CLEARFIELD – The annual Clearfield Riverfront Festival always closes with a bang through fireworks, but this year, organizers are adding new entertainment and offerings and resurrecting old favorites to ensure it sizzles throughout the three-day event.
The event that has become known as Clearfield’s official kickoff to summer begins June 7 (Thursday).
The festival opens at noon on Thursday, and a parade will march through town at 6:30 p.m.
The Elks Flag Day ceremony will then take place at the Clearfield County Courthouse at 7:30 p.m.
Matt Day will present his show on the gazebo at 7 p.m., featuring all types of music from rock classics to country and back again.
DTK closes out Thursday night’s entertainment with an 8 p.m. show featuring some ’80s rock as well as tunes from Jet, Sublime and Live.
The Pennsylvania State Police will be at the park from noon until 3 p.m. June 8 (Friday) for fingerprinting.
Crimson Sunrise takes to the stage at 3 p.m., and organizers say this new group will provide listeners with “a little bit of everything.”
The Dance Company will perform 6:30 p.m. Friday with Back Alley playing classic rock to close out the night at 8 p.m.
On June 9 (Saturday), the Diaper Derby returns to the festival with registration beginning at 10:30 a.m. and races starting at 11 a.m. Children up to 2 years of age will be eligible to compete in the races.
For several years, the derby was on hiatus but returns with another amenity especially for the littlest festival-goers, a diaper changing tent.
The tent will provide the children and their parents or grandparents with a semi-private area in which to change diapers while at the festival. The tent will be open during all three days of Riverfront.
Saturday’s entertainment also includes The Dream Catchers Twirling & Dance Academy performing at 1 p.m. and Matt Day performing at 5 p.m.
Jerry Schickling and North Country will round out the festival with a show beginning at 8 p.m. Fireworks will light the sky over the West Branch of the Susquehanna River at 10 p.m., and Jerry Schickling and North Country will close out the night after the fireworks show.
More events are forthcoming, festival organizers said, adding that the event remains a place for free, family fun in downtown Clearfield’s Lower Witmer Park.
The festival organizers will also be selling chances on a $500 gasoline card in the coming weeks. See any organizer for tickets. They will also be for sale at the park during Riverfront. The drawing for the card will be at 10 p.m. Saturday.
For information on registering for the parade or on setting up a craft booth, e-mail riverfrontfestival@gmail.com.