QUINCY — After announcing his move to Quincy from Fort Madison, Iowa, RiverFest organizer Charles Kraft knew there would be some challenges. Still, he said, the weekend was still an absolute success.
“Anyone who comes here is going to have a great time,” Kraft said Sunday morning as crews work to dismantle the festival facility that graced Quincy’s Lincoln Park this week. “We changed locations at the last minute, but were locked down for the weekend because we had entertainment booked. So our goal was to come in and get a foothold in Quincy and show everyone what a big event like this is like.”
RiverFest has been an ongoing event in Fort Madison for years, but had to change direction this year due to the ongoing construction in and around the park area they call home. But the venue change doesn’t mean a one-off event.
“It’s not a one-off,” Kraft said. “We’re going back to Quincy. We’re going to look at the weekend and that might change. We’re not making any hasty judgments, but I think some of the clashes this weekend, that’s something we’re doing to assess.”
Conflict crafts mentioned include county fairs in Marion and Brown counties and old settler events in Payson.
“Those activities, people want to take their kids to play with animals, rides and other things,” Kraft said.
Kraft also said frankly that the heat could affect turnout.
“With our window to market so short, we knew we were going to be dealing with a lot of walk-up business,” he said. “But when you have a heat index above 100 – 109 (Saturday) I think – people can choose to go out and spend money to endure the heat or stay at home and turn on the air conditioner.”
One change at this year’s festival is the music lineup. Thursday’s opening night for rock music like “Cross Fire,” “The Stars of Toledo,” “Burning the Shadows” and “Red Lips” topped the charts. Headlining Saturday was rising star Badflower, along with 10 Years, Any Given Sin, Etched in Embers, Greylight Divide and Ghost of Judas, bringing a new, heavier rock to the riverside.
For the first time, though, RiverFest turned Friday into a country night. Chris Cagle topped the list of the night, supported by Callista Clark, Lily Rose, Blacktop South and the boys, Kraft said he wanted to try and add something a little different to music fans who weren’t all rock.
“Of course, it was added before we moved,” he said. “I think we’re on the sidelines at the moment. It’s hard to judge based on this weekend’s actions, and like I said, we’re not going to make any hasty judgments about anything.”
RiverFest Quincy doesn’t just provide music to festival-goers. The Quincy Axe Company has their mobile axe throwing trailer on site and has an escape room experience. Food and beverage vendors have also come out with a range of options for those spending time at the three-day event.
Craft credits the support of local organizations for helping to host the event. The festival was aided by the Adams County Emergency Management Agency, the Adams County Sheriff’s Department, the Quincy Police Department, the city’s BET on Q program, and food delivery and service volunteer organizations. Drink tent. He specifically pointed to the extra effort the Quincy Park District put into making the event happen.
“I don’t know if there’s a better partner than the people in the Park District,” Kraft said. “They went above and beyond and it was amazing to work with them. What used to be just an open weed field, they turned into our festival grounds. With extra mowing, they leveled some low spots with dirt and sawdust “
The holiday weekend ends on Sunday morning with breakfast provided by the American Legion, the benefactors of the breakfast donations. Community members and RiverFest crews cycled through the tent, taking a break from the ongoing demolition work around the park. In between guiding his team through tasks, Kraft said he was already thinking about next year’s event.
“To the people of Quincy, I would say watch our website and our social media pages,” he said, “and get ready to mark the calendar for next year.”
