Riverfest and Community Fair 2025
An Annual Evening of Fun and Education at Paonia River Park
On Saturday, June 7th, the Colorado Farm & Food Alliance co-hosted the 23rd Annual Riverfest and Community Fair with the Learning Council and the Western Slope Conservation Center.
The History of Riverfest and Community Fair-
In 2015, COFFA hosted the Solar Fair at the Solar Energy International campus, which was a yearly tradition until 2018. In 2018, The Learning Council joined forces for this educational event, which was renamed the Community Fair and related to Town Park in 2019. COFFA and TLC continued to host the Community Fair in 2021 and 2022. Meanwhile, the Western Slope Conservation Center has hosted Riverfest since 2002.
In 2023, it was proposed that the Community Fair and Riverfest events join forces. So, this is the 3rd year of the combined event, the 10th year of the Solar/Community Fair, and the 23rd year that the Western Slope Conservation Center has hosted Riverfest!
This year we enjoyed eating delicious food, dancing to local music, and learning from local community groups.
Shelter Distilling from Montrose joined us, and they kept the good times going with their gourmet cocktails.
Food was provided by Cedars of Mediterranean, Paco’s Street Tacos, and Southern Belle food trucks.
Our vendors, Fine Glass Candies with Gourmet Flavors, delighted guests with sweet treats, and Birdstory Nursery offered beautiful garden plants and bee habitats.
The evening started with music by Jazzberry, followed by Hard Pressed, and Mojo Birds closed out the evening.
Hard Pressed band at the Riverfest and Community Fair
So many wonderful community booths joined us this year: Dark Skies Paonia, Valley Organic Growers Assocition, Citizens for a Healthy Community, CO Canyons Association, KVNF Community Radio, and North Fork Historical Society—each offering community education and connection.
This year, Sara Tonin organized the kids' activities, which included face painting and educational activities about the river and the local animals that live near it.
The silent auction was full of goodies, and people had a wonderful time bidding and outbidding each other.
New for the festival this year, we hosted a dunk tank! Many brave volunteers sat in the tank while friends and family tried for their chance to dunk them with a throw at the target!
This festival is an excellent way for the community to get out in early spring to celebrate the river, sustainable living, and each other. We look forward to continuing this new collaborative tradition and hope to see you at the river park next spring!
A big thank you to our volunteers and sponsors who made this event possible!
Volunteers setting up for the festival on June 6th.
Riverfest and Community Fair Sponsors 2025
