On Saturday, June 4, from 10 a.m. until dark, the Dolores River Festival will take place at Joe Rowell Park.
This event is being hosted by Greater Dolores Action, a not-for-profit organization that funds projects to help maintain and preserve the Dolores River. Proceeds from the event will go toward these initiatives. “It is a celebration of a resource we need … bringing people together for that is pretty special,” organizer Scott Clow said.
The event is for anyone who loves to be outside and enjoy music, and there is something for everyone – adults, families and children.
Eight bands will be featured back-to-back throughout the day from two different stages. The bands range from local to national and include multiple different genres of music. The band lineup for this year’s festival is Deltaphonic, Joint Point, Miller and the Other Sinners, Little Giant, Felix y Los Gatos, Def-I and Ariano, Flashback and Bentley Monk.
Organizer Susan Lisak says music lovers will love this festival.
“We offer something that no festival that I know of offers,” she said.
There will also be food trucks serving a variety of foods, including barbeque, local beer, hot dogs, tacos, doughnuts, desserts and more. Those who purchase VIP tickets will also be able to go backstage, hang out with the musicians and eat food from Kelly’s Kitchen of Dolores
Attendees are encouraged to bring reusable cups for the event. Single-use plastic cups won’t be available, but Snaggletooth Saloon will provide reusable plastic cups for $1 or metal cups for $6.
Tickets for the event are available online at doloresriverfest.org. General admission is $25 in advance and $30 at the gate, while VIP tickets are $75. Children 12 and under get in free. Well-behaved and friendly dogs on a leash are also welcome.
The festival also includes river rides if there is enough water in the river, and kids play zone. Two river raft events take place throughout the day. The first is sponsored by the Dolores River Boating Advocates, a local boating advocacy group.
Water flotation devices are provided, and the ride is first-come, first-served as spots are limited. Those who wish to take part in the ride will have the opportunity to sign up at a tent inside the entrance to the festival. A shuttle will take groups to Riverside Park where they will raft down to Joe Rowell Park and back to the festival.
“We have volunteers who come out and will shuttle their rafts for three or four hours during the day and take four to six people on their raft, take them down and then they’ll take their boat back up there and do it again,” Clow said.
Attendees are encouraged to bring dry clothes just in case they get wet.
The second event is a “boat parade.” People can watch the parade alongside the river or on the bridge. Individuals who wish to participate must provide their own raft for the parade.
“People will bring their own boats and costumes and dress up their boats, dress up the people on them – even their dogs – and they can float down in a parade of color,” Clow said.
To Lisak and Clow, one of the best parts of the event is seeing the community come together to support the river.
“We’re trying to help the community, we love to see the community come to our events and this is all about the river, so we are holding this to have some funds available to be able to do river education and river restoration projects for Greater Dolores Action,” Lisak said.
“It’s a lot of fun, you’ll see most of your community out there,” Clow echoed.
Camping sites and RV spaces are available to attendees at Joe Rowell Park. Parking is free, while RV spaces (no hookups) are $50 per night and tent camping spots are $15 per night. These spots are first-come, first-served.
Those interested in starting the party early can attend the festival pre-party on Friday, June 3 at Eso Terra. The Crags will be featured as the band.
A post-party will take place on Saturday, June 4 at 9 p.m. at the Dolores River Brewery. J-Calvin will be the performer.
