Vibes at Sunset draws 2,000+, then loses Libby Hill
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A recent Vibes event. Image: Courtesy of Diamond Drones RVA
Vibes at Sunset got so popular this summer that Richmond officials wanted it out of Libby Hill.
Why it matters: The free monthly sunset party transformed a public park into a massive grassroots gathering, testing how the city balances a growing permitted community event with its impact on neighbors.
State of play: Vibes drew more than 2,000 people in August, prompting Richmond to tell organizers that the Church Hill park could no longer accommodate it, both the city and organizers confirm to Axios.
- That led Electric Sun Society, the event series behind Vibes, to abruptly cancel the Sept. 10 gathering while it searched for a new home.
- Last week, it announced two new venues to close out the season: VITCO on Sept. 25 and the Virginia War Memorial on Oct. 8.
- Both remain free, but require RSVPs.
What they're saying: Richmond began discussing relocation with organizers in July as crowds surged from an estimated 200 people to thousands, city spokesperson Tamara Jenkins tells Axios.
- Nearby residents complained about attendees taking residential parking, trash, noise past permitted hours and unauthorized alcohol consumption.
- Officials cited those concerns, not simply the park's capacity, and recommended Kanawha Plaza instead.
- "The city's intent was never to shut down the event," Jenkins tells Axios, noting other large Libby Hill events like Hog on the Hill have used off-site parking and shuttles to reduce impacts.
The other side: Founder J. Kirven tells Axios organizers weren't given an option: "We were told we had to leave."
- Kirven says organizers proposed off-site parking and shuttles but weren't given a chance to try them.
- He adds organizers never sold alcohol (and couldn't prevent attendees from bringing their own) but that a 10- to 15-person crew returned the next morning to finish cleaning the park.
- Kirven also tells Axios that Kanawha Plaza wasn't financially or aesthetically workable for an event built around watching the sunset. The reservation rate alone was $2,500, per emails from the city obtained by Axios.
Zoom out: Vibes traces its roots to 2018, when Kirven would bring a Bluetooth speaker to Libby Hill to play music and watch the sunset.
- "People wouldn't want me to leave," he recalls.
- He eventually became a DJ and turned that ritual into a gathering centered around celebrating African electronic music, wellness and art.
- Fueled partly by social media, Vibes ballooned into a summer destination drawing thousands, alongside food trucks, local vendors and yoga.
What they're saying: Kirven says there's "no beef" with the city, and hopes Vibes' success can show what's possible in Richmond's public spaces.