East End Festival to Take Place May 6-8

On Tuesday, February 9, Mayor Dwight C. Jones, Cynthia Newbille, Richmond City 7th District Councilwoman, Richmond Public Schools, Bon Secours Richmond Health System and the Richmond Symphony announced a special festival celebrating communities in Richmond’s East End. The RVA East End Festival: The Gift of Music will be an inclusive community celebration taking place May 6-8. The Richmond Symphony will setup their “Big Tent” for the festival, giving many professional, community and school groups a chance to perform on the Symphony’s new state-of-the-art outdoor stage.

"This new festival in the East End is exactly the type of outcome we envisioned with the Richmond Symphony’s acquisition of their new “Big Tent,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones "Expanding the Symphony’s footprint into neighborhoods like the East End is only the beginning of the wonderful partnerships and community engagement that this mobility will continue to inspire. I’m so pleased that many of our elementary schools are some of the first beneficiaries of support through this enhanced outreach."

“The Richmond Symphony is thrilled to be a partner in the 2016 RVA East End Festival,” said Executive Director David J. L. Fisk of the Richmond Symphony. “We see the “Big Tent” as an opportunity to foster community pride, and showcase what the Richmond area, and its people, have to offer by using music’s power to unite and entertain. Keep a look out for the Symphony bringing the “Big Tent” to other local communities across the region in the coming months and years. We are excited to launch the first festival in Richmond’s East End.”

In addition to festival performances and activities, the event is designed to create a lasting and positive benefit to the East End community. To help achieve this, Bon Secours Richmond Health System has joined festival partners as a sponsor towards a pledged goal of $100,000 to provide musical instruments and related materials to students of East End schools. This support will specifically help bolster East End music education programs - positively impacting thousands of students for years to come.

The festival is intended to attract thousands of people from throughout the region over the course of the weekend. Local restaurants, craft beer, vendors, businesses and non-profits will also be featured. Festival admittance is free and open to the public. Organizations, artists, and vendors who wish to participate in the festival should go to rvaeastendfest.com to complete an interest form. There will be limited performance time availability. Entry fees may apply to participating vendors. Sponsor, business partnership and individual support opportunities are also available. For more information, please visit rvaeastendfest.com or call 804-788-4717.