Arts in the Park

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richmondartsinthepark.com

Second Place: First Fridays

Third Place (Tie): Richmond Folk Festival and SPARC’s Live Art

How does an event such as Arts in the Park remain a seasonal must-do? “This year, we had over 460 artists and craftsmen, including lots of new artists, so there’s always something fresh to see,” says director Jennifer Hulzing, who took over from Pat Lovelace, the woman who began a much smaller version of the event around 44 years ago at the Carillon. Visitors come from as far away as New York and the West Coast, many of them repeat customers, such as a group of women from Williamsburg who make a weekend of it. Voters apparently still enjoy a good art walk, although not quite as much during the colder months, as evidenced by First Fridays’ second-place finish. Tied for third are two of the city’s finest live-music events: The free-to-attend and massively popular Richmond Folk Festival and SPARC’s inspiring, star-studded and student-filled Live Art, happening June 7 with Mandy Moore and Jason Mraz.