremony & National Anthem
- Performers: Richmond Police Department Community Band
- Featured Soloist: Destin Scott (9th-grade student, Franklin Military Academy)
- The Vibe: Civic pride and community tradition.
- Significance: Ninth-grader Destin Scott opens the day, establishing the festival’s core mission: elevating youth achievement from the start.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM – RPS East End Student Showcase
- Performers: Elementary, middle, and high school students from across the East End and Richmond including
- –The Richmond Public Schools All-City Band
- –The Bellevue Elementary Choir
- –The Armstrong High School Dance Team
- –And More…..
- The Vibe: Pure energy, emerging talent, and the future of Richmond music.
- Significance: Directed by local music educators—including alumni who grew up in these exact schools—students gain real-world experience performing on a professional festival stage with full production.
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM – Richmond Symphony
- Genre: Classical / Symphonic Pops
- The Vibe: Grand, sweeping, and collaborative.
- Significance: A foundational festival partner since 2016, the Richmond Symphony brings its full regional orchestra out of traditional concert halls directly into Shockoe Bottom, underscoring that classical music belongs to the entire community.
2:00 PM – 2:45 PM – No BS! Brass Band
- Genre: High-Energy Brass / Funk / New Orleans Second-Line Fusion
- The Vibe: Heavy low-end rumble, polyrhythmic grooves, and hard-hitting horn arrangements.
- Significance: Founded in Richmond, this powerhouse ensemble fuses New Orleans street brass with funk, jazz, and rock, rattling the 17th Street Market pavement with infectious rhythm.
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM – Lenny Holmes & The Forever Band
- Genre: Funk / Soul / Rock & Blues
- The Vibe: Soulful guitar mastery and vintage showmanship.
- Significance: Led by Grammy-nominated guitarist, singer, and producer Lenny Holmes, this veteran ensemble brings decades of touring polish, deep blues-rock grooves, and sharp stage presence.
4:00 PM – 4:45 PM – The Dap Mallory Band
- Genre: Classic R&B / Soul / Party Anthems
- The Vibe: Timeless, dance-floor-packing soul.
- Significance: A staple of the regional live circuit, The Dap Mallory Band delivers tight medleys across golden eras of soul and R&B, keeping the crowd on their feet.
5:00 PM – 5:45 PM – James “Saxsmo” Gates
- Genre: Contemporary Jazz / Hard Bop / Improvisation
- The Vibe: Expressive, sophisticated, and technically brilliant jazz storytelling.
- Significance: A 7-time Grammy-nominated saxophonist and renowned educator, Gates represents the pinnacle of Virginia’s Black jazz lineage, delivering profound melodic phrasing and virtuoso improvisation.
6:00 PM – 6:45 PM – Sounds Funny Band
- Genre: Modern R&B / Neo-Soul / Hip-Hop
- The Vibe: Contemporary urban bounce and lush vocal harmonies.
- Significance: Closing out the festival, Sounds Funny Band weaves modern soul melodies over tight hip-hop and funk rhythm pockets for a high-energy finale.
Free
