The 2nd Street Festival, presented by Altria and Dominion Energy, returns to Richmond on Saturday-Sunday, October 5-6, in celebration of the rich culture of the historic Jackson Ward neighborhood. This free event, produced by Venture Richmond Events, takes place the first full weekend in October every year and attracts 30,000 participants to historic Jackson Ward to reminisce about the days when 2nd Street was the heart and soul of Richmond’s African American community.

This year’s celebration will feature four stages of live music, local food vendors, a marketplace, a Kidz Zone programmed by the Children’s Museum of Richmond, balloon twisting by Balloons By Extreme, and an Artists Row featuring Sone-Seeré Burrell, David Marion, Liberated Flow, Kelvin Henderson, Fruit of the Spirit, Abdul Badi, The Art of Badi, and Resheda Pullen Jireh.

The festival will also feature co-headliners E. U. and Legacy Band, and is spotlighting smooth jazz artist, Phillip “Doc” Martin and jazz keyboardist, Nathan Mitchell. DJ Drake, Christian “Big New York” de MeSones, Tunji Band, Virginia Union University Gospel Choir, and the award winning Ephesus Drumline.

New this year, DJ Lonnie B will kick-off the festival week early by hosting a poster unveiling event on Saturday, September 28 from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm at the Hippodrome Theater. This year’s festival poster will feature artist and native Richmonder, Sone-Seeré Burrell, the first female artist commissioned for the 2nd Street Festival’s original poster art.

During the event, Venture Richmond Events will provide free guided walking tours led by Gary Flowers who has a four-generation family connection to Historic Jackson Ward. “Educating the public to the place Historic Jackson Ward holds in commerce, education, and dismantling racial segregation in the United States of America is critically important to me,” says Flowers. 60-minute tours leave at 1:00 pm and at 4:00 pm on Saturday and at 4:00 pm on Sunday. Tour groups meet on the sidewalk at the Maggie Walker National Historic Site, 2nd & E. Leigh Streets.

2nd Street Festival 2019 Stage Schedule (Subject to change) 

WAVERLY R. CRAWLEY MAIN STAGE (sponsored by Virginia Union University) 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5 

11:45 – 12:30 pm City of Richmond High School All-Star 

12:50 – 1:50 pm Soul Unlimited Band 

2:15 – 3:15 pm Christian “Big New York” de MeSones 

3:45 – 4:45 pm DJ Drake 

5:30 – 7:00 pm E.U. 

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6 

1:00 – 1:30 pm Trinity Baptist Church Mass Choir 

2:00 – 2:30 pm Virginia Union University Gospel Choir 

2:50 – 3:00 pm We Remember – Dr. Rebertha Pope Matthews & Bill McGhee 

3:25 – 4:25 pm Phillip “Doc” Martin 

4:50 – 6:00 pm Legacy Band 

JOE KENNEDY JR. JAZZ STAGE (sponsored by VPM PBS/NPR) 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5 

12:00 – 12:50 pm Michelle Lightfoot Trio 

1:10 – 2:00 pm Victor Haskins’ “Skein” 

2:20 – 3:10 pm Quintessential Jazz 

3:30 – 4:30 pm Curv Appeal 

4:50 – 6:00 pm Nathan Mitchell 

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6 

Featuring M.A.A.M. (Musicians Ain’t Always Men) 

1:00 – 1:50 pm Marsha Meekins & Company 

2:10 – 3:10 pm Sharon Rae North 

3:30 – 4:30 pm Lady E & The Blues Synsations 

5:00 – 6:00 pm Debo Dabney & The Happy Band 

NINA’S BISTRO STAGE 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5 

12:30 – 1:00 pm Fitness Warriors 

1:30 – 2:30 pm Hip Hop Karaoke 

2:50 – 3:35 pm Rick Elliott 

4:00 – 5:00pm Drew Miles 

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6

1:10 – 2:40 pm Inyan Gospel Choir/Henrico High School 

2:10 – 2:40 pm D Kay Logan and Nu Beginning Choir 

3:00 – 4:00 pm Guitarist Zack Artis 

4:30 – 5:30 pm Tunji Band 

EGGLESTON HOTEL COMMUNITY STAGE 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5 

12:00 – 12:30 pm SPARC 

1:00 – 1:30 pm Happiness Dance Studio 

2:00 – 3:00 pm Carlos Viera “The Line Dance Prince” 

3:30 – 3:50 pm Beats, Rhythm, Life 

4:30 – 5:15 pm Salsa Dancers with Victor Haskins 

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6 

1:00 – 2:00 pm Zack Artis 

2:30 – 3:00 pm Sixth Mt. Zion Music & Movement Baptist Church 

3:30- 4:30 pm D & G Line Dancing 

4:50 –5:30 pm Ephesus Drumline 

For more information, visit the 2nd Street Festival’s website, https://venturerichmond.com/our-events/2nd-street-festival-2019, and the 2nd Street Festival’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/SecondStreetFestival/.