Country rocker Elle King is part of the lineup performing during the inaugural Iron Blossom Music Festival, Aug. 26-27. (Photo by Matthew Berinato)
Folk singer Hozier, indie rock band Lord Huron and country musician Elle King are just a few of the artists on tap to appear during Richmond’s inaugural Iron Blossom Music Festival. Held Aug. 26-27 at the Bon Secours Training Center at 2401 W. Leigh St., the two-day event is a convergence of music, art and food. In addition to two stages featuring a diverse music performance lineup, an artisan bazaar will showcase live art installations and vendors offering handmade items from jewelry to decor. The culinary village will feature local food vendors as well as craft beer, cocktails and wine.
“We aim to create a friendly and inclusive atmosphere that brings together music lovers, artists, and the local community,” festival organizers shared in an email. Virginia-based concert promoters who joined forces to produce Iron Blossom include Richmond’s own Haymaker Productions, along with Virginia Beach’s IMGoing and Charlottesville’s Starr Hill Presents. They added, “Richmond is a great city with an amazing music, arts and food culture, but until now, did not have an Iron Blossom-sized music festival that brings all of it together.”
Plans for Iron Blossom were originally underway pre-pandemic with an entirely different lineup, but the pause on in-person gatherings led event organizers to regroup and postpone the event until this year. Also originally set to take place at Monroe Park near the Virginia Commonwealth University campus, the organizers cite overwhelming demand as the impetus for the relocation.
Touted as a festival that will add to RVA’s vibrant music scene, the event is a mix of national and local performers. Country rocker Elle King recently received a Gold Record award for her duet with Dierks Bentley on “Worth a Shot,” the song featured on her third studio album, “Come Get Your Wife,” which was released earlier this year. King’s song, “Ex’s & Oh’s” from her debut album, marked her first top 10 single, landing at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Rock Songs chart. It also reached the top of the Alternative Songs chart, making King only the second solo female artist to achieve the feat since 1996, after Lorde in 2013. Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan’s pop and folk infused song “Stick Season” achieved viral status on TikTok, leading to the musician’s third album release of the same name in 2022. American soul singer, Devon Gilfillian’s third album, “Love You Anyway,” was released in April and it chronicles the Morton, Pennsylvania-raised musician’s transition to Nashville.
The Iron Blossom organizers’ take on the roster of performers: “Half of the lineup was charting on AAA radio at some point this year. It’s a monster lineup.”
Local talent is also on the bill, including a performance from Spacebomb Records and Studio co-founder Matthew E. White. Artist Angelica Garcia, who calls Richmond her second home, became more widely known after Barack Obama selected her single “Jícama” for his list of favorite songs in 2019. She’ll take the festival stage sharing her music, which draws from her Mexican-American heritage. The Legendary Ingramettes, who are a gospel staple of the RVA music scene, will also appear.
Two-day tickets to the Iron Blossom Music Festival start at $180. VIP tickets start at $450 and include special viewing areas, dedicated entry lanes, a commemorative gift and access to the VIP Lounge.
