A golden-streaked sky and a light breeze this evening ushered in the first-ever Richmond Folk Festival as did the Mayan Flyers descending by their feet from ropes tied to a 90-foot pole.

The Flyers, the Tezcatlipoca Voladores, are easily the most visually stimulating act among the 30-plus groups set to perform this weekend. They're an obvious draw.

"We're fascinated by them. I just can't imagine!" said Marian Schutrumpf of Richmond, moments before the group climbed the structure.

This is the first year for the Richmond Folk Festival, as it replaces the three previous years of the National Folk Festival, which has moved on to its next three-year home in Butte, Mont.

Organizers Venture Richmond are hopeful that the Richmond Folk Festival will continue the tradition and similar crowds of its predecessor. As in years past, all of the performances are free of charge.

Last year, the National attracted 175,000 people during the three-day weekend the most ever for any National Folk Festival anywhere.

At 5:30 tonight, almost 90 minutes before the Richmond Folk Festival officially started, Richmonders Karen and Mark Hoerath sidled up to a tent on Brown's Island to purchase drink tickets.

Though primarily at the event for the variety of music, Karen joked that their early arrival was, "so we could be first in line to get wine."

The couple has attended every year of the festival, and Mark said he wasn't even aware of the change in name.

"Wasn't it the Richmond Folk Festival last year?" he asked.

The layout of the festival appears almost exactly as in years past.

Volunteers sporting bright red or green T-shirts flooded the downtown riverfront area, handing out maps and answering questions from attendees. Those holding bright orange buckets collected donations for the festival, as they will do all weekend.

One volunteer, Lisa Ballard, said the most popular question was the location of ATMs.

On Brown's Island, the site of two major stages, more than a dozen vendors sold food ranging from jerk chicken and fried plantains to bratwurst to the more generic corn dogs and funnel cake.

Those looking for a taste of alligator bites or a vegetarian wrap will also find it near the Ukrop's stage.

Up the hill behind Tredegar Iron Works, the Ukrop's/First Market stage was the spot for opening remarks from Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, and also the area where the Flyers will perform again Saturday at 12:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday at noon.

Hours for Saturday's festival are noon until 10:30 p.m., and Sunday from noon until 6:30 p.m.

Though many in tonight's early crowd appeared to be veteran attendees, there were still those who were making their introductory trek.

Tiffany Barnes of Richmond cradled a pi?a colada and a sausage wrapped in tin foil with a basket of fried Oreos on top while explaining her reasons for checking out the festival.

"I was hungry and I knew they had some food," she said, adding that this was the first time she had heard of any of the folk festivals.

Once aware of the scope of the fest, however, she planned to check out the African drummers and, she said, "Just chill." Contact Melissa Ruggieri at (804) 649-6120 or mruggieri@timesdispatch.com