Clarksville, TN – Clarksville’s 2015 Riverfest Festival wrapped up Saturday, September 12th. It was cloudy, cool with a slight breeze. Fantastic weather for the event.
Everything kicked off at 10:00am with Riverfest Regatta and the Human Foosball Tournament. The cardboard boat race is one of the most unique and fun events at Riverfest.
Unlike other boat races, participants in the Regatta compete in boats made from cardboard, plastic bottles and other approved materials. Competitors raced 100 yards on the Cumberland River to the finish line. This year, only two boats sank.
One of the great things about Riverfest is it’s diversity in music entertainers. The Wicked Good Sandwiches stage is just that. It showcased local and area alternative rock bands.
These up and coming artists really jammed Saturday. Some of the best and most unique music came from the Wicked Good Sandwiches stage. Thanks goes out to Wicked Good Sandwiches for sponsoring this stage.
The most popular attraction was the “Be a Diver” pool located at the McGregor Park boat ramp parking lot. Waterdogs Scuba and Safety partnered with the National Diving Education Association to let festival goers get a taste of what it’s like to scuba dive.
The “Be A Diver” program let you try scuba diving under the direction of professional scuba instructors. You learned how to use scuba gear in shallow water and experience what it’s like to breath underwater.
This attraction had visitors non-stop all day. In fact, according to Dave Reidenbach with the Be A Diver Pool Tour, they had more people try scuba diving Friday night than they did all day at the Nashville Boating Expo.
For the kids, there was the “Earth Explorers” area. Here there were interactive games, inflatables and learning activities. “I love coming here every year to play on the inflatables,” said Sydney Hamilton.
On the Riverbend Stage, young dancers showed off the moves they have been learning. There was a Step Show hosted by Daymar College.
Then, the Distinguished Steppers took the floor putting on some classic moves for the audience.
The main acts to close out Riverfest 2015 on the Miller Lite Stage were Brooke Eden and Charles Esten. Brooke Eden came out and took command of the stage. Her powerful voice showed grit as she easily went from rock songs to country songs.
She also sang her single “American Dreamin’” that has just been released. Brooke Eden had the crowd mesmerized one moment and stomping their feet the next. She showed why she’s a rising country star in Nashville.
Then it was time for Charles Esten of television’s hit series “Nashville” to hit the stage. Brooke set’em up and Esten knocked it out of the park. He hit the stage running and never looked back. His singing and stage performance got the audience to their feet and took them on a roller coaster of a good time.
Esten’s voice was soulful and engaging. He worked the crowd and showed that he is a pure entertainer. One of the songs he sang, “Hot One”, is his first independent single and is now available on iTunes.
There could not have been a better way to end the 2015 Riverfest Festival than the one, two knockout punch of Brooke Eden and Charles Esten. Those they did not make it down to the riverfront missed one heck of a show.
Special thanks to Wendy’s for everything they do. Also, special thanks to the Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department for pulling off another great Riverfest.
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