Riverfest 2015 will take off this weekend in downtown Wilmington and offer folks a slew of fun ways to celebrate the autumnal season. It’s the official kickoff to fall in southeastern NC, as Water Street is blocked off for vendors to sell food and drinks, arts and crafts, and other wares. With stages set up across downtown, live music will entertain over 200,000 guests who take to the cobblestone streets.
OFFICIAL RIVERFEST 2015 ART WORK: Downtown Wilmington Riverwalk, as painted by Ronald Williams. Courtesy photo.
Though the festival does its part in bringing fun to the riverwalk, its main purpose has been to generate economic impact to downtown. It’s known for estimating over $3 million in revenue since its inception in 1979. Today, festival proceeds support educational scholarships for students attending Cape Fear Community College.
The fun gets underway on Friday, Oct. 2, and continues through Sunday, Oct. 4. Here’s a rundown of what to expect…
Greenfield Lake Garden Party
Dr. Huber Johnson Rotary Garden
1940 Amphitheater Dr., Greenfield Lake
Tickets: $55 adv/$60 at gate
www.greenfieldlakecollaborative.org
It’s the “unofficial” kickoff party to beat all parties. The Greenfield Lake Collaborative hosts their fourth annual Garden Party at Greenfield Lake on Fri., Oct. 2, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The party offers free barbecue from Skylight Inn BBQ and Cheshire Pork Heritage Farms. Plus, there is an open bar, featuring the official Greenfield Cocktail, which will be decided upon with a bartender mixoff, all made with Trey Herring’s Carolina Bourbon. As well as beer and wine will be served. Live entertainment will come from Paleo Sun and Sai Collins (see pages 10-11). Perhaps the best part will be the giveback it provides to the nonprofit collaborative. All monies will go toward beautifying Greenfield Lake, located off 3rd Street, about a mile from downtown Wilmington.
STREET FAIR
Foot of Market and Water streets to
Cape Fear Community College
Fri., Oct. 2, through Sun., Oct. 4
Downtown Wilmington will be overrun with people in the streets—or at least walking about Water Street. Vendors of all sorts will be set up to sell their wares, from art to jewelery to clothes to candles and more. Plus, all the fair food one could desire will be sold in a span of a few blocks, including turkey legs, cotton candy, funnel cakes, sausage dogs, and fried candy bars.
LIVE MUSIC
Main Stage: Riverfront Park, Water St.
Fri., Oct. 2, 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 3, noon – 11 p.m; Sun., Oct. 4, noon – 6 p.m.
Music will make the weekend sound much better! The main stage will be located on the riverwalk on Water Street. And what goes better with music than beer? A beer garden will be located near the stage, too.
On Fri., Oct. 2, Snack Cracker takes the stage at 6 p.m. and Machine Gun will play at 8 p.m.. On Sat. Oct. 3, The Cut will play at noon, with Stereo Type at 2:30 p.m., Band on Fire at 5 p.m., and the Blake Kearney Band at 8 p.m. Fireworks get underway at 9 p.m. On Sun., Oct. 4, Tony Drak Trio plays at noon, Jack Jack 180 at 2:30 p.m. and Bibis Ellison Band at 4 p.m.
RIVERFEST ROWING REGATTA
Behind Marine Boat Building Facility,
Cape Fear Community College
Sat., Oct. 3, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
The Cape Fear Rowing Club presents the Riverfest Rowing Regatta on Sat., Oct. 2, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The club was founded in 1989 and have hosted rowing regattas, like “Head of the Cape Fear” in 2004 and 2005. They’ve attracted rowers from up and down the East Coast, including 350 from over 25 schools, coleges, and clubs during ‘05.
Teams within the club are currently training for regattas held throughout the southeast. They revived their wellknown race along the Wilmington riverfront at the 2014 Riverfest and are excited to bring it back again in 2015. The VIP review of the boats will take place at 11 a.m. Eight separate races will start on the half hour between noon and 4 p.m., with awards handed out and a social taking place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The competition is open to the public for free. Folks who want to participate in the race should go to www.capefearriverrowingclub.com.
SUN COAST CRUISERS’ CLASSIC CAR SHOW
Downtown Wilmington, Market St.
Sat., Oct. 3, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Each year, classic cars align downtown Wilmington during Riverfest on Saturday. From ‘59 Cadillacs to ‘69 Mustangs, classic beauties will take over the streets.
Hosted by the Sun Coast Cruisers, which has a membership of 100 families, this will be one of many events they participate in this year, like car shows, displays, cruise-ins, poker runs, parades, and more.
Sun Coast Cruisers doesn’t only show off their hot rods and rat rods to the public, they raise money and donate thousands of dollars annually to charities, such as Lower Cape Fear Hospice, Step Up for Soldiers, Angie’s Amazing Race (breast cancer support group), Wounded Warriors and the CUE Center For Missing Persons.
For more info and to see pictures of the numerous cars often showcased in their lineup, visit www.suncoastcruisers.com.
CAPE FEAR CHAPTER OF ANTIQUE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF AMERICA CAR SHOW
Downtown Wilmington, Market St.
Sun., Oct. 4, 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Free and open to the public, Sunday will welcome another lot of cars along Market Street The Cape Fear Chapter Antique Automobile Club of America (AAAC) is the oldest and largest locally affiliated with the national organization. They’re dedicated to preserving antique and classic cars as close to showroom condition as possible.
One of 18 chapters in NC, the Cape Fear chapter was founded in 1972. They currently have over 90 members who own vehicles at least 25 years or older. The oldest car is a 1915 Ford Model T, and the newest is a 1978 Corvette Silver Anniversary model. The organization participates in community-based events annually and works with local charities to raise money for the greater good of the community. For more information, go to www.capefear.aaca.com.
KIDS’ ZONE
Cotton Exchange, 321 N Front St.
Riverfest is always a family affair! Don’t forget to bring the kids for tons of fun. There will be face/hair painting, balloon art, games, arts and craft, clowns, an obstacle course, live entertainment, and more. Older kids will be able to participate in Adventure Zone exhibits, too.
2015 MiSS RIVERFEST
Making appearances throughout Riverfest
For the first time, the annual celebration of the Cape Fear River will crown its first princess. Felicia Jones of Wilmington, NC, reigns over the city during Oct. 2 through 4, and will secure her title for a year before collecting a $1,000 scholarship to help her with her studies at UNCW. Jones is studying criminal justice and forensics medicine at UNCW. She was crowned on Sept. 18 on the USS Battleship NC, and will do charity and volunteer work throughout the community, as a representative for Riverfest 2015.
2015 ARTIST
Original artwork sold throughout Riverfest
Ronald Williams returns as the artist who created the official artwork for the 2015 Rivefest event. Williams was the first artist commissioned by the committee to create a Riverfest image, and returned in 2008 to do it again. This will be his third time showcasing an iconic view of downtown Wilmington’s riverwalk to represent the festival.
Williams is a native of Wilmington and studied fine arts at the Art Students League and received his degree in art from Parson’s School of Design, both in New York City. He often paints still lifes of the coast, from historic buildings to piers to boats, in pen-and-inks and wateroclors. His work can be seen at www.ronaldwilliamsart.com.