WAYNE ALLEN

PDT Staff Writer

The 50th annual River Days Festival was held Aug. 30 through Sept. 3 on the banks of the Ohio River, offering a variety of activities and entertainment options. Festival officials are now focusing on next years festival.

“We’re glad to have the 50th Portsmouth River Days in the books. Overall it was a successful week. Saturday was a very busy, but fun filled day, starting with the parade then the pageant. We even had a great crowd for an awesome Night Ranger concert,” said Trent Williams, River Days Chairman. “The Night Ranger crowd was one of our all time best. Saturday almost couldn’t have been any better.”

Williams said the results of the Night Ranger concert could be inspiration to bring that type of band back.

“We are not excluding the possibility of bringing Nigh Ranger back. They might come back in combination with similar style band. If we had them (Night Ranger) in combination with a band like Foreigner oh, what a night that would be,” Williams said.

He said the River Days committee has already started planing and looking towards next year.

Williams said one of the things he has learned since being chairman of River Days is that you can’t get started to early.

When asked if there was anything about this years festival that could change for next years Williams said, “Our biggest worry is always the weather. That’s something you plan your best for, hope for the best and have a contingency for.”

Williams points to the example of the 2011 festival when Sunday evenings activities were rained out.

For more information about the River Days Festival, visit them on Facebook.

Wayne Allen may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 208, or wallen@heartlandpublications.com.