Archives Fest, a celebration of archives and archivists in Virginia during American Archives Month, will take place Oct. 5 at James Branch Cabell Library. The free event, an open house with tables staffed by archivists, will be held 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the library at 901 Park Ave., Richmond.

Every October, the archival community celebrates American Archives Month to raise public awareness about the importance of preserving and sharing cultural and historical documents from families, communities, states, and the country at large. Archivists reach out to their communities during this month to make connections and educate the public about the value of archives and their work in caring and making them accessible. Archives are unique assets that allow society to tell its story, hold governments accountable, and safeguard the rights of its citizens.

Archivists will be available at Archives Fest for informal conversations and to share information about their repositories. Students, educators, historians and genealogists are encouraged to bring their questions about archival research and where to find primary resources in Virginia. Students with interests in history, preservation, museums and libraries are invited to discuss possible careers in the field with the participating archivists.

Organizations and institutions represented will include: The College of William and Mary; John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; The Virginia Museum of History and Culture; Norfolk Southern Corporation; Old Dominion University; the University of Richmond; Virginia Commonwealth University; and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

At the Oct. 5 fair or online, people are invited to participate in REMIX, a contest organized by the Virginia Caucus of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference. Contestants are asked to submit artworks, gifs or other new creative materials from materials found in cultural heritage collections. Images available to use in the REMIX contest are on Flickr.