RiverFest, a FREE family-friendly community event, is back for its eighth year inviting the public to celebrate our water resources at Pontiac Park on Saturday, June 29.
Start the day with a Buckeye Trail Hike
At 9:00 am Mike Saxton, a local volunteer, will lead hikers from the Confluence at Pontiac Park, where the Maumee and Auglaize Rivers meet in Downtown Defiance. The hike will head south to the Historic Fort Grounds and feature some of the local history as well as riverfront views from Kingsbury Park and Buchman Park at the Glaize, where the City has envisioned a Native American Tribute to be built. Hike will loop around so that it will end back at the starting location of Pontiac Park at approximately 10 am.
This year’s RiverFest offers something for everyone: kids activities, environmental exhibitors and activities, demonstrations and displays from a living history encampment. Frenzy on the Go!, Kona Ice, and Wicked Wiches & BBQ will be onsite providing Food and Refreshments throughout the day😋
NOTE: Yoga in the park has been cancelled this year due to a scheduling conflict.
Back by popular demand 
Free Pontoon Rides with Mayor McCann from 10 am – 1 pm. 
Departing from the boat dock at the East end of Pontiac Park.
From 10:00 am to 2:00 pm the kids can earn prizes by taking part in the River Passport activity with STEAM nature and river-related activities. 🧪💦 Exhibitors at RiverFest 24 include:
- Allen County Soil and Water Conservation District
- Black Swamp Beekeepers
- Buckeye Trail Association/North Country Trail
- Camp Lakota/Boy Scouts
- Defiance Karate
- Defiance Research Alliance
- Fallen Timbers Battlefield Preservation Commission
- Friends of Independence Dam
- Girl Scouts of Western OHIO
- Historical Kekionga Book Series
- Maumee Watershed Alliance
- ODNR Scenic Rivers
- OSU Extension – Defiance County
- Project Wet with Defiance City Schools and Defiance Soil and Water Conservation District
- The Nature Conservancy
- University of Toledo, Lake Erie Center – Grass Carp Strike Team
- Upper Maumee Watershed Partnership
- Wildlife Pelts with Joe Blosser
- Yoga in the Park – Defiance County Summer Passport
Fort to Port Histories will be returning again this year with a living history encampment in Pontiac Park for the entire weekend. Visitors at RiverFest will be able to enter the camp area to learn what life was like for “Great Lakes Fur Traders” in the 19th century.
A kayak package will be raffled off at the gazebo at 2pm. Free entry to the raffle will take place at the gazebo between 10:30 am – 1:30pm (need not be present to win). 🛶
To ensure easy access to the events of RiverFest, parking will be on East River Drive with handicap parking available in the boat trailer parking lot on the east side of the park.
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