September of 2023 shook the Walls family of Richmond, Virginia, when a heart attack took their son Avery’s life at only 20 years old. The loss was sudden and jarring, leaving the family crushed and confused. Avery was diagnosed with a rare heart condition, Wolf Parkinson White Syndrome, in infancy. Doctors believed his condition to be resolved after medical treatment and surgery; unfortunately it began to reemerge in early adulthood and ultimately lead to the tragic loss of a brilliant, young life.
Avery’s parents had this to say about their beloved son:
“Avery will forever be remembered as a sweet loving goofy kid. A boy who felt more at ease with young children and old folks as opposed to kids his own age. He was weird and wonderful and the world was a brighter place with him in it. He loved comic books, video games, dungeons and dragons and music and we miss him every day. He died before he was truly able to make his mark on this world and I hope that this festival is a way to allow him to still do that.”
The inaugural Avery Walls Music Festival was held in March of 2024, since then the festival has raised over $80,000 in donations for The American Heart Association. This year, the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever before. A stellar lineup of nine local bands will play at The Park RVA from 12pm-12am on April 11, 2026. This year’s program includes appearances by Acoustic Underground, The Usual Suspects, Audio Vault, and more! The event is free to attend, family friendly, and promises to be an amazing time for all. Charitable contributions will be collected through raffle ticket sales, and 10% of The Park RVA’s proceeds will be donated to the AHA as well. Music fans local to the central Virginia and DMV area are encouraged to come out and enjoy the event (you might even spy your friendly neighborhood NAPNETter hanging around). Visit The Park RVA’s event’s page For more information about the festival, or to make a direct contribution to the cause.