The Petaluma River goes steampunk once again

A righteously concise guide to this year’s Rivertown Revival.|

Hallelujah, brothers and sisters!

Raise your hands, stomp your feed, and put on your Sunday-Steampunk best. It’s Revival time again – and for 2017, record crowds are expected to come lay down their cares by the river, then party till the sun goes (most of the way) down.

Now in its eighth consecutive year – one for each of the Eight Natural Wonders of the World, including, of course, King Kong – the annual Petaluma Rivertown Revival will once again be lifting spirits and dazzling eyes.

It all transpires this Saturday, July 22, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., out on the McNear Peninsula, accessible by way of Steamer Landing Park, corner of D. Street and Copeland St. There is minimal parking, so prepare to use a downtown parking lot and walk a few blocks.

A uniquely whimsical celebration of the Petaluma River – described by producers as “The Greatest Slough on Earth” – the revival is a fundraiser for the Friends of the Petaluma River (see sidebar), and has quickly become one of the weirdest, best loved, and most hotly anticipated events of the year.

Here are a few highlights of what to expect during the day, with a few time-tested tips on how to maximize your fun while minimizing un-planned-for bummers.

Music

On five stages spread across the festival site, numerous acts will be entertaining revelers with a blend of Americana, Dixie-punk, wild-west beatnik-jazz, sci-fi-folk, country-metal, old timey, new timey, Appalachian trance, and “Pirate Cabaret” music. Yes, we made some of that up (not the pirate one), but it’s the best we could do at capturing the eclectic sounds curated for the Revival every year by Josh Windmiller of The Crux.

Featured bands (which play approximately every 90 minutes on most of the stages) include the following: performing on The Barn Stage, it’s Cahoots (12 noon), Los Ritmicos (1:15 p.m.), One Grass, Two Grass (2:30 p.m.), Spark and Whisper (4 p.m.), Mississippi Mike Wolf (5:30) and The Easy Leaves (7 p.m.). Playing the Revival Tent are The Butterdishes (12:15 p.m.), Ashley Alred (1:30 p.m.), Rainbow Girls (3 p.m.), Ismay (4:30 p.m.) and Buck-Thrift (6 p.m.). On the Spectacular Stage will be Miss Moonshine (11:45 a.m.), Intuitive Compass (1 p.m.), Oddjob Ensemble (2:15), The Travelling Spectacular (3:30 p.m.), Eight Dice Cloth (5 p.m.), and Barrio Manouche (6:30 p.m.).

The mighty Hubbub Club will perform at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on the Rhino Stage, and something called The Butterfly Ship (a theater, poetry, dance and aerial troupe) will pretty much own the Butterfly Stage (1:15 p.m., 3 p.m., 4:15 p.m., and 5:30 p.m.).

Food

To keep the comestibles local, all Revival food peddlers come from within a 100 mile radius of Petaluma, and are trained in the fine art of green, low-waste food serving. From food trucks to ice cream wagons, there will be a tasty array of snack items to temp and tantalize. Deep-fried pickles have proven particularly popular in the past.

And yes, there will be beer, wine and spirits, though we’re not going to even try to suggest what kind of wine pairs best with a deep-fried pickle

Activities

In addition to a variety of exhibition and entertainments for all ages, the popular River Rats kids’ area will offer crafts, animals, music, water play, and group art projects.

For mothers and fathers needing a bit of quiet time with their kids (for nursing, time outs, or diaper swapping), the Petaluma Mothers’ Club will once again be hosting a Parents Tent.

Though nothing like the scale of Burning Man, a small army of artists will be on hand to similarly erect and display eye-goggling artistry, with sculptures and other inventions sure to please, surprise, and amuse.

And yes, some of these masterpieces will be for sale.

Boat races

A major part of the Rivertown Revival is the Art Boat contest, the Grand Flotilla and Review, and the ever-unpredictable Race around the Slough.

Prizes will go to the most creatively designed water-born vessels, and, of course, to the fastest (watch out for that mud!).

Boat activites are spread out throughout the day.

Five-dollar wedding tent

Just what it sounds like.

A tradition from the beginning, the five-dollar wedding tent is where couples can get legally hitched for a mere $5.

The happy newlyweds will even be treated to a honeymoon cruise. Immediately. These slots tend to fill up fast, but can be reserved through the Rivertown Revival website.

Costumes

Based on past years, the official Rivertown Revival policy on costumes is: Yes Please. Steampunk tends to be the basic style rubric for the Revival, but anything work, with a tendency toward the fashion sense of Mark Twain, Jules Verne, Young Queen Victoria, and Old Mary Shelley. And worry not, there will be vendors on hand to help you accessorize with the perfect hat, boots, backpack or ray-gun.

Three important tips

Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. And bring a parasol. Okay, that’s four.

Temperatures are expected to climb to 90 degrees on Sunday, and there are many open areas, with minimal shade. So make sure you bring a refillable water bottle, or be prepared to purchase H20-based libations. Small parasols are not only useful for bouncing back some of the sun’s mighty rays, they are marvelous accessories to the right costume. If you don’t have one of your own, someone out at the Revival will be selling them. Oh, bringing cash is handy too, as not all vendors and food booths will necessarily be prepared to take plastic. Okay, that’s five.

Tickets are $15 for adults, and $5 for children. Available at the gate or online on the website. RivertownRevival.com

(Contact David at david.templeton@argus-courier.com)

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