CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Riverfest, the free music and arts festival that has drawn as many as 30,000 visitors to the Clarksville riverfront, will come to a close this year with the 34th event.
The final festival will be Saturday, Sept. 9, and Sunday, Sept. 10, at McGregor Park on Riverside Drive, the city announced on Thursday.
“While it’s sad to see Riverfest come to an end, we’re excited to close out this chapter with a bang,” Mayor Joe Pitts said. “For over 30 years, Riverfest has been a cornerstone of the Clarksville community, and we’re proud of all that it’s accomplished. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone come out and celebrate one last time.”
Start of something new
While this will be the final Riverfest, Pitts said plans are underway for a new event next year. “We’re excited to see what the future holds,” he said. “We want to create an event that continues to bring the community together, and we will welcome public input in the coming months as we begin planning for next year.”
Vendor applications for the final Riverfest are now open, and interested parties can apply online at the official Riverfest website. Applications will be accepted through June 19.
Riverfest history
Riverfest is a city-organized festival that began in September 1988. Initially, it focused on arts and crafts but also included live music and a carnival midway, all of it held at the old Clarksville Fairgrounds, where Liberty Park is located today.
In 1990, Riverfest moved to McGregor Park, according to Leaf-Chronicle archives. Fireworks were added to the event, and over the years the emphasis, for the attendees at least, shifted to music, with multiple stages packed with acts. Also added were the Riverfest Regatta cardboard boat race, and an extensive kids area with inflatables.
The 32nd Riverfest in 2020 was held during the COVID-19 pandemic, scaled down and with social distancing. In 2021, Riverfest was canceled just days before it was to begin because of a spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Clarksville. So, while the festival has been going on for 35 years, skipping a year makes this the 34th event.
At one point, Clarksville had two major festivals, with Riverfest in the fall and Rivers & Spires in the spring. Rivers & Spires began in April 2003, and it was held downtown as a way to help bring the community together after the 1999 tornado, according to Leaf archives. While Riverfest was a city-organized event, Rivers & Spires was organized and staffed by volunteers. It continued for 15 years, with the last one held in 2017. It ended because the volunteers were exhausted by a festival that had outgrown their capacity to keep up with it.