About Us
Riverfest 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 and North Little Rock. Riverfest is the largest single event in the state of Arkansas with a rich 33-year tradition. Approximately 250,000 festival-goers attended the 2009 event, despite a full day of rain on Sunday, with an estimated economic impact of $33 million on the community.
Riverfest, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has enjoyed tremendous success for the last 32 consecutive years and has been a leader in the redevelopment of downtown Little Rock. Riverfest has donated over $950,000 to various projects in the riverfront and downtown areas, including our latest contribution of $100,000 to the La Petite Roche Plaza. Riverfest is an incredible, family-affordable entertainment value that delivers impact to its sponsors and festival-goers.
Riverfest began in August 1978 when the Junior League of Little Rock had the opportunity to bring the American Wind Symphony to Little Rock. The event was called The Summer Arts Festival and was held in Murray Park, with various activities built around the Wind Symphony’s performance.
The Summer Arts Festival was such a success that it was decided to have a similar event the next year. The date was changed to Memorial Day Weekend, the name was changed to Riverfest, and the current logo was adopted. It was also at this point that Riverfest, Inc., a non-profit organization with a Board of Directors, was formed to operate the festival, with the Junior League of Little Rock committing to provide primary volunteer support.
In 1982 after outgrowing Murray Park, Riverfest moved downtown and the festival was held on the Convention Center Plaza along Markham Street. The following year, in 1983, Riverfest moved to its permanent home in Julius Breckling Riverfront Park and over 100,000 people attended the festival that year. As Riverfest grew and developed, a need for permanent staff arose and in 1987, a full-time Executive Director was hired.
Riverfest has continued to grow and expand along the banks of the Arkansas River in Julius Breckling Riverfront Park and an expansion to the North Shore Riverwalk in 2002. The festival continues to offer new and unique opportunities for festival-goers while playing a vital role as an organization helping the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock work together to make Arkansas a better place to live and work.
Today, Riverfest’s Board of Directors has standing positions from the Junior League of Little Rock, the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, the City of Little Rock Department of Parks and Recreation, the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Downtown Partnership, the North Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission, and the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce. There is also an Executive Committee, fifteen at-large positions, and four ex-officio positions. In addition to the Executive Director, Riverfest has four other full and part-time staff members working year-round to effectively plan and produce the festival and an outstanding volunteer festival committee of 170.
The mission of Riverfest is to produce a quality, recreational, cultural, educational, family-oriented celebration of the visual and performing arts for the benefit of the community. Riverfest and quality will always be synonymous. From offering an outstanding children’s area where every activity is free to the participant, to an area focusing on young teens, to ArtZone where art classes are offered to the young (and young at heart), to the International Village where festival-goers can travel the world, to numerous special attractions, events and family oriented activities, there is something for everyone.
Riverfest is unmatched in entertainment. A wide variety of entertainment has always been presented. From the Arkansas Arts Center’s Tell-a-Tale Troupe to the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, festival-goers have been treated to some of the best-known names in music: Al Green, ZZ Top, B.B. King, Blues Traveler, Brad Paisley, , Jason Aldean, Heart, Hinder, Cheap Trick, Collective Soul, Diamond Rio, Don McLean, Everclear, Hank Williams, Jr., Hootie & the Blowfish, James Brown, Joe Nichols, Lifehouse, Live, Los Lobos, Loverboy, Mark Wills, Arrested Development, Morris Day and the Time, Nappy Roots, Better Than Ezra, Blake Shelton, Chaka Khan, Huey Lewis & the News, Nickel Creek, Pat Green, REO Speedwagon, George Clinton & The P-Funk Allstars, Rick James, Run DMC, Gym Class Heroes, Dwight Yoakam, Keb Mo, Styx, Switchfoot, The Black Crowes, LL Cool J, Pat Benatar, Pat Green, The Doobie Brothers, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Gap Band, Robert Earl Keen, The Neville Brothers, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Ruben Studdard, The Wallflowers, Carrie Underwood, Train, Trapt, Miranda Lambert, Trick Pony, & Uncle Kracker. The 2010 line-up is shaping up to be one of the best yet!
Sponsors are the life-blood of Riverfest and help turn the planning into reality. From large corporate donors who sponsor the fireworks, to private individuals who sponsor craft activities in the children’s area, to local police, fire, and city agencies who donate many man-hours, Riverfest enjoys the support of the entire community.
Finally, and most important, no description of Riverfest would be complete without recognizing the thousands of volunteers who staff each festival, and the volunteers who work all year long to plan and administer Riverfest. From all over the community, people donate their time and talents to present Riverfest – a fun, exciting, wonderful gift for all to enjoy.
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Riverfest would like to thank this tremedous group of volunteer committee members who work tirelessly year-round planning this great event. The festival would not be possible without all of your hard work and dedication!
FESTIVAL CHAIRMAN
April Findlay
FESTIVAL CO-CHAIRMAN
Lydia Bemberg
ADMISSIONS
Jason McDonald, Ed Price, Keri Thomas, Greg Steinsiek, Bryan Griffith, Justin Clay, Nicola Smith, Holly Jones, Matt Stevens, Rich McCauley, Mark Collins, Carol Bowers, Tess Welch, Stephen Long, Kathy Thornton, Shannon Norwood
ARTZONE
Brandi Allen, Felicia Johnson
BANNERS & SIGNAGE
Tod Alstadt, Shelley Steiner, Susie Colley, Linda Miller
BEVERAGE
Kathi Stoyanov, Marsha Clevenger, Carter Hardage, Pam Wardlaw Cathey, Krista Kirksey, Mitch Wine, Drew Lott, Ryan Choate
BEVERAGE/WRISTBANDS
John Antle, Brent Skrodenis, Steve Brummett, Matt Nilles, Leslie Traweek, Robbie Traweek, Ricki Smith, Sam Smith, Herb Brake, Michael Dugas
COMMITTEE HOSPITALITY
Mona Meeks, Lucie Wetzel
COMMUNICATIONS
Terry Henson, Chris Krablin
FOOD
Sharon Smith, Karl Freeman, Denise White, Angela Colclasure
GO GREEN
Teresa Baker, Robert Hunter, Erin Jones, Leslie Baker, Kimberly Duvall, Robert Robinette, April Campbell
GROUNDS
Mike Stevenson, Kirk Hogue, Kirk Jones, Barrett Dudley, Mike Castleberry, Justin Blagg, Justin Eric Brown
INFORMATION
Abigail Howe, Steven Keller, Hope Keiser, Ashli Ahrens, Sue Bemberg, Anne Pattillo
INTERNATIONAL VILLAGE
Jessica Williams, Nichole Simpkins
KIDZONE
Antionette Lorings, Catherine Cole, Jackie Zihala Crowder, Keri Hunt, Erica Ibsen
LOGISTICS
Ashley Parker, Angie Johnson
MARKET ROW
Alyce Bailey, Cindy Harris
MEDIA RELATIONS
Jennifer Forrest, Jennifer McConser, Kirstin Swindler, Stacey Hall, Leigh Anne Jewart
MERCHANDISE
Cathy Fox, Kate Frazier, Erin Skrodenis, Brandy Leung
RIVERBANKS
Kathy Perez, Mary Hunt, Sarah Bernhardt, Leslie Brendel, Ervin Brendel, Lori Bain, Gary Bunn, Andrew Crone, Steve Benoit, Holly Elloitt, Karen Hicks, Damian Hicks, Justin Baines, Cathy Doan
RIVERFRONT PARK/LITTLE ROCK
Phoebe Stephens, Bill Craig, Jackie Collins, Robbie Hudson
RIVERFRONT PARK/NORTH LITTLE ROCK
Dan Scott, Shirley Abel, Tom Brewer
ROVERS
Susan Harbour, Beth Nilles
SECURITY
Jerry Cohen, Joey Korte, Greg Segalla, Mike Bain, Ed Davis, Dennis Mitchell
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
Jodi Veit Edrington, Jarrod Johnson, Nikolai Dipippa
SPONSOR PAVILION
Pricilla Backus, Cheryl Campbell, Jo Fortune, Fred Osborne, Monika Hemenway, Hedi Hemenway, Brenda Majors
STAGE - MILLER LITE/AMPHITHEATRE STAGE
Kasi Jones, Bob Henry, Courtney Calhoun, Jerry Rye, Charles Muller
STAGE - ARKANSAS MUSIC STAGE
Rob Bell, Corey Gilmore, Lindsey Eaves, Trey Scallion, Timur Celikel
STAGE - YARNELL'S FAMILY STAGE
Sunny Matuszyk
STAGE - KIDZONE
Tina Chandler, Dustin Lee Sanders
STAGE - BUD LIGHT STAGE
Mahlon Maris
STAGE - TRIPLE-S ALARM STAGE
Bridgette Frazier, Mark Sims
STAGE - NORTH LITTLE ROCK
Karon and Jim Whitmore
TEEN EXTREME
Megan Hart, Claire Wetzel
TRANSPORTATION
Dave Hare, Mike Townsend, Jessica McSpadden, Barrett Rogers
TREASURY
Jeremy Ables, Courtney Swindler, Shalene Jacobson, Terri Cohen, C.J. Patton, Kim Berry
VOLUNTEERS
Dawn Talley, Britt Talley, Carol Langston, Emily Eley, Bayly Eley, Mary Katherine Smith, Matthew Ross
WEBSITE
Isaac Alexander, Rob Bell, Mike Ortega, Zack Hill, Chris Earls, Alice Cooner, Kristi Clark
ZONE CAPTAINS
Barbara Daugherty, Jim Daugherty, Kelley Bass, Tijuana Byrd, Bobby Bemberg, Cheddy Wigginton
MAP MAN
Bram Keahey
ENTERTAINMENT/BOOKING AGENT
Ben Jones
PHOTOGRAPHER
Wesley Hitt
RIVERFEST BOARD
The Riverfest Board is an advisory group made of of business and community leaders from the Little Rock and North Little Rock areas. They work closely with the Riverfest, Inc. staff to oversee the business and management of the festival.
CHAIRMAN
Courtney Swindler
VICE CHAIRMAN
Rodney Peel
PRESIDENT
April Findlay
VICE PRESIDENT
Lydia Bemberg
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Jeremy Ables, CPA
ASSISTANT TREASURER
Shalene Jacobson, CPA
ADVERTISING AGENCY
Rob Bell
JUNIOR LEAGUE OF LITTLE ROCK
Catherine Cole
LITTLE ROCK CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
Gretchen Hall
LITTLE ROCK PARKS DEPT.
Truman Tolfree, Phoebe Stephens
LR REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Kathy Perez
NLR ADVERTISING & PROMOTION COMMISSION
Elizabeth Elizandro
NORTH LITTLE ROCK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Terry Hartwick, Ashley Hight
PAST BOARD CHAIRMAN
Alison Melson
PAST BOARD PRESIDENT
Ashely Parker
DOWNTOWN LITTLE ROCK PARTNERSHIP
Autumn Jacob
MEMBERS AT LARGE
Heather Allmendinger, Stephen Bentley, Shayla Copas, Frank Cox, John Hathaway, Jordan Johnson, Brent Morgan, Matt Lyles, Rodney Peel, Tim Pickering, John Rutledge, Wendy Saer, Chris Thomas, Cheddy Wigginton
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
Jim Sick, Barry Simon, Barry Travis, DeAnna Korte, Executive Director
OF COUNSEL
Sam Baxter, Andy Vines
RIVERFEST STAFF
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
DeAnna Korte
ADMINISTRATIVE ASST/BOOKKEEPER
Renee Ikard
MARKETING AND OPERATIONS COORDINATOR
Kristi Clark
SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR
Julie Shindler
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Barbara Daugherty
