The Rivertown Revival Returns

The 9th annual Petaluma Rivertown Revival will make its splashy, vibrant return to Steamer Landing on Saturday, July 14, with festive pageantry, head-spinning displays of art and amusement, continuous musical entertainment, and a merry, costumed, carnival-like ambiance. Not only will the 2018 Revival have all the anticipated events and attractions that have made it one of the most anticipated North Bay events of the year. But this year also brings the historic San Francisco schooner, the Alma, to the big show on the river, and puts a fresh, locals-only focus on artists, entertainers, and merchants from Sonoma County.

“We want to support our county during this time of rebuilding after the fires,” explains Elizabeth Howland, of Friends of the Petaluma River, the non-profit that annually organizes the Revival, and whose education and restoration work the event benefits. “It has always been our goal that this event is about coming together as a community to celebrate the River and the wonderful place we live,” she says, adding, “That’s true now more than ever.”

This year’s incarnation of the vividly eccentric celebration is expected to draw thousands to the tiny 1.7 acre park along the river. The Revival includes activities on and off the water, including performances by an array of musical acts, the aquatic “Nautical Mass” - in which a flotilla of kayaks, rowboats, paddle boards, surfboards, rubber tubes, inflatable crocodiles, and other water-borne oddities travel up-river from the Marina. Additionally, weddings will be performed (legally, for a $5 fee) by participating officiants in the Revival’s Hitching Post (with a honeymoon “cruise” on the river to follow). The beloved Curiodities Tent will be filled with fanciful creatures, interactive art made from repurposed materials will be on display, and a vast array of food vendors, craftspersons, and game booths will be on hand to serve and amuse.

As always, costumes are encouraged. Patrons’ attire generally falls into the “steampunk” category, with touches of a rivertown gambler, Tom Sawyer-turn-of-the-century, Truly Scrumptious-and-Caractacus Potts kind of vibe. In other words, creativity and ingenuity is highly encouraged.

The entertainment line-up this year, as advertised, draws solely from Sonoma County artists. Highlights include Celtic rock band Greenhouse (12:15 p.m. at the Barn Stage), The Traveling Spectacular, featuring sword-swallowing, acrobatics, juggling, illusions and music by the Oddjob Ensemble (1:30 p.m. on the Spectacular Stage), jazz-punk trio Sharkmouth (2:30 p.m. at the Revival Tent), The Crux (4:20 p.m. at the Revival Tent), kids; favorite James K (12:15 p.m. and 2:15 on the Family Stage), John Courage (7 p.m. at the Barn Stage), and the Hubbub Club, leading a marching parade around the grounds beginning at 7:30 p.m.

New this year is aforementioned participation of the Alma, courtesy of the San Francisco Maritime Museum.

“We are especially excited that the Alma is coming, and will be anchored in the River during the Revival,” says Howland.

The schooner will dock alongside the festival grounds, and visitors are welcome aboard for a look around. Entertainment will be taking place on deck, and those participating in the Nautical Mass are welcome to stop by the Alma for a free ice-cold Revive kombucha drink on their way to the Turning Basin, where all floating craft must be “parked” before their crew attend the festival on land. A security person will be on site to watch over docked vessels.

According to Howland, while the most visible parts of the event are the wild costumes, decorate riverboats, and eye-dazzling art displays, the real heart of the Revival is its volunteers, hundreds of which are recruited every year to make the massive event work.

“The Revival is 100-percent volunteer powered,” Howland says, “and the volunteers are our only VIPs.”

It is, in fact, a time-honored tradition now to name all volunteers “VIPs,” Revival parlance for “Volunteers are Important People,” and as such, they are treated remarkably well as a thank you. All volunteers get a free Revival T-Shirt, free admission to the Revival, food and drink coupons, and access to the “VIP” tent, where snacks and water are available to keep them going. The Revival is still recruiting for its volunteer team, which locals can sign up for on the volunteer page of the Revival’s website, at www.RivertownRevival.com. VIPs are given shifts, so they can have plenty of time to enjoy the Revival before or after their designated time slot.

“We especially need volunteers for the later, and much cooler, shift,” notes Howland. That shift is 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. She adds that the VIP tent is shaded, and in prime viewing position to catch the action on the water and elsewhere.

(You can contact Community Editor David Templeton by writing david.templeton@arguscourier.com or calling 707-776-8462)