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Chattanooga: Riverbend Festival 2018 Recap

Tennessee is synonymous with music. Both Memphis and Nashville export some of the greatest artists from all genres of music. Perpetuating the stereotype of Tennessee’s musical greatness is the Riverbend Festival held each year in Chattanooga. The event spans over a week and attracts artists from all musical genres. Fans are always delighted by the volume of musicians to traipse their way across five different stages. For a truly unique music festival experience, don’t miss out on the Riverbend Festival.

About Riverbend Festival

The Riverbend Festival is hosted annually in Chattanooga, TN since 1982. It’s considered one of the city’s premier attractions. The festival is an eight-night event and has won multiple awards from the International Festival and Events Association. Each year over 350,000 people attend over the eight days, and it’s no wonder the festival draws such a crowd. The appeal of the event is the broad range of artists that grace the stages each night. Almost every genre of music is represented across five different stages. Rounding off the night is the beautiful backdrop of the Tennessee River at Ross’s Landing.

Riverbend Festival 2018 Recap

2018’s Riverbend Festival marked 35-years of music. Kicking off the event was Hank Williams Jr. One of country music’s legendary male artists, Hank is known for his fluid vocals and lyrically superior songwriting. His set was electric and full of both new and popular hit songs. The first day also included performances by One Top Down, Roger Alan Wade, and Gracie & Joey.

Day two continued the musical fun with a headlining set from The Wallflowers. O.D.D., C2 & Brothers Reed, Bishop Gunn also made appearances. Country music’s Brett Young headlined the third day. Young, a California native, first rose to fame in 2016 with his song “Sleep Without You.” Since then, he’s gone on to release more hit singles which were played energetically to an enthusiastic crowd.

Each year during the festival, attendees honor Bessie Smith with a walk down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The event is placed on a temporary pause, but activities resume in the evening, and this year there were performances by such artists as the Christone Kingfish Ingram, Charles Walker Band, and Drew Stretchi & Blue Tribe.

Regular activities resumed for the fifth day of the event with a “Family and Faith Night.” Numerous Christian artists performed but fans were delighted with headliner Switchfoot. Alcohol booths were closed, but the party was still going strong. Voices of Citizen Way, Blanca, Bon Ray, JJ Weeks, and Mending Wall also played sets that evening.

Superstar Dustin Lynch was the headliner for the sixth night. Despite the day’s heat, Lynch delighted fans with renditions of his hits. The crowd also got to hear sets from musicians such as Heather Gillis, Hive Theory, and Turkuaz to name a few.

The last two nights delivered big. Flo Rida really had the crowd in a tizzy with his performance. Fans were enjoying his set despite the hundred degree heat. The closing of the festival included more performances from bands such as Third Eye Blind and The Shadowboxers. To celebrate 35-years, a massive fireworks display closed out the festival.

What You Need to Know

The Riverbend Festival is an eight-day event dedicated to music lovers. Situated along the river, attendees can enjoy the music in a couple of different ways. You can purchase tickets and sit on the lawn with your friends and family, or you can enjoy on the river by boating up to hear some of your favorite artists. The festival is for all ages and includes a Family Zone. It’s a smoke-free and alcohol-free location with some activities set-up for the kids. If you plan on attending, you can bypass parking with shuttle services to and from the event for just $1 each way.

You can attend 2019’s Riverbend Festival and enjoy everything Chattanooga has to offer with a trip organized by Sweet Magnolia Tours. Visit our website to learn more.