Concerts the cornerstone of revamped Riverfest

This year's Riverfest isn't getting a full makeover. Think of it instead as a little nip and tuck.

While in the past Riverfest was a sprawling festival covering everything from toddler arts and crafts to the more adult concerts, this year the organizers made the decision to do a little strategic surgery and move the children's activities to the newly created Springfest in April.

The reason behind the change, according to Executive Director DeAnna Korte, was the increasing cost of musical entertainment that was bumping up ticket prices.

"Obviously, to expect a family of four that wants to just come grab a corn dog and get their children's faces painted to spend $40 a head is too much."

Now Riverfest will focus more on the music and the less child-centric parts of the experience.

Not that the festival won't still be child-friendly.

"You'll still see children out there," Korte says. "A lot of parents will want to expose their children to music and there will be activities for them."

Those activities will include a carnival with rides set up at the Clinton Presidential Center. PlayStation will have an area for tournaments and virtual reality gaming.

Riverfest guests can also expect to find:

• The separately ticketed Flowing on the River kickoff event, with craft beer and wine tasting and music by Rodney Block, 6-9 p.m. Friday in the River Market pavilions

• Interactive displays from the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and the National Guard

• Barrels & Brew: two craft beer and wine lounges in the First Security Amphitheater and the Clinton Presidential Center

• Oaklawn Racing and Gaming tent and National Baggo Championship

• Performances by Recreation Circus troupe

• Valet bicycle parking courtesy of Bobby's Bike Hike

And, of course, there will be the traditional fireworks, scheduled for 9 p.m. Sunday right before headliners The Goo Goo Dolls and Cole Swindell.

Festivalgoers should be aware that there have been a few changes made to the admission policies. Wristband wearers are still welcome to come and go as often as they like, but only from 1-5 p.m. Anyone leaving before 5 p.m. is welcome to come back at any time. However, people leaving after 5 p.m. can't come back until the next day.

So, families who want to bring their children to the carnival or other activities, then take them home to the babysitter and return adults-only for a concert will be able to do so.

What organizers hope this new policy will do is help keep people from leaving the festival, going to their cars, "doing things they probably shouldn't be doing," then re-entering the festival grounds.

Evening is when the crowds really start to pick up and organizers believe the new policy will help with security measures.

"This allows us, at night when the crowds are heavy, to do a thorough bag check," Korte says, adding the new policy has been talked about for several years, but the family-friendly nature of Riverfest and the proliferation of families with very small children made implementation difficult. "But now, with the changes, we feel like we can do it and people will adjust."

It may have a new date, some new rules and a new focus, but Korte promises "It's going to look very familiar to what people are accustomed to."

Weekend on 06/02/2016