Crowds descended on Bissell Park last weekend with blankets and chairs – and the only responsibility was to enjoy the tunes provided by Riverfest Elora artists.
“It was amazing,” said festival manager Spencer Shewen. “We’ve had nothing but really good feedback from people; our attendance was up this year for sure.”
Though the final numbers weren’t in by Aug. 23, Shewen said each day Riverfest welcomed more than 4,000 concertgoers, with Sunday being the busiest.
The three-day festival, which ran from Aug. 19 to 21, featured headliners Walk Off the Earth on Friday, Chromeo on Saturday, and Hey Rosetta! and the Sheepdogs closing out the concert on Sunday night.
The weather was beautiful for the majority of the weekend and despite the rain on Saturday night many fans stuck it out for the entirety of Chromeo’s set.
“It felt like it only really added to the experience for everybody,” Shewen said. “People were just dancing in the rain and having a great time.
“It kind of gives everybody … a ‘we’re all in this together’ kind of atmosphere.”
A late addition to the line-up was the live streaming of the final Tragically Hip concert in Kingston.
On Saturday night Hip fans could be found sitting cozily together under the Kitras Art Glass Pavillion, experiencing the concert as one, with some staking out their spots more than an hour before the concert was set to begin.
“It was just like people were at a real concert,” Shewen said. “They were clapping and singing along and it was just an amazing atmosphere in there.”
Yet Shewen said the exodus of Hip fans to the southeast corner of the festival didn’t deter from the success of bands on the festival’s main stages.
“I don’t think it impacted it at all, I think it just enhanced it,” he said. “I think it was an important piece this year for us, it was really nice to be able to do that.”
Another addition to this year’s festival was an opportunity for fans to meet a few of the bands at the Dine Alone Records Wax on Wheels stage.
“It was really well received and the bands had a great time and I think … probably next year we’ll try and do a few more of those,” Shewen said.
“It’s a great opportunity for fans to actually get to talk to the bands and see that they’re people too and that they want to have that interaction with them.”
At this year’s Riverfest Wintersleep had the largest amount of fans come out for the band’s signing slot, Shewen said.
Shewen said the 400-plus volunteers from across the country were essential to the festival’s success, helping on both the festival grounds and in the overflow camping area.
This year Riverfest also tested out a new partnership with the Bookshelf and Miijidaa in Guelph, a partnership Shewen said he hopes will continue.
“We had our shuttle picking up there and the Bookshelf and Miijidaa offered a 15% discount to anyone with a wristband on and I think that it was just a nice pairing for us to have,” he said.
“I think … in the future we’ll try and find … a similar style partner in Hamilton and Waterloo.
“It’s just a nice addition for the patrons to be able to have a place where they’re getting picked up where they’re not just standing there.”
Next up for the Riverfest crew is the Monster Mash costume party at the Elora Legion on Oct. 29 and Ice Jam on March 4.
Shewen also said Riverfest will be announcing additional concerts throughout the year at riverfestelora.com.
