Covey Foltz, 6, left, and Sandy Clark, center, watch as Larry Davidson makes a balloon animal during the River Days festival in New Richmond Aug. 18.

Covey Foltz, 6, left, and Sandy Clark, center, watch as Larry Davidson makes a balloon animal during the River Days festival in New Richmond Aug. 18.
The village of New Richmond may have had one of its best River Days festivals yet Aug. 17-19.

Gary Skeene, of the River Fest organizing committee, said the weather was beautiful and people seemed to just pour onto Front Street all weekend.

“Saturday the town could hardly hold any more people,” Skeene said. “It was packed.”
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Skeene said he felt like with the nice weather and so many hot weekends this summer people ‘were just raring to go.’

Residents had plenty of opportunities for fun and entertainment during the festival with bands and performers playing each day, games, shopping opportunities, the Cardboard Boat Regatta, a car show, plenty of food and beverage vendors and more.

Bryan Shively, a New Richmond resident, said he lives in the area and comes to the festival every year. He said he enjoys coming and being able to see old friends.

Bethany Funk, of Amelia, said she came down on Saturday to watch cardboard boat race, and also enjoyed walking around the festival.

“It’s just a fun family outing,” Funk said. “The kids really wanted to see the cardboard boat race.”

Sandy Clark brought her grandson, Covey, to the festival and had family members who participated in the cardboard boat race. She said she also came to the festival Friday night.

“It’s along the river, there is food, it is just really relaxing,” Covey said about the festival.

Skeene said the food and shopping vendors he spoke with after the festival said it was the best year they have had in New Richmond.

“One vendor I talked to has been here for seven years and said it was the best in seven years,” Skeene said.

Skeene said businesses in New Richmond were pleased with the festival as well. He said the owners of Trendy’s, a restaurant that is actually closing next month, said it was their best weekend since they opened their doors.

Skeene said the events during the festival were well attended.

“The cardboard boat race had 70 entries, the car show probably had 100 or more cars,” Skeene said.

He said he was also pleased with the fireworks show and musical entertainers who played throughout the festival.

“I thought it was fabulous music,” Skeene said.

Skeene said they are considering extending the festival further down Front Street next year because of the volume of people that attended this year.

He said they are also looking for something to extend the festival into Sunday better next year.

“We need to get something on the river on Sunday,” Skeene said.

Skeene said in previous years they have had hydroplane races, jet ski races and ski teams on Sunday. He said they are looking for a new idea that would help draw people to the river on the final day of the festival.

Skeene said River Fest Committee members will look at number and talk about how things went during the festival at their meeting next month.

He said anyone with suggestions for the final day of the festival can contact him at (513) 417-2085.

For more information about the River Days Festival visit www.newrichmond.org.
To view more photos of the event, click here .