Riverfest kicks off today with Sheryl Crow, Halestorm, The Pretty Reckless, Kris Allen, Gaelic Storm

2015 Riverfest SquareRiverfest is a celebration of visual and performing arts that is held annually over Memorial Day weekend on the banks of the Arkansas River in Little Rock. Riverfest is the largest single event in the state of Arkansas with a rich 38-year tradition. Approximately 250,000 festival-goers attended the 2014 event, with an estimated economic impact of $33 million on the community.

Tonight things get going with performances on four different stages.

On the Miller Lite/Arkansas Federal Credit Union Stage (the amphitheatre), Sheryl Crow will headline at 9:30.  Arkansas’ own Kris Allen will play from 8 to 9.  Just Sayin’ will just kick things off at 6:30.

The lineup for the Bud Light Stage includes: STARSET at 6:30, The Pretty Reckless at 8 and Halestorm at 9:45.

On the Stickyz Stage, The Salty Dogs will start at 6:30. At 8, Swampbird will take the stage.  Gaelic Storm will end the evening at 9:30.

The Yarnell’s Kidzone Stage will feature: The Kazoobie Kazoo Show w/Rick Hubbard at 6:15, Break Shop Bump’n at 7:15 and DJ Dev at 8pm.

Get Ready for Riverfest with “Flowing on the River” tonight

RF Flow on River2015Riverfest, Inc. invites you to “Flowing on the River,” presented by TRG Foundation, a wine and craft beer tasting to be held Thursday, May 21st from 5:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m. in the River Market pavilions in downtown Little Rock.

Natural State Wines has selected an array of boutique wines and Arkansas Craft Distributors will provide an offering of outstanding craft beers for your tasting pleasure. Representatives will be available from the vineyards and breweries to discuss and educate attendees on their products. Local Little Rock area restaurants will provide hors d’oeuvres to accompany the array of wines & craft beers. Music will be provided by FreeVerse Duo. Proceeds from this event will be used to present Argenta Community Theater’s Summer Camp program “ACTing Up” to be held in July 2015 at Argenta Community Theater.

Restaurateurs

  • BAT Farms
  • Boston’s Restaurant & Sports Bar
  • Brenda Majors Catering
  • Cheers in the Heights
  • Samantha’s Tap Room
  • Dugan’s Pub and Stratton’s Market
  • JM Foods
  • Macaroni Grill
  • Newks Catering
  • The Garden Bistro
  • Texas Roadhouse
  • Las Palmas

Admission to the event is $25 per person in advance (or $30 at the door).  For more information on the event, please contact the Riverfest office at 501-255-3378.

RIP B.B. King

The one and only B.B. King has left us. While he will no longer be creating new music, he will live on in our memories and in the rich musical legacy he has left.

Here is a photo of him performing at the amphitheatre in Riverfront Park in July 2008.  Also on the bill (and sitting in with B. B. King at the end) was Willie Nelson.

BBKing Willie

Photo by Linda Banks

Over the years, King made numerous appearances in Little Rock and throughout Arkansas.  Ten years ago, he headlined the 2005 Riverfest.  But he had started his career playing in segregated and smaller settings.  His earliest Little Rock performance which has been documented was at Club Morocco in 1951 sharing the stage with Floyd Dixon.

Regardless of where he played, King poured his heart and soul into the performance. Even as he got older and faced health difficulties, he never gave less than his all in a performance.  When he went on stage, any age or infirmity limitations seemed to melt away.

 

Riverfest announces headliners for 2015 festival

Today, Riverfest announced the headliners for the 2015 Festival (May 22 – 24)

311
311
“Jake
“Girl
“Kip
“Kip
“Big
“Sam
“Galactic"
“Better
“Pretty
“Robert
“Bone
“Sister
“Kris
“Starset"

Special advance ticket offer this month from Riverfest

Riverfest2015We are just 4 months and 1 week away from Riverfest 2015!

While no acts have yet been named, there is special news.  Riverfest has just announced that ticket sales are once again, LIVE!

From now until January 31st, while supplies last, Riverfest is offering the Festival 4-Pak for $60 PLUS $20 in bonus RiverMoney! This is a $180 value, four 3 day admissions for only $60. You can purchase them at www.riverfestarkansas.com and click BUY TICKETS on the top banner.

The Bonus $20 RiverMoney will be available for pickup at the event after your print at home tickets are scanned and wristbands received — the Rivermoney is only redeemable by the first ticket that’s called “Festival 4 Pack w/$20 bonus RiverMoney.” Tickets that read “Festival 4 pack attendee” do not have a RiverMoney value associated with them.

LR Cultural Touchstone: Jane Rogers

Jane RogersJane Rogers is a Little Rock native who has had a hand in developing two different cultural entities in her hometown.  She helped organize the first Riverfest to be held in Riverfront Park in 1983.  Continuing her involvement, she later served as the first full-time executive director of Riverfest.  Under her leadership the festival experienced significant growth.  This, in turn, brought more people down to the banks of the Arkansas River and the new Riverfront Park.  Because of this, more people were familiar with the area which helped the fledgling River Market take hold in the mid-1990s.

Shortly after he became Governor, Mike Huckabee tapped her to lead the Department of Arkansas Heritage.  In that capacity, she oversaw the Arkansas Arts Council, Old State House Museum, Historic Arkansas Museum, Delta Cultural Center, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission.  She served as Director for two years.

In 2003, she was appointed to the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees.  In that capacity, she has been involved in efforts to strengthen cultural offerings and facilities at the various campuses in the University of Arkansas system.

Her most recent cultural endeavor has been as a founder of Sculpture at the River Market.  In 2007, she helped recruit volunteers to create Little Rock’s first nation-wide sculpture invitational show and sale.  Since that time, Sculpture at the River Market has built a $2,000,000+ collection of public sculpture placed in beautiful surroundings along the banks of the Arkansas River in downtown Little Rock.  As a result of pieces of these efforts, the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden was created in Riverfront Park.

The third and final day of Riverfest 2014 includes Hank Jr, The Fray, Jamey Johnson, The Wallflowers and the First Security Fireworks

Riverfest Fireworks2013

Riverfest closes out with Hank Jr, The Fray, The Wallflowers, Jamey Johnson and of course the First Security Fireworks Display

 

1:30pm

  • Midwest Caravan (Stickyz Music Stage)

 

1:45

  • Blane Howard (Bud Light Stage)

 

2:00

  • Beckham Brothers (Coors Light / Arkansas Federal Credit Union Stage)

 

2:45

  • Canopy Climbers (Stickyz Music Stage)

 

3:15

  • Barrett Baber (Coors Light / Arkansas Federal Credit Union Stage)
  • Luke Williams (Bud Light Stage)

 

4:00

  • SW/MM/NG (Stickyz Music Stage)

 

4:45

  • Andy Frasco (Coors Light / Arkansas Federal Credit Union Stage)
  • Lucious Spiller Band (Bud Light Stage)

 

5:15

  • Knox Hamilton (Stickyz Music Stage)

 

6:15

  • Clare Dunn (Bud Light Stage)
  • Earl & Them (Coors Light / Arkansas Federal Credit Union Stage)

 

6:30

  • The Tontons (Stickyz Music Stage)

 

7:45

  • Jamey Johnson (Bud Light Stage)
  • The Wallflowers (Coors Light / Arkansas Federal Credit Union Stage)

 

9:00

  • First Security Fireworks Display

 

9:30

  • The Fray (Coors Light / Arkansas Federal Credit Union Stage)

 

9:45

  • Hank Williams Jr. (Bud Light Stage)

 

10:00

  • Surfer Blood (Stickyz Music Stage)