AMERICA'S RIVER FESTIVAL

AMERICA'S RIVER FESTIVAL. America's River Festival traces its beginning to the re-enactment of one of the 19th century’s biggest events on the MISSISSIPPI RIVER. “A Grand Excursion,” held in June 2004, celebrated the arrival of a flotilla of riverboats and pleasure craft traveling up the river from the Quad Cities to the Twin Cities. These boats were commemorating the original Grand Excursion of 1854, in which President Millard Fillmore and hundreds of business leaders and dignitaries traveled the upper Mississippi River to celebrate the first continuous railroad connection with the East Coast. (1)

The 2004 event focused attention on the Port of Dubuque. Its success prompted organizers to launch in 2005 an annual America’s River Festival entertainment event the second weekend of June. Audiences enjoyed live musical performances from regional and national acts, brought their dogs to participate in the "Dock Dogs" competition and enjoyed a mixture of entertainment for all ages. (2)

In 2013 despite attendance 4,000 less than in 2012 when the event lost $150,000, promoters were declaring the event the most profitable in the event's history. (3) In 2014 an estimated 3,000 people attended the country acts while 5,200 watched the rock-themed performances. (4)

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Source:

1. Reilly, Jessica. "Throwback Thursday: Organizers Launch America's River Festival after Success of Flotilla," Telegraph Herald, June 8, 2017, Online: http://www.telegraphherald.com/news/public_announcements/article_204d7205-e67e-58a7-a2e0-f984673b6d89.html

2. America's River Festival. Website. Online: http://www.americasriver.com/festival.htm

3. "Chronology," Telegraph Herald, January 1, 2014, p. 31

4. "June," Chronology 2014, Telegraph Herald, January 1, 2015, p. 11