Yorkville River Fest: Live Music, Food and Fun

YORKVILLE, IL — Yorkville River Fest — formerly known as Ribs on the River/River Night — will kick off Friday, offering food, live music, homebrew tastings and plenty of family fun. Fest hours are from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and noon to 10 p.m. Saturday at Riverfront Park, 131 E. Hydraulic Ave.

All weekend long, the Knights of Columbus will sell their award-winning ribs. For $12 per dinner, diners will get a half-slab of ribs, corn and cole slaw. If you're not a rib fan, other food vendors include Pepe's, Trinity Church and Rosati's.

Friday's events include bounce houses, human foosball, cardboard boat flotilla, homebrew tasting and live music from Hillbilly Rockstarz. Here's a look at the event schedule:

• 5-7 p.m.: 3rd Annual Cardboard Canoe Race
• 5-10 p.m.: Homebrew Tastings featuring 2425 Brewing Co. and Reveter Brewing. For $10, you'll get a tasting glass, samples of four homebrews and a 14-ounce glass of beer from the beer tent.
• 5-8 p.m.: Apple shots: Take your best shot with a giant slingshot to place apples inside a canoe floating on the river.
• 5-8 p.m.: Family area including art projects presented by Fox River Academy of Music & Art, Septran touch-a-bus, face painting and bounce houses.
• 5-9 p.m.: Human Foosball game
• 7-10 p.m.: Performance by Hillbilly Rockstarz

Saturday's offerings include the Illinois Whitewater Festival, Whiskey Acres tasting and plenty of live country music.

Musical lineup:

• Noon-2 p.m.: Country Line Brothers
• 3-6- p.m.: Whiskeyfist
• 7-10 p.m.: Whiskey Romance

The Illinois Whitewater Festival is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Participants are invited to bring their boat, paddling skills, family and friends for a fun day on the Fox River. The event features two competitions: The Slalom Whitewater Competition and a Boater Cross event. Find more information and registration forms for the slalom online. For more information on the 4th Annual Illinois Whitewater Festival contact Andy Cocallas at 847-830-4877 or acocallas@sbcglobal.net.

More Saturday activities:

• Noon-8 p.m.: Art projects presented by Fox River Academy of Music & Art
• Noon-8 p.m.: Septran touch-a-bus
• 1-6 p.m.: Bounce houses
• 2-5 p.m.: Face painting
• 3-6 p.m.: Whiskey Acres Tasting: Thirty minute sessions will be offered at 3 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. For $10 per person, guests can sample three 1/4 ounce tastes of Whiskey Acres bourbon, rye, and vodka as well as one craft cocktail while learning about the history of whiskey production and Whiskey Acre's estate distillery. Sessions are limited to 30 people and attendees are encouraged to preregister online.
• 5-8 p.m.: Apple shots: Take your best shot with a giant slingshot to place apples inside a canoe floating on the river.

Image via City of Yorkville