Article Contributed by
Walt Pickut
“It’ll be a great day for a roll along the river, have a great lunch and listen to some music,” Mike Dykeman, Riverwalk Festival organizer said. The 2016 Riverwalk Festival, slated for Saturday, August 20, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the rain date on Sunday, will be the second annual Riverwalk Festival hosted by Jamestown Now and sponsors Jamestown Renaissance Corporation and Cummins Engine. “Bring the entire family and spend the day enjoying Riverwalk.”
This year the festival makes its way along the scenic riverside strolling path and green space, starting on the JAMA side of Main Street beside the bridge and extending along the river as far as the JAMA building and then around behind it where there is a very nice and wider tree lined park area.
The Riverwalk Festival will feature food, handmade crafts and jewelry vendors, photographers and artists, including many of Jamestown’s finest and a few from as far away as Buffalo. A number of local nonprofit organizations and foundations will also be there to help people understand more of what they do for the community. “Everything is for sale and entry is free,” Dykeman said, “so just stroll along the river, don’t miss any of the sites and you won’t go home empty-handed.”
The artists and artisans at Riverwalk Festival will be accompanied by all-day music by Infinity. This year’s music also will include a drum circle performance.
Festival food will feature many of Jamestown’s most popular food vendors. St. Susan will again be offering their handmade, grilled shish kebabs, with benefits supporting their ongoing work to feed the hungry of Jamestown. “They’re so good, they sold out last year. But I bet that won’t happen again this year,” Dykeman added with a smile. “They are ready for a hungry crowd.”
“Now that people know about the Festival,” according to Edwin Rodriguez Jr., Events and Marketing Associate for the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, “were planning for even more than last year’s 1,000 to 1,500 people, which was great for the first year.” With continued growth Rodriguez sees even more events in the festival’s future, possibly including kayak launches on the Chadakoin River.”
To learn more and see pictures of last year’s event posted by people who attended, readers are invited to visit Jamestown Now on Facebook.
