5th Annual Riverfest 2017 Most Successful Yet

SAN ANGELO, TX — The Riverfest 2017 was a success from the business end, according to City of San Angelo Civic Events Manager Sid Walker, “We definitely made money.”

Making the Riverfest a sustainable annual event has been the challenge city leaders on the council have demanded. 

This was the fifth annual Riverfest and the first with a new title sponsor, All American Chevrolet. Police on duty estimated at least 8,000 people made it down to the Concho River. Folks attending were able to compete in a washer-pitching tournament, a river raft race, canoeing and kayaking, and a kid’s court teeming with inflatable bounce houses.

There were 76 two-man teams that competed in the washer-pitching contest. The volleyball tournament attracted 6 teams and over 100 contestants and spectators. There were 10 teams competing in the peewee flag football tournament, plus all the family, friends of the teams. Also, at the Bosque were unlimited putt-putt golf, giant chess games, and bouncy balls.

Over 800 $5 wristbands were sold that gave unlimited access to Bosque and Neff’s park activities and well as horse riding, a petting zoo, and unlimited access to the inflatable bouncing castles.

The inflatables were a hit, according to Walker.

The other hit of the Riverfest was the barbecue cook-off down Oakes St. at Fort Concho. There were 148 cooking teams entered vying for the $3,000 Grand Champion prize. Over 2,000 appreciative barbecue tasters toured the armada of barbecue pits at Fort Concho Saturday afternoon.

Kudos were given to the City Parks and Recreation Department and City recreation manager Brent Casey who supervised the event. These City crews started working the event at 6 a.m. Saturday morning and didn’t stop until well after 8 p.m. The attendance was so good that the closing time was extended one hour, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Closing the event were local bands and musicians on the RiverStage, and several hundred were spectators.

“This was the most consistently well-attended Riverfest event we’ve had,” City Parks and Recreation Director Carl White said. This was also the first year the Riverfest hours were extended. Counting attendance at the three locations, at Neff’s, The Bosque, and at the barbecue cook-off at Fort Concho, White said the estimate of attendance exceeds 10,000 people.

The next big event for City Events is the Los Lonely Boys Benefit Concert Oct. 8 at the Riverstage. Tickets are $10 ea.