PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 1, 2026
CONTACT:
Anna Luke
Director of Marketing and Communications
aluke@thejamesriver.org
James River Association to Celebrate 50th Anniversary at Third Annual EcoFest
Free community festival will feature a new nature exploration area, Voyageur canoe paddles and the burial of a time capsule to be opened in 2076
RICHMOND, Va. — The James River Association (JRA) will host its third annual EcoFest on Saturday, September 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the James A. Buzzard River Education Center, located at 2825 Dock Street in Richmond.
The free community celebration will invite people of all ages to explore the ecology of the James River, discover practical ways to protect the environment and connect with organizations and businesses working throughout the watershed.
This year’s EcoFest will also commemorate JRA’s 50th anniversary with the burial of a time capsule intended to be opened in 2076. The capsule will preserve items representing the James River and JRA’s work during this milestone year.
“The James River is a cherished resource that is shared and stewarded across generations,” said Bill Street, President and CEO of JRA. “EcoFest and the 50th anniversary time capsule will bring our community together to celebrate the James and the important work being done to protect it. By connecting people to the river through personal experience, we can ensure that future generations will be strong stewards of the James.”
A New Place for Children to Explore
Another highlight will be the official opening of a new nature exploration area at the James A. Buzzard River Education Center with the Mayor of Richmond, Danny Avula. Designed and installed by True Timber Arborists, the team behind the nature exploration area at Belle Isle, the space allows children to climb, build, investigate and play using recycled wood and other nature-based materials. It will remain open for families visiting the center and will also serve as an outdoor classroom during JRA field trips, summer camps and education programs.
Voyageur Canoes Offer a New Way to Experience the James
EcoFest attendees will also have the first public opportunity to paddle in JRA’s new Voyageur canoes. The two large-format canoes can each accommodate up to 13 participants, creating a shared on-the-water experience centered on teamwork, communication and exploration of the James River. JRA is the first environmental education program in Virginia to use Voyageur canoes for student programming.
Advance registration for Voyageur canoe paddles is required and will be available at thejamesriver.org/whats-happening/james-river-eco-fest/.
Explore the James A. Buzzard River Education Center
EcoFest visitors are encouraged to explore the James A. Buzzard River Education Center, JRA’s premier riverfront event space and hub for environmental education. Located along the Virginia Capital Trail near Great Shiplock Park and Chapel Island, the center provides immersive learning experiences that connect students and community members with the James River.
Workshops, Giveaways and Hands-On Activities
Attendees will have opportunities to learn from local experts, meet organizations working throughout the James River watershed and discover approachable ways to make a difference.
Throughout the day, attendees can:
- Get on the river in a kayak or canoe with RVA PaddleSports or aboard one of JRA’s Voyageur canoes
- Learn about river-friendly conservation and stewardship practices, such as composting
- Select a regionally native tree during a free tree giveaway and receive guidance on planting and care
- Join a guided tree walk through the James A. Buzzard River Education Center grounds, Great Shiplock Park and Chapel Island
- Participate in a hands-on rain barrel workshop
- Shop from locally owned businesses and artisans
- Meet nonprofit organizations working to protect the James River watershed
- Explore the James A. Buzzard River Education Center and learn about JRA’s environmental education, restoration and advocacy programs
- Take a self-guided scavenger hunt through Chapel Island to spot native and invasive species
- Climb trees with Riverside Camps, ride electric bikes with Kul Wheels, and make river-themed crafts with the Visual Arts Center of Richmond
- Meet adoptable dogs from Beagles and Bentleys and pet goats with RVA Goats and Honey
- Try blue catfish tacos from Boka Taco Truck, a delicious way to combat this invasive species
The nature exploration area and Voyageur canoe projects were made possible in partnership with the LEGO Group.
EcoFest is supported through sponsorship from Dramby Environmental Consulting and REMAX Commonwealth. Participating vendors and community partners will include:
Afro Love 4 Plants, LLC
Beagles and Bentleys
Blue Sky Fund
Community Climate Collaborative
Castaway Print Shop
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Clean Virginia Waterways
Community Solar Circle
Daily Coffee Company
Dramby Environmental Consulting
Earthkin Nature School
Falls of the James Group Sierra Club
Farm Bus
Fiddlehead Holistic Horticultural Services
Good Seed Natives
Grace Boone Studios
Groundwork RVA
Kul Wheel
Keep Virginia Beautiful
Local Ecotype Richmond Natives (LERN)
National Parks Service
Nifty! Nuttery
Old Dominion Appalachian Trail Club
Open Space Education
Parker Sullivan Mussels
Rainy Day Sewing
Richmond Audubon Society
Richmond Coffee Company
Richmond Cohousing
Riverside Camps and Climbing
Route 5 Corridor Coalition
RVA Goats and Honey
RVA Paddlesports
RVA Petal Party
Save Powhatan’s Birthplace
Science Museum of Virginia
Seasonal Roots
Shalom Farms
Sklar Studios
Sweet Spot
The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
The Laurel School
Toy Blossom Co.
VCU School of Life Sciences and Sustainability
VCU Rice Rivers Center
Vegan Action
Virginia Master Naturalists, Riverine Chapter
Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Wild Ones Greater Richmond Virginia Chapter
EcoFest is free and open to the public. Some workshops and paddling opportunities require advance registration. For a complete schedule and registration information, visit thejamesriver.org/whats-happening/james-river-eco-fest/.
EcoFest is made possible with the support of Dramby Environmental Consulting, Merrill, and ReMax Commonwealth.
ABOUT THE JAMES RIVER ASSOCIATION:
James River Association (JRA) is a member-supported nonprofit organization founded in 1976 that serves the waterways and communities of the James River. Throughout the James River’s 10,000 square mile watershed, JRA works toward its vision of a fully healthy James River supporting thriving communities. JRA believes that “when you change the James, the James changes you.” With offices in Lynchburg, Richmond, Williamsburg, and Scottsville, JRA is committed to protecting the James River and connecting people to it. For more information visit www.thejamesriver.org.