×
×
homepage logo

Leavenworth to ‘Rock on River’

By Staff | Sep 5, 2007

? For organizers of Leavenworth’s new downtown festival, the key word throughout the event planning process has been “fun.”

Wendy Scheidt, executive director of the Leavenworth Main Street Program, said the First City Festival, coming this Friday and Saturday, will be like no festival the city has ever had.

The Rockin’ on the River-themed event will kick off at 3 p.m. Friday at Landing Park and will continue into Saturday night with live performances, interactive booths, inflatable rides and plenty of food.

The idea for the festival, Scheidt said, came about when city officials approached the Leavenworth Main Street Program and said River Fest, the former annual festival in Leavenworth, had run its course.

Scheidt said a committee was formed with the goal to bring fun back into Leavenworth’s festival. With that in mind, Scheidt, her assistant Megan Sibold and many others started work on what Scheidt described would be “the deal of the weekend.”

Many of the live performances and games will be free to the public Scheidt said, but a few others would take tickets that could be purchased for 50 cents.

On the main stage Friday night will be The Peabody’s, a classic Rock N’ Roll band, and on Saturday will be The Brody Buster Band, which will be blues, jazz, and “one mean harmonica.” Other performers such as Randy Sparks and Joey Glenn will take the stage as well, giving festival goers continuous entertainment throughout the day.

What Scheidt said she expected would make the festival a success was that every vendor booth was asked to contain an interactive game. She said she wanted people to be able to come to the festival and spend all day relaxing and enjoying themselves, rather than take a quick walk past booths only passing out brochures.

Additional festival entertainment will include skateboard and bike demonstrations, Aces and Six Guns Western Show, classic cars and motorcycles and strolling magicians. There will also be an exotic petting zoo with animals such as a Z-Donk, a cross between a zebra and a donkey.

There will be several different options for food and snacks including hamburgers, bratwursts, turkey legs, ice cream, kettle corn and funnel cakes.

Ending each night will be a fireworks display over the Missouri River.