Family friendly Riverfest

LITTLE ROCK, AR - It's Central Arkansas' biggest festival, and it kicks off the summer. The concert lineup is set for Riverfest and tickets are now on sale, but not everyone is excited for the Memorial Day weekend event.

Riverfest is one of the largest events in the state attracting hundreds of thousands of people. This year the concert line up includes Staind, Boyz II Men, Lynyrd Sknyrd, Little Big Town, Snoop Dogg, Third Eye Blind, and many more.

The Executive Director of Riverfest, DeAnna Korte, says the event is family friendly, but parents need to decide what's appropriate for their kids. "When I say we offer something for everybody I'm not just talking about the music, I'm talking about activities. You come down during the day when the gates open and spend the day with your family. Most people then take the kids home to a babysitter and come back for the music."

Erica Phillips says she's attended Riverfest in years past. "I like that they have Lynyrd Skynyrd, but I don't so much like Snoop Dogg. That's not the kind of music I'm into."

Tiffany Bradford likes Riverfest, but says it's no place for children after dark. "I would not take my children after dark because of the crowd. It's hard to monitor a large group of people, so when you have children to be mindful of, I wouldn't do it."

Last year crime and violence after Riverfest left some concert goers concerned for their safety. Tonya Rumbaugh's son and his friends got roughed up. This year she won't be attending.
"I think it's the crowd. In the past I've listened to all kinds of music and it didn't effect who I was as a person. I just think it's the crowd."

Korte says most people look forward to the event. "Anything can happen on any given night on any given day in any part of any city in the United States. We're proud of our event, and it's going to be a great year."

Last year Riverfest spent more than $100,000 on security and works with local law enforcement to ensure the safety of festival goers. Korte says Riverfest works hard to create a safe environment for patrons.

Tickets are on sale now for $15 at Walgreen's. For those who don't want to go to the concerts and just want to take the kids to the activities during the day, this year there is a separate children's area where all activities are free.