East End Festival continues to inspire with a variety of well-known musical acts, students

The RVA East End Festival is celebrating its eighth edition on Saturday, but marking a milestone 20 years since Richmond School Board member Cheryl Burke and others starting producing an arts festival to give back to East End schools.

The festival will take place Saturday, Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the 17th Street Market in Shockoe Bottom. The event is free, with donations requested.

In years past, the proceeds from the festival have allowed schools to purchase musical instruments, and form a marching band that leads off the event, according to co-chair Marilyn Heckstall.

Heckstall also emphasized that, for elementary school students, “honoring the gift of music helps to embrace other disciplines like science and math.”

The all-day festival will also fund choir robes, pianos, pottery kilns and art supplies. With the purchase of various musical instruments, schools in turn recruit students to follow musical paths.

In addition to the Richmond Symphony and the marching band, other musical acts at the East End Festival will include the No BS! Brass Band, who fuse New Orleans sound with funk, jazz and rock, Lenny Holmes & The Forever Band (Holmes is a Grammy-nominated guitarist, singer, and producer), The Dap Mallory Band, James “Saxsmo” Gates, (a Grammy-nominated musician), and the Sounds Funny Band, a modern R&B, soul and hip-hop band.

Sara Hunt, who runs public relations for the East End Festival, is especially excited about Gates, an acclaimed jazz saxophonist, recording artist, and educator from Richmond.

“Saxsmo has shared with me many times that the big benefit to having the festival in the East End is to show children the possibilities,” she said, adding that giving children the opportunity to perform is one of the best things about the festival.

“He felt that having the opportunity to play the saxophone in front of people when he was growing up was invaluable to creating a pathway to his career as a professional musician … the festival is providing that same opportunity to the students who perform.”

Alongside the music, the festival will also include a diversity of food vendors, including Temptations by Teresa, The Soul-Shaker Cart, and Blessed Meals on Wheels, as well as 20 other vendors and exhibitors, as well as games for children.

While there is no charge to attend the RVA East End Festival, donations can be made online at the festival’s website or by making contributions to the Bucket Brigade on the day of the Festival.

Schedule of events

11-11:30 a.m. Opening Ceremonies

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. RPS Students

1 p.m. -1:45 p.m. Richmond Symphony

2 p.m.- 2:45 p.m. NO BS! Brass Band

3 p.m - 3:45 p.m. Lenny Holmes

4 p.m - 4:45 p.m. Dennis "Dap" Mallory Band

5 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. James "Saxsmo" Gates

6 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. Sounds Funny Band