Canton’s best fall festival, 39th Annual Riverfest Arts and Crafts Festival, returns to Etowah River Park on Saturday, September 23rd and Sunday, September 24th!
Riverfest gates will be open to the public on Saturday, September 23, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. and on Sunday, September 24, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Bring the entire family out to enjoy a great fall weekend of shopping, food and games.
Arts & Crafts Vendor Preview
An unprecedented number of vendors have flocked to the website to apply for the 2023 Riverfest Arts and Crafts festival, marking the largest and most diverse festival yet! This year’s festival will feature over 150 vendors from all over the Southeast.
The Service League of Cherokee County is welcoming several long-standing vendors such as The Outdoor Store,Sherry’s Gourmet Dips and More, Ginny’s Fudge and Nuts, and Dirt Dauber Studio. The Service League is also eager to introduce several new vendors this year such as Teddy Bear Mobile Metro Atlanta, Fluids by Foust, and Cedar Crest Family Farm.
Click below for full list of all vendors and brief description of what you will find at each tent!
Food Trucks and Concessionaires
Once a year, the best food vendors around join together to make up our Riverfest Food Court! Stop by this year to see returning favorites as well as some new additions we are very excited to have. Enjoy tacos, barbecue, shaved ice, burgers, hot dogs, ice cream and more.
In addition to returning favorites like Choate BBQ, the Patty Wagon, Taste of Mexico and many others, we have some exciting new additions this year. We are excited to welcome CDMEX Traditional Street Food, Goin Local Street Dogs, Sweetacular Treats, Express Food, Big House BBQ, and Joe’s Lone Star Tacos.
Click below for a full list of food vendors at Riverfest 2023!
Fun and Games for Children of All Ages
The Children’s Area for Riverfest 2023 will be full of exciting games and attractions for children of all ages! We will have inflatables and a petting zoo. The Lion’s Club train will return again this year. We will have fun games and activities like wacky hair, Home Depot wood making kits, hamster balls, faceprinting and more! All activities and attractions range from $1-$7 and tickets to the games and activities can be purchased at the ticket booths located on the sidewalk right in the middle of the children’s area.
Parking and Shuttle Information
Parking and shuttles to and from Riverfest are free! Thanks to the cooperation of numerous businesses in the area, we have reserved numerous lots along Brown Industrial Parkway leading to Etowah River Park for Riverfest patrons. All lots are well marked with signs so follow the signs to the lot of your choice, park, and we will pick you up and drive you right to the front gate with one of our great shuttle buses or golf carts.
We provide golf carts or shuttle buses for parking lots along Brown Industrial Parkway. Parking lots on Brown Industrial closer to E. Main Street are served by shuttle buses and lots closer to the park entrance are served by golf carts driven by the friendliest Service League members around. Reminder, no dogs are allowed on any shuttle buses or golf carts for the safety of patrons and our furry friends.
We have a handicap accessible parking lot reserved especially for patrons with limited mobility near the front entrance of the festival and we have golf carts to shuttle patrons directly to the front gates. A proper handicap decal is required to park in this lot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the entry fee for Riverfest?
$7 for everyone over 10. Children 10 and under are free! We accept cash or all major credit cards!
Can you purchase tickets in advance for Riverfest?
No, we do not have advance ticket purchases. Other than when we first open, we rarely have lines at the front gates and they move very quickly.
My child is performing at Riverfest. Should I still pay an entry fee?
Yes, other than performers, all guests at Riverfest are requested to pay a $7 donation to the Service League. Money raised at Riverfest is used to support the basic needs of children in our community so every donation makes a difference.
Are dogs allowed at Riverfest?
Yes, dogs are allowed at Riverfest and on the festival grounds, but dogs are not allowed on the golf carts or buses used to transport patrons from the parking lots into the festival so any patron attending with a dog will have to walk to the festival from the parking lots. All dogs must be on a leash at all times for the safety of all patrons and animals.
Will Etowah River Park be closed to the public during Riverfest?
Etowah River Park is a public space so it will not be closed to the public but the Service League has rented all of Etowah River Park for the Festival so we will have vendors, concessionaires, patrons, and security all throughout the park. We ask park goers not interested in Riverfest to consider using one of Canton’s other public parks and green spaces. Heritage Park will not be impacted by Riverfest so it’s a great alternative for Canton residents to enjoy during Riverfest weekend.
Can I enter Riverfest from Heritage Park?
Yes! We have a gate directly over the bridge as you enter Etowah River Park. We will have smiling Greenshirts there to greet you as you enter the park. The entrance fee is $7 for everyone over 11, and just like the front gates, we will accept cash or cards. Note, there are no shuttles running to and from Heritage Park so anyone entering Riverfest from Heritage Park will have to walk between the parks.
Does Riverfest feature live entertainment?
Yes! Riverfest is one of the best talent shows in our community. Riverfest has great dancers, singers and performers on hand to entertain patrons and guests all weekend long.
What is the money raised at Riverfest used for?
Riverfest is the Service League’s largest fundraiser. Money raised at Riverfest is used to support the League’s casework to provide for basic needs of children in Cherokee County, including food, clothing, housing, electricity and medical/dental/eye care. In addition to the League’s casework, the funds raised at Riverfest support the League’s scholarship programs, Christmas children program, and grants/special projects.
The Service League of Cherokee County provides children and their families with day-to-day necessities such as food, clothing, dental care, eyeglasses, medical care, rental and utility assistance, scholarships, and much more! In order to support the League’s efforts this fall, please come out and enjoy the Riverfest Arts and Crafts festival at Etowah River Park!