Brown’s Island has been closed since November 2025 for a $30 million improvement project, the largest renovation of the six-acre island in decades. It will temporarily reopen for the Richmond Folk Festival, October 9 – 11th, giving Richmonders their first chance to see much of the work firsthand. Construction will continue afterward, with the full project scheduled for completion in early 2027.
The renovations come as Brown’s Island has seen increased use as both a public park and one of Richmond’s largest outdoor venues. Friday Cheers went on hiatus this year during construction and is expected to return in 2027.
To accommodate that growing use, the project adds permanent restrooms and drinking water, additional seating and shade, an interactive splash pad, improved riverfront terraces and a new performing arts pavilion. Accessibility throughout the island is also being upgraded, while the landscaping plan calls for roughly 200 new trees and more than 11,700 native plants and groundcovers.
The City of Richmond is contributing $15 million toward the project, with Venture Richmond raising another $15 million in private funding.
Main image is a rendering of Brown’s Island, courtesy of Venture Richmond
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