We hit the Folk Festival last night and joined several thousand folks flowing from one stage to the next picking up a cold beer and snacks on our way. It was a beautifully warm night for October and the crowd was upbeat, friendly and moving to the beats.

First we checked out Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys. I have a soft spot for zydeco and its specialized dance style and the band brought the temperature up fast in the Richmond Times-Dispatch Dance Pavilion.

We stopped briefly by the Indian Slide Guitarist, Debashish Bhattacharya. His music seemed very deep and contemplative but we were more in a toe-tapping mood so we moved along to check out Swamp Dogg’s brand of R & B. His 83 year old mother, a professional singer and pianist, opened the show, prepping the crowd for Swamp Dogg’s lime-green-suited entrance. His voice is an amazing instrument and got the crowd jamming.

To wrap up the evening we headed back to the Dance Pavilion to see Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga. This East African group had me dancing up a storm. Think Ladysmith Black Mambazo with light, trilling reverbed guitar and african/caribbean beats that got the crowd hopping. Mr Mapangala seemed to really enjoy the enthusiastic crowds response to his band, smiling through an encore that the crowd had chanted into being performed.

The food choices are amazing again this year – Indian, Thai, Cajun, Croaker’s Spot, and other delicious choices along with a few festival favorites for those less adventurous eaters.

My only complaint would be that the volume of the performances could be turned a bit louder. In its setting, there aren’t many residents to complain about noise so be a little bolder, and turn it up!

The skies this morning are overcast and damp but a little drizzle shouldn’t prevent you from heading to Brown’s Island as many of the stages have large tents to sit/dance under.

• Hear Samples of the Musicians
• See the schedule
• See a slideshow of pics from Friday Night