Multicultural Festival will bring the world to Richmond Raceway this weekend
Dozens of vendors, artisans and performers representing cultures from around the world will share space at Richmond Raceway this weekend.
This year's Multicultural Festival: Imagine 2026 is held in celebration of Immigrant Heritage Month and World Refugee Day (June 20), and will be put on by Richmond's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Engagement, Henrico County’s Outreach & Engagement Agency and ReEstablish Richmond.
ReEstablish Richmond and the city had both been running multicultural events in June, and combined them five years ago. This year, Henrico County joins the mix.
The festival, year by year, has been growing in size.
“Last year, we had between three and four thousand folks, and we expect more this year,” Kate Ayers, executive director of ReEstablish Richmond, said.
Tim Wenzell
This year’s festival will highlight food trucks representing 20 different cultures across five continents.
“I think it’s beautiful that you can taste different pieces of culture, from the sweets of Latin America, a main course from the Middle East, and another snack from Southeast Asia,” Ayers said. “This festival is really grounded and committed to engaging immigrant communities. While some food vendors have established restaurants, some do not. A good number of them are just getting started, and because they are newer, they have a lot more barriers for entry into bigger festivals.”
In addition to the many food vendors, the festival will include a number of different artisans selling crafts representing their cultures.
There will be an art installation from Columbian artist Alfonso Perez Acosta, famous in Richmond for his street art, including The Barefoot Circle at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden and several pieces of art on the Trust buildings in The Fan.
“He’s painted these art pieces (for the festival exhibit) with three different people depicting the past, present, and future of immigrants and newcomers to Virginia,” Ayers said. “The festival will also include a community quilt project that will reflect on the theme of welcome and belonging.”
Ayers said there will be a station for festivalgoers to add their own art on the quilt using paint and markers, “to contribute to what it means to belong in a community.”
As for the musical and dance acts performing, the lineup will include River City Taiko, a community ensemble that plays traditional Japanese drums, along with Afghan musicians using their native instruments, as well as other musicians who are getting started and wouldn’t necessarily have the opportunities at larger venues such as the Folk Festival.
“The festival helps get them grounded here," Ayers said. "It gets them confident. They can celebrate their culture here.”
For children attending the festival, the science museum will have tables with activities, and there will also be stations for face painting, balloon artists and mask-making, as well as literacy activities.
The opening ceremony to the festival will begin at 1 p.m., and festivities will run until 8 p.m. Admission is free, with a donation requested.
