No Friday Cheers concerts to be held in 2026 during construction

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Friday Cheers, Richmond's longest-running concert series held at Brown's Island, will be taking a year off in 2026, as construction will run through November 2025 until October 2026.

According to an announcement by Venture Richmond in the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 27, Friday Cheers concerts will not be held in 2026 while the series takes a break to allow for the company's Brown's Island Improvement Project construction.

The organization said construction begins in the fall 2025, closing the island to events from mid-November 2025 until early October 2026. The series will reportedly resume in May 2027.

The concert series began at Festival Park next to the Richmond Coliseum in 1984 and moved to Brown's Island permanently in 2006.

Venture Richmond said more than a million people visit Brown's Island each year for concerts, festivals and more, the island lacks basic amenities.

The project will entail the addition of potable water, bathrooms, ADA accessible entrances and pathways, a splash pad, play features, river terraces, shade trees, seating and more.

The project began in 2018. The designs have since been completed, and the project has received unanimous support from the City of Richmond’s Urban Design Committee and Planning Commission. Brown’s Island is owned by the City of Richmond but is managed by Venture Richmond.

As a public-private partnership, the $30 million project is receiving $15 million in funding from the city, and Venture Richmond said it is raising an additional $15 million through private sector and philanthropic funding. Groundbreaking for the project is anticipated later in 2025.

The 2025 Richmond Folk Festival -- Oct. 10 through Oct. 12 -- and the 2025 Allianz Richmond Marathon -- Nov. 15 -- will happen as scheduled, as will the 2026 Folk Festival and Marathon.

Dominion Energy Riverrock will reportedly take place along the riverfront in 2026, but will not use Brown’s Island. Venture Richmond said the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge will generally remain open throughout construction and will be accessible from Tredegar Street via the western end of Brown’s Island.

The Canal Walk will reportedly detour around Brown’s Island along Tredegar Street, using the Haxall Point Bridge on the eastern end of Brown’s Island near 10th Street, with detour signage to be installed.

For more information about the project, visit Venture Richmond's website.