Renton River Days
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July 23 and July 25 - 27, 2008, in Liberty Park
The 23rd Annual Renton River Days is a week-long family festival and a celebration of community pride. It is a time to get together with family, friends and neighbors and to enjoy the amenities and activities which make Renton a great community in which to live, work and play. Originating in 1986, this celebration joins residents, businesses, organizations, and Puget Sound region tourists together for a wonderful variety of events, special features for kids, arts & crafts, recreation, food and stage entertainment. Liberty Park, in the heart of Renton, is the focal point for the festival. Cedar River Park is also host to many events in and around the Renton Community Center.
No Pets, Please! For the safety, health, courtesy and enjoyment of your pets and all festival-goers, please leave your pets at home. Large crowds make it a very stressful and dangerous environment for pets.
2008 Festival Highlights
Please note: IKEA Renton River Days regretfully announces that the River Days Fun Run & Walk, Skate Park Exhibition, and Boatstock events have been cancelled for 2008. We hope that these events, which have become tradition to our festival, will return in 2009.
Wednesday, July 23, Kids' Day, 11am-5pm, Liberty Park.
This special day just for kids includes free face-painting, inflatables, 40 activity booths with crafts and games, stage entertainment, and the Wenatchee Youth Circus (showtimes at 1:30pm and 6:00pm, $1/pp).
Thursday, July 24, Senior Day Picnic, Renton Community Center.
Friday-Sunday, July 25-27, Main Festival Weekend, 11am-8pm, Liberty Park.
Featuring two entertainment stages, Nibble of Renton, Art Market (arts and crafts booths), Renton Annual Art Show (juried fine art show at the Renton Community Center), Quilt Show (inside the Library), Chalk Art Contest (on the tennis courts), inflatables for kids, pony rides (dirt infield at Cedar River Park), plus much more!
Saturday, July 26, Parade
Begins at 10:00am on South 3rd St., Downtown Renton.
Sunday, July 27, Rubber Ducky Derby
Launched from the Houser Street Bridge at 4:30pm.
Renton River Days Celebrates 10 Years with Title Sponsor IKEA
This year marks Renton’s 23rd annual festival and celebrates the 10th anniversary with IKEA as the festival’s Title Sponsor.
Since 1999, IKEA has been the Title Sponsor of Renton River Days. The IKEA-Renton River Days relationship has provided annual financial contributions at the highest level, print material graphic design, and store gift cards to support the festival’s many “sanctioned” events with contest prizes, art awards and appreciation of volunteers. Together with the support of all of the festival’s many sponsors, contributors and the City of Renton, the Title Sponsor relationship with IKEA has enabled Renton River Days to produce a quality, safe and family-oriented festival and continue its longtime tradition of offering virtually all its activities free to families and children. Please join us in thanking IKEA for 10 years of Title Sponsorship!
How to Participate or Apply for the Festival?
2008 Parade Application
Application process is closed. For questions, more information, or to put your name on the mailing list for a 2009 Parade Application, please call Tammy Baum, Parade Chair, at 206.310.7917 or email Tammy at tkb1213@hotmail.com.
River Days has a budget to provide a modest contribution to local or visiting marching bands, or other parade entries with musicians, bands or dancers and help offset expenses. Marching bands, musicians, and dancers captivate the crowds and fill the air with music. Our Parade Committee would like more entries like this to consider. Please call Tammy to discuss your marching band or musician based parade entry.
2008 Art Market Application - Artist and Arts & Crafts Booths in Liberty Park
Application process is closed. For questions and more information or to put your name on the mailing list for 2009, please call Toni Nelson, Art Market Chair, at 425.226.6124, or email at toninelson2@comcast.net.
2008 Renton Annual Art Show -Juried Fine Art Show at the Renton Community Center
Application process is closed. For questions, more information, or to put your name on the mailing list for the 2009 Renton Annual Art Show Prospectus, please call Vicki Hart, Committee Chair, at 425.254.9934, or email at vhart@bannerbank.com.
Commercial Vendor/Exhibitor Booths
IKEA Renton River Days does not have a commercial vendor section. Commercial Exhibitor Booths are reserved for festival sponsors only. If you are interested in becoming part of the festival's family of sponsors, please call 425.430.6528 or Email Festival Director.
2008 Kids' Day Exhibitors and Weekend Community Information Booths
Application process is closed for Kids' Day Exhibitor Applications. Deadline for the Kids' Day Exhibitor Application was Wednesday, June 25, 2008.
Application process is closed for Weekend Community Information Booth. Deadline for the Weekend Community Information Booth Application was Wednesday, June 25, 2008.
Examples of Kids' Day (Wednesday, July 23) and Weekend Community Information Booths (Friday-Sunday, July 25-27) are non-profits, social service and public agencies, service clubs and churches; River Days does not have a commercial vendor section. For questions, more information, or to put your name on our 2009 mailing lists, please call 425.430.6528 and leave a voicemail for the Festival Director, or Email Festival Director.
2008 Stage Entertainment & Performers
Bands, Dancers, Children's Variety, Strolling & Cultural/Ethnic Groups
All performance slots are full for 2008. Performing artists are encouraged to submit their promotional packs (artist bios, cassettes, cds, photos, etc.) through January 2009, to be considered for the Renton River Days Festival in July 2009. Two separate entertainment stages will feature a variety of instrumental, vocal, percussion, and dance considered "family entertainment." Sound systems are provided on both stages. Please mail any items for review for 2008 to Renton River Days, 1055 S. Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057. To leave a voicemail for Festival Director, Sonja Mejlaender, call 425.430.6528 or Email Festival Director.
Entertainment packs must be received by January 31, 2009, to be considered for the 2009 festival.
Only entertainment that is being considered will be contacted.
River Days has a budget to provide a modest contribution to local or visiting marching bands, or other parade entries with musicians, bands or dancers and help offset expenses. Marching bands, musicians, and dancers captivate the crowds and fill the air with music. Our 2008 Parade Committee would like more entries like this to consider. Please call Tammy Baum, Parade Chair, at 206.310.7917 or email at tkb1213@hotmail.com to discuss your marching band or musician based parade entry.
2008 Nibble of Renton Festival Food Vendors
All food vendors slots are full for 2008. IKEA Renton River Days approaches local restaurants and catering services, and past participants to fill available spaces. If all spaces are not filled, additional vendors will be considered based on menu variety. All vendors operate from a 10' x 20' booth space provided by the festival. Electrical hook-up available. An application fee is required to the festival. Please Email Festival Director with your business name, food specialty and menu variety, address and phone. Please note, IKEA Renton River Days does not allow specialty cart food vendors.
How to Contact Renton River Days
Renton River Days
1055 South Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
Festival Information Line and Voicemail: 425.430.6528
Fax: 425.430.6603
Email Festival Director