Dominion Energy Riverrock Delivers Another Unforgettable Weekend Along The Richmond Riverfront

Expanded Adventure Zones, new festival spaces, and nonstop energy define the festival’s 18th year

RICHMOND, VA – The 18th annual Dominion Energy Riverrock wrapped up Sunday evening, leaving behind a weekend of sunshine, excitement, and awe-inspiring moments. The weekend was marked by warm weather, with cooler evenings attracting crowds to the Richmond riverfront and the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront. Adventure lovers, concertgoers, and spectators flocked to the event organized by nonprofit partners Venture Richmond and Sports Backers. Dominion Energy Riverrock is one of the largest outdoor sports and music festivals in the United States, celebrating Richmond’s urban riverfront like no other event.

Bathed in sunshine for much of the weekend, festivalgoers packed downtown Richmond to experience everything from whitewater competitions and trail races to climbing, canine events, live music, and hands-on outdoor recreation. Cooler evenings drew especially large crowds to the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront, where nationally touring acts and regional favorites capped each day with unforgettable performances overlooking the James River.

While this year’s footprint shifted due to the Brown’s Island Improvement Project, the expanded layout created exciting opportunities for new experiences and activations across Tredegar Street, Tredegar Green, The Foundry, the Belle Isle parking lot, the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront, and surrounding riverfront spaces.

New additions helped bring fresh energy to the festival experience, including expanded Adventure Zones, a collaborative Community Mural project, skateboarding demonstrations, and the debut of K9 Super Wall, a crowd-pleasing canine high jump competition. The Foundry also emerged as a vibrant new festival hub, hosting Riverside Chats presented by WRIC ABC 8News, a series of outdoor-focused films, discussions, and panels featuring voices from across Richmond’s outdoor community.

The new speaker series drew impressive crowds throughout the weekend, with attendees gathering to hear conversations ranging from accessible outdoor recreation and river stewardship to endurance sports and storytelling. One of the most anticipated sessions featured ultra runner Michael Wardian, whose discussion drew standing-room-only crowds eager to hear about his record-breaking endurance feats and passion for outdoor adventure.

The weekend’s music lineup delivered memorable performances night after night. Friday evening featured Clay Street Unit, whose blend of bluegrass, folk, and Americana energized the amphitheater crowd with both original music and crowd-favorite covers. On Saturday, Circles Around the Sun transformed the riverfront into a psychedelic jam session with their improvisational, Grateful Dead-inspired sound. Closing out the festival Sunday afternoon was Illiterate Light, the Virginia-based alternative rock duo known for their electrifying live performances and emotionally charged sound.

Even with Brown’s Island temporarily closed, spectators still lined the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge to catch one of the festival’s signature spectacles: Kayak Boatercross, held Saturday. The rapids below provided a dramatic backdrop as elite paddlers battled through the James River’s whitewater Saturday afternoon. Sunday’s Downriver Paddle continued the river action with competitors racing from Reedy Creek to the 14th Street takeout. Results for each water event can be found here – Kayak Boatercross (https://www.riverrockrva.com/events/kayak-boatercross-2/), Downriver Paddle (https://www.riverrockrva.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2025-Downriver-Paddle-Results.pdf).

At Tredegar Green, the custom-built towering bouldering cage once again became one of the festival’s most popular spectator attractions. This is the second time the cage has been in this location, and the sprawling hillside is the perfect venue for the throngs of fans that come to watch throughout the weekend. Positioned steps away from the concert venue, the climbing competitions became a seamless part of the larger Dominion Energy Riverrock experience.

The sport has continued to attract top tier talent as the competitions drew some of the nation’s top climbers from 13 states. Saturday night’s Boulder Bash finals allowed competitors to enjoy showing off their skills for record-setting crowds.

Joe Goodacre and Yealiya Southern, were the top male and female finishers in Saturday night’s Boulder Bash. In Sunday’s Boulder Blitz the domination continued with Yealiya Southern claiming the women’s championship for the third year in a row and Joe Goodacre taking first on the men’s side. Full climbing results can be found here – Boulder Bash (https://www.riverrockrva.com/events/bouldering/), Boulder Blitz (https://www.riverrockrva.com/events/speed-competition/).

One of the defining features of Dominion Energy Riverrock continues to be its emphasis on participation. Throughout the weekend, festivalgoers jumped directly into the action through the expanded Adventure Zones, where attendees of all ages could put their skills to the test or try something new. Festivalgoers tried kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, bouldering, skimboarding, biking, dog agility, skateboarding, hiking, and more — all free to experience. Nearly 3,500 participants took part in Adventure Zone activities over the course of the weekend.

Dogs once again stole the spotlight across multiple festival competitions. The returning Dog Agility Competition hosted by Zoom Room drew enthusiastic crowds, while the new K9 Super Wall wowed spectators with high-flying canine leaps reaching incredible heights. Together, the events welcomed more than 40 canine competitors and created countless opportunities for attendees to interact with the courses alongside their own dogs. Meanwhile, the fan-favorite Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs competition remained a centerpiece attraction throughout the weekend, delighting crowds with spectacular dock-diving performances.

Trail runners and mountain bikers also turned out in strong numbers across the festival’s endurance events:

• Belle Isle Blitz (Friday): 453 finishers
• James River Scramble (Saturday 10kish trail run): 362 finishers
• Bust the Banks Half Marathon (Sunday): 204 finishers
• MTB Time Trial (Friday night): 56 finishers

Many pushed themselves to the limit by taking on the Trail Takedown challenge, completing two of the three trail races.

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Dominion Energy Riverrock will return to the Richmond Riverfront on May 21–23, 2027. For full results, photos, and more information, visit www.riverrockrva.com.