A Primer on the Riverbend Festival 2008 in Chattanooga, Tennessee

The Riverbend Festival 2008 will take place in Chattanooga, Tennessee from June 6^th-14^th. This event is held every year in the month of June and it takes place in downtown Chattanooga along the Tennessee River. The Riverbend Festival is filled with great music, delicious food, and friendly people, among other various activities. This is one of Chattanooga's biggest events, and what is nice about it is that festival admissions are donated to several charities and non-profits. So, while you are have an awesome experience, you will also be helping out a great cause at the same time.

Festival Concert Schedule

There are numerous activities occurring throughout this 9 day festival, the dates of the festival are June 6^th-14^th. There are tons of musical artists set to perform; so I will list some of the most popular names that have announced that they will be performing: Rodney Atkins, country singer, is set to perform Friday June 13^th from 9:30pm-11pm on the Coke Stage; Little Big Town, country group, are set to perform on Friday June 13^th from 9:30pm-11pm on the Coke Stage; Mercy Me, Grammy-nominated Christian group, are set to perform on Tuesday June 10 from 9:30pm-11pm on the Coke Stage; Josh Turner, Grammy Award winning country artist, is set to perform Wednesday June 11 from 9:30pm-11pm on the Coke Stage; and ZZ Top, rock group, are set to perform on Thursday June 12 from 9:30pm-11pm on the Coke Stage. These artists are some of the more famous artists who will be performing at the Riverbend Festival; this is just a small percentage of the artists announced to perform. This festival will have every type of music you can think of, everything from country, jazz, Christian, and pop, among many other genres.

Kid-Friendly Events

There are other activities, other than music concerts, that are great for kids, as well as the whole family. One of those kid-friendly events is Shakespeare in the Park. This is a free show that will take place in Renaissance Park in Chattanooga at 2:30pm on the dates June 7, 8, 13, and 14. This activity in the park will be filled with songs, sonnets, and soliloquies from Shakespeare's writings and works. Another activity that will be taking place during the Riverbend Festival will be the, Bike to Riverbend activity. This is an activity that allows families to ride their bikes to the Riverbend Festival and there will be a free valet bike service that will be waiting for you to make sure your bike will be safe and secure. This bike valet service will be available from 5pm-Midnight every night during the Riverbend Festival. This is a great idea for families to spend some time together outside, while you are getting some fresh air; this is a great idea, especially considering the rising gas prices. Another activity is Family Night, which will be a night filled with kid-friendly and family activities. There is a Children's Village that will be located in a huge field that will be filled with numerous tents, a huge stage, and numerous activities that will be filled with family fun. There will also be a Ferris wheel, as well as other amusements games and rides. There is also a fireworks finale on the last day of the event. There many other kid-friendly events that will be taking place during the 9 day Riverbend Festival, but the ones that I have listed are very fun and great for the entire family, they also do not cost any additional charge.

Ticket Information

There are a couple of options for guests to participate in the festival. They can either choose to buy a one day pass, or if they want they can buy an admission pin that allows guests to enter the festival site for the entire 8 days. It is very easy for guests to buy admission pins this year. Admission pins vouchers can be bought and printed at home over the internet for the price of $28, which is $9 off the gate price. These discounted admission pins will be available from April 22^nd to June 5^th on the internet or at Chattanooga area favorite market locations. After June 5^th, admission pins can only be purchased at the gate for $37. If you plan on attending the festival for only one night, one night admission wrist bands can be purchased at the gate for $23. Family Night admission will only cost $5 each. If you have a child, keep in mind that Children under 10 are free.

Food and Beverage

There will be a huge variety of food and beverages at the Riverbend Festival that will be available to guests. Foods will range from corn dogs, quesadillas, ribs, chicken wraps, and nachos, among various other foods. Numerous types of beverages will also be available such as Coke products, lemonade, Iced Tea, water, and Anheuser Busch beverages, among others. Some of the vendors that will be at this event are Dippin' Dots, Original Kettle Corn, Kenny's Smokehouse, Hanner International, European Delights, etc. There will be tons of food available, and a variety that will please any guest, whether you are meat-lover, dessert lover, and/or a vegetarian.

There are many websites filled with various bits of information about the Riverbend Festival in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but the best is the official website for the event. This website is http://www.riverbendfestival.com, at this website you will find helpful information related to this fun summer festival. The Riverbend Festival is a very nice tradition that has taken place in downtown Chattanooga for many years, and each year it keeps getting better. They keep growing and booking famous acts, fun activities, and great food, If you will be in the Chattanooga area during June 6^th-14^th, I recommend that you stop by the Riverbend Festival, I assure you that you will have a great time.

Friends of the Festival Event Management, "Riverbend '08", The Riverbend Festival 2008