17th Street Farmers’ Market festival schedule

Your one stop shop for all your Farmers’ Market festival needs.

February 4, 2014; 10:07 AM • by Richard Hayes

What follows is the press release for this summer’s events at the Farmers’ Market, so get out your calendar and start marking. One item that caught my eye was the Bacon Festival. By all accounts that was a bit of a disaster last year with massive crowds and insane lines, let’s hope that they’re making some dramatic changes.

The Enrichmond Foundation is pleased to announce the 17th Street Farmers’ Market 2014 Festival season, featuring 9 signature events and a performing arts series that are expected to bring more than 150,000 people to Shockoe Bottom this year.

All of the events listed are free to attend unless otherwise indicated. Food, beverage and selected activities are available for purchase.

The 2014 festival schedule includes:

Saturday, April 26 – 11am-5pm – 21st Earth Day Richmond

Now in its 21st year, central Virginia’s largest and longest-running Earth Day Celebration returns to the historic 17th Street Farmers’ Market in the heart of downtown Richmond on Saturday, April 26, 2014. Sign up for the EarthCraft 5k Race Without a Trace beforehand, and then enjoy more than a hundred environmentally friendly earth-conscious vendors, interactive children’s area, local food, Richmond craft beer, and live music from the Richmond Youth Jazz Guild, My Darling Fury, and Goldrush. This is one of the biggest and best events on the RVA spring calendar! Come join the Richmond community in Shockoe Bottom as we learn about and celebrate the local resources that make our world a more sustainable place to live.

Sunday, June 8 – 11am-5pm – Richmond Bacon Festival

Everything is better with bacon, including RVA! Last year a record- breaking crowd came out to the 17th Street Farmers’ Market to taste, sample, sell, smell and flat out enjoy all things bacon. Local Richmond restaurants and food trucks bring their creative minds to this event, offering everything from bacon-infused sliders, ribs, clam cakes and mac- n-cheese to chocolate bacon ice pops. The festival layout has been expanded for 2014, with more event space, more food vendors, more beverage stations, just more, more and more of a great thing. The festival is fully prepared for a mass influx of bacon-lovers. Richmond Bacon Festival will also feature live music and shopping. The event is free to attend. Food and beverage are available for purchase.

Sunday, August 17 – 12-5pm – RVA Brew B Q

RVA Brew B Q features some of the region’s most loved barbeque producers, from the well-known, to the whole-in-the-wall weekend barbeque warriors, you’ll be able to taste it all. After enjoying choices pulled, minced, smoked, saucy, vinegar-based, sweet, sandwiches, plates and more, wash down your favorite bites with cold suds from more than 15 local craft breweries, including Legend, Hardywood, Center of the Universe and more! The event is free to attend. Food and beverage are available for purchase.

Sunday, September 7 –12-5pm – Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest – NEW!

Prepare yourself and your tastebuds for Richmond’s hottest new festival –The Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest, a celebration of chicken wings. They’ll come flavored hot, mild, sweet, spicy, teriyaki, buffalo, Asian, Thai and …. more ways than we have space to share. Plus live, local music, shopping, cold beverages and much more! The event is free to attend. Food and beverages available for purchase.

Sunday, September 14 – 12-5pm –Shockoe on the Half Shell

Whether you like them raw, steamed, fried, with sauce or just good and plain, Shockoe On-the-Half-Shell is a celebration of oysters. Join some of Richmond’s most loved seafood chefs for an amazing array of delicious oyster foods and other local dishes. The festival also features cold beverages brought to you by Anheuser Busch and live, local music. The event is free to attend. Food and beverage are available for purchase.

Thursday, October 30 – 5pm-9pm -Day of the Dead Festival

The 17th Street Farmers’ Market welcomes the La Plaza Farmers Market to Shockoe Bottom for an authentic celebration of this beloved Mexican holiday. Enjoy traditional Mexican dishes like tamales, empanadas and tacos along with dazzling live performances from traditional Aztec musicians and dancers. Learn about the traditions connected with this holiday including Ofrendas, beautiful private altars built to honor deceased family and friends. The event is free to attend. Food and beverage are available for purchase.

Saturday, November 1 – 11am-4pm – Brunswick Stew Festival

Stewmasters from across the mid-Atlantic region come together at the 17th Farmers’ Market for this annual event. Stew is available by the sample and you can purchase quarts to take home. Try them all and then vote for your favorite in the “Best Stewmaster” competition. In addition to delicious stew, festival attendees can enjoy great live music, ice-cold brew, children’s area with petting zoo, and an expanded craft marketplace featuring dozens of vendors with locally-made goods from across the state. Make sure you get there early before the quarts run out! The event is free to attend. Food and beverage are available for purchase.

Sunday, November 2 – 12-5pm – Autumn Bottom Brews

Autumn is a beautiful time in Richmond and in early November, the 17th Street Farmers’ Market brings together 15 of Virginia’s hottest craft breweries, local restaurants and live music for an amazing afternoon of outdoor fun. Free to attend. Food and beverages available for purchase. Find out more on Facebook at 17th Street Farmers’ Market – look for the green tractor.

Saturday, November 15 – 11am-4pm – Richmond Cider Celebration

The 17th Street Farmers’ Market celebrates Cider Week Virginia with the Richmond Cider Celebration. This event brings together all eight of Virginia’s cideries for tastings, apple- and cider-based dishes, and all around apple-oriented fun. The event also features live music, sampling of different varieties of apples, and hands on activities for children – such as apple juice tasting and making apple prints. Tickets are just $15 and include: 5 cider tastings, 2 food samples, access to live music and kids activities. Guests can also purchase full servings of cider, apple juice and food a la carte in addition to ticketed samples. Under 21 may enter at no charge and purchase a la carte food and drinks.

Performing Arts Series at the Market:

This summer, the 17th Street Farmers’ Market is proud to partner with the 57-year tradition of the Festival of Arts and some of RVA’s most loved performing arts organizations to bring three unique outdoor experiences to Shockoe Bottom. The Performing Arts Series at the Market will feature live performances, food, adult beverages and a great way to enjoy an evening in downtown Richmond.

June – TheaterLab

August – Henley Street Theatre

September – Virginia Opera

Each of the events listed on the 17th Street Farmers’ Market 2014 Festival Season benefit the Enrichmond Foundation. Established in 1990, the Enrichmond Foundation is an umbrella non- profit organization that serves over 100 volunteer, community-based special projects and initiatives in the City of Richmond. Our mission is to serve and support Richmond’s people, parks, and public spaces. Partners of Enrichmond include community and civic associations, outdoor enthusiast groups, trails and parks, garden and history groups, and other citizen-based groups whose primary interest is to maintain, restore, preserve, and improve Richmond’s most valued community assets.

Contact info@enrichmond.org or call 804.646.0954 for more information Facebook.