Riverfest returns to Narrowsburg this Sunday, July 27, celebrating 35 years of art, music, and community along the Delaware River — and this year, it’s taking flight in more ways than one.
Joining Radio Catskill this week, Ariel Shanberg, Executive Director of the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance (DVAA), previewed what festival goers can expect from this year’s milestone celebration, from crowd favorites like the River Dogs Parade to brand-new additions like the Avian Amble.
“We’re overlooking the narrowest and deepest part of the Delaware, and it’s a chance for our community to get together to welcome the thousands of people who come every year,” Shanberg said. “You’ll discover great artisans, learn more about the incredible ecology of our area, hear live music on the main stage, and of course, bring your dog — or your canine-identifying pet — to be part of River Dogs on Parade.”
New This Year: The Avian Amble
While the dog parade has become a Riverfest staple, this year marks the debut of the Avian Amble, a bird-themed street stroll encouraging feathered costumes and creativity.
“Main Street’s just too short for a full parade, but just right for an amble,” Shanberg joked. Leading the Amble will be none other than the National Park Service’s “Hunky Eagle” — known not just for his wingspan, but also his good looks. Leading up to the event, kids can join artist Adrienne Hloderwski in a morning costume workshop to prepare their bird-themed attire.
“We’re bringing back that tradition of street theater — there’ll be puppetry, street circus performers, and maybe even some birds rolling down Main Street,” Shanberg said.
A Maker-Centered Celebration
Shanberg, who’s been with DVAA for eight of Riverfest’s 35 years, emphasized the event’s maker spirit. “This festival really reflects the creativity of Narrowsburg year-round,” he said. “It’s a chore to put on a street festival, but COVID reminded us just how much this community values it.”
With over 60 vendors expected and Main Street completely closed to traffic, this free, daylong celebration continues to showcase the Catskills’ vibrant arts and culture scene.
One of the festival’s signature elements is the Poster Auction, featuring work by more than 50 local artists. Each year, artists transform an 11×17 board into a one-of-a-kind creation to be auctioned off — this year at 1:00 p.m. Guest auctioneers include Tommy Cambridge of Growing Old Together.
Proceeds benefit DVAA’s visual arts programming, and now, artists have the option to receive a portion of the auction proceeds themselves — a post-pandemic shift acknowledging their contributions.
Music, Stories, and Crafting
Riverfest’s main stage will open with Calla Sun (aka Callison Stratton, host of Liberation Station on Radio Catskill), and close with Ame the Band, a genre-blending musical act whose performance promises to be “equal parts haunting and healing.”
The festival also features River Stories, with young storytellers from the YA Slingers (a collaboration between Tusten Social and Yarn Slingers) sharing tales of life on the river.
Due to the number of vendors, parking on Main Street will be not be available. Visitors are encouraged to use the Fireman’s Field lot, where a shuttle will take them to the festival entrance at Bridge and Main.
For a full schedule, artist list, and more event info, visit www.delawarevalleyartsalliance.org/riverfest.
Radio Catskill is a media sponsor of Riverfest.
Image: Riverfest is celebrating its 35th Anniversary this year. (Credit: DVAA).