Location and Date: River Blast Frankfort, June 27
River Blast is back with two events this year…. River Blast Frankfort on June 27 and River Blast Boonesborough on August 1. Last year, the inaugural River Blast event in August, presented by Kentucky American Water and in partnership with the Kentucky River Water Trail Alliance, exceeded all expectations.
Modeled after the Providence RI “Water Fire” arts festival events held throughout the summer months on the riverfront, River Blast was designed to bring the masses to the Kentucky River To celebrate and understand the resource.
And wow did they come, approximately 5,000 in attendance, to enjoy music, entertainment, food, arts & crafts, educational exhibits related to the river, a beer garden, canoe and kayak races, a bonefire on the Boonesborough Beach, and fireworks at the end of the evening. And it will all happen again on August 1 at Boonesborough with several new additions to the event, including a “sprint” to Halls by canoe & kayak, beach volleyball, and other beach fun.
This year’s Frankfort River Blast at Riverview Park will celebrate the opening of the locks at the dams from Frankfort all the way to the Ohio River, which will allow boat traffic through that entire stretch of the river for the first time in decades. The Frankfort River Blast will also include a laser lights show at the end of the evening, and the featured band will be Conch Republic.
Future Years: Event will be moved from year to year to the different river cities and key access points including: Frankfort, Irvine, Boonesborough, Jessamine (Sugar Creek), Mercer, Owenton etc. River Blast could even be held in different locations simultaneously in future years. This is a great first-year opportunity for sponsors.