RiverLink celebrates 14th Annual RiverFest featuring the Anything That Floats Boat Parade at French Broad River Park

July 29, 2013


RiverLink invites everyone to their biggest party of the year. The 14th annual RiverFest happens at French Broad River Park on Saturday, August 10 from 1 p.m. – 7 p.m. 


It wouldn’t be summer without the Anything that Floats Parade. Groups building watercraft of all kinds have an opportunity to show off their creativity and their cause and have a blast. Participants can construct their vessels out of anything they can find that floats and parade them by the festival grounds. The only rules are that they must float and must be powered by wind, solar or their own herculean strength – no motors allowed — and be removed from the festival grounds upon completion of the race.  You don’t have time to build a “Yacht”   to be on the river that day– rent a tube and enjoy the festivities from the water. 

A registration form and information are available at http://riverlink.org/anythingthatfloats2013.htm

The Prestige Subaru Stage will also offer live music — Ty Nemecek, Taylor Martin’s Engine and headliner The Swayback Sisters, an all-female, close harmony trio from Asheville, NC. They’re known for their old-school country soul, Appalachian folk, and dirty acoustic blues.

This is a family-friendly event and RiverFest offers lots of fun for kids, too. Face-painters, art supplies, hoola hooping, craft booths and puppies from Brother Wolf. Kids can ride, skate, walk, run, and skip in costume in the Kids Parade, which starts at 1.

A variety of local food trucks will offer vegetarian and meat-loving options. This year food truck food court includes Gypsy Queen, The Lowdown, Melt Your Heart, Pho Ya Belly, as well as Ursa Minor Coffee and the Hop Ice Cream. We have beer from five sponsors this year — Highland Brewing Co. , New Belgium, Asheville Brewing Co., Pisgah and Sierra Nevada.

To ease parking woes, RiverLink will be offering shuttle service from a satellite parking are at 144 Riverside Drive, the property known as The RiverLink Sculpture and Performance Plaza. A map to this property is located here: http://theriverwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/08/plaza.html.

Volunteers are still needed to make this a fun and successful event! In exchange for their time and hard work, volunteers receive a free t-shirt and a free drink per shift. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact the RiverLink’s Director of Volunteer Services, Dave Russell, at volunteer@riverlink.org or 252-8474, ext. 11.

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