Following the new version of the Riverbend Festival earlier this month, we asked you to tell us about your experience — what you liked, what you didn’t like + what you would change. We also asked for your input on Facebook.
More than 180 of you took our survey + provided some great feedback.
The major changes for this year included a shorter schedule, wristband entry/purchases, different vendors, a focus on major headliners (Weezer, Lionel Richie, Keith Urban, Macklemore) + and fewer overall stages.
Read your thoughts below.
The Schedule
This year’s schedule was reduced from the usual 8 or 9 days to only four.
“It was like the good old days when Riverbend first started it was only 4 days…” — Sherry A.
“It should be just a little bit longer. Maybe 5 days.” — Carol
“No festival should last 9 days. I thought the shorter schedule was perfect. I would just change it to Thursday through Sunday.” — Dave G.
“I am glad they shortened it. The 9 days was just too long.” — Treston T.
“I liked the move to less days, but miss the feel of a week long event - especially not having a family night.” — Nathan M.
“4 was perfect.” — Anna
“Shorter is better but it could go five days.” — Jack
“The shorter schedule is good, but I believe a more traditional Friday Saturday sunday schedule would be better.” — Aaron R.
“Please keep this short lineup with better and fewer acts. It was the first time in years that Riverbend has been enjoyable!” — Anonymous
“I preferred the shorter schedule. The old schedule was too drawn out and I would lose interest not to mention it is hard to keep a festival such a priority for a full week or more.” — Kim
“I think a shorter schedule is great, if it means better acts. I prefer quality over quantity.” — Amy A.
“Shorter schedule is better; however, the price increase has yet to be justified.” — Sharon
“Love the new shorter format. Living downtown it used to be 9 days of hell.” — Travis D.
“I always thought that the longer festival was excessive and unnecessary. Most of the better music festivals run the course of a weekend and the music begins earlier in the day.” — Scott A.
“Maybe make it Thursday through Sunday.” — Debbie R.
Wristbands
A big change this year was the use of a wristband system for festival purchase and entry.
“It was such an amazing system no handling the coins , shorter wait periods , our menu was already on the screen all you had to do was tap what the customer wanted and scan the bracelet so easy and so clean . Hassle free and safe for people not having to carry purses and wallets.” — Sherry A.
“I have no complaints regarding the wristbands.” — Scott A.
“Yes, loved the wristband when at the fest, but hated that you had to wear it ALL the time outside of the fest.” — Veronica
“Wristbands were great. Need more security with wands.” — April C.
“They worked well for us. A little bit of hassle when you had to top-up quickly after trying to pay for something with not enough balance.” — Jesse J.
“I liked it. Much simpler that keeping up with tokens. One note, the vendors should tell you the total amount you are being charged.” — Nancy
“Wristbands are fine in theory, but I had to be able to take mine off for work. Had to do some rigging to keep it removable. Maybe there is a better solution.” — KIm
“I liked it a lot. Even though there was a fee to load money onto the wristbands - it was still better/easier than keeping up with tokens. Also it made tipping super easy. I was definitely a fan.” — Katie
“Please make them removable, I work in a factory and we cant have wristbands or jewelry, I had to hide it all week. Please find a way to make it so that i can do riverbend and go to work safely.” — Cooper S.
“Not that great of an idea for a bunch of people that have known tokens for years. Younger generation can adapt quickly. Riverbend needs tokens. Its retro and cool.” — Wes
“It’s not any better than the token system, and the merchants should just take cash.” — Jak no last initial?
“Wristbands did not work, wasted 45 minutes before they decided to give me another and that was only because I got upset, if I did not become upset it would have taken longer.” — Rick M.
“The only issue was when I tried to load my wristband for purchases, their WiFi network was down & I had to wait. A little annoying, but not a huge deal.” — Alex S.
“Several problems with phones/scanners not working resulted in longer wait times.” — Nathan M.
One thing to change
We asked readers if they could change one thing about the festival what it would be.
“The price. It was prohibitive to the regular folks I have always see and enjoyed at RB.” — Nancy S.
“Maybe another stage? It seemed like there weren’t many options. For instance - we had zero interest in seeing Keith urban, but would have loved to see someone else during the main act, just to see some live music since we had already made the effort to go see old crow medicine show.” — Katie
“Possible get hooked up with a liquor distributor for better wines.” — Barbara M.
“Wrist bands that were week long passes could not be loosened once tight - problems with scanners - consider doing away with wrist band / chip system.” — Nathan M.
“Have a family friendly popular act for the closing act. Screen the acts’ performances before you book them. Most were offended by Macklemore’s language because they had young children.”— Polly L.
“Better lower tier acts. There were a few gems, but for the increased price there should have been more higher profile bands.” — MIchele
“The grass area in from of the stage was empty every night. That should be a VIP area sold by nightly passes. The VIP area was too far away and it was overrun by bugs.” — Stephanie T.
“They need recycling! All I saw were trash cans. And they should let people bring refillable water bottles. For a festival that relies on the beauty of the Tenn. River they should do more to alleviate plastic use/pollution.” — Dave G.
“Turn the blanket section or the first chair section on the main stage into standing room GA. The artist wants to connect with fans who are enjoying themselves and singing along to their songs, not people sitting in fold out chairs eating popcorn and funnel cakes. The stage makes it awkward enough for them.” — Katie
“Clean up the streets and public areas!!!!! Especially the seating area under the walking bridge. There were thousands of cigarette butts and lots of trash.” — John
“Security at entries is still very weak.” — Quinn
“...it would be nice to see only local food vendors. We have great businesses in Chattanooga, I would love to see only those represented.” — Savannah
“How about adding some large-scale interactive art?” — Mike
“Cut prices. Everything is way too expensive.” — Dennis
“The service fee for RFID funds” — Anonymous
“Find some way to improve the Coke stage dynamics so the performers don’t feel so disconnected from the crowds. It’s an almost universal complaint, and they can’t seem to comprehend that the roar of the crowd is less not because of disinterest but because of distance.” — Chris A.
“I think the people using their chairs to save spots has got to go. This does not happen at any other festival that I have ever been to.” — Anonymous
“I think the date as great to be cooler outdoors but was a conflict with Mem Day vacations. Lots of people go on vacations that week since they get the extra day(holiday). I feel an earlier May date or even April, would be good...” — Jamie C.
“Also I know there’s probably not a way to help this but the street preachers screaming at you as you walk in really isn’t a fun time.” — Anna
“Let the headliners play longer.” — Hannah
“Directional signs or maps? I’d never been to the festival and I was very lost trying to find vendors and different stages. (if there were signs or maps, I didn’t see any)” — Anonymous
“Get rid of coke stage. Pack the side stages with more acts and utilize the main stage earlier in the evening as well. Get local food/drinks. Again LOCAL.” — Brandon B.
Additional comments
“My husband I went the night of Weezer and honestly had a great time. We got there around 730, walked around and grabbed some food and drinks and then enjoyed each other’s company waiting for the main stage concert to start. Once the sun set the temperature was fine. This was our first time going.” — Katherine M.
“I was happy with the smaller crowds, although, I know that many of the vendors were not feeling the same way. I will happily pay more for admission if the quality of the artists is elevated.”— Scott A.
“I do feel the festival management should consider allowing businesses like Blue Cross and TVA to offer their employees discounted wristbands much earlier than they did this year, and not wait until a few days before the start of the festival.” — Sam H.
“I typically do not attend Riverbend and did not attend this year. After hearing lots of different opinions I am very interested in attending next year. Small crowds, more mature attendees, and better acts all sound like great improvements.” — Emily S.
“Get rid of the coke stage. Don’t do any stages on the River. It’s so awful. The bands are too high up and too far away. Just make normal stages.” — Anonymous
“I think Riverbend has potential, but I think it’s confused. Not sure if it’s a music festival or a family fair. And given what I experienced this time, it would take a really amazing musical act to make me go again.” — Tamra
“I wanted to this year so bad because of Weezer and many others. But, it was just too hot for me...It would be great to have it some other time that is cooler.” — Cozett D.
“Enjoyed the shorter format. Felt the sound quality on the coke stage needs improvement. The side stage areas were lacking.” — Craig L.
“ I liked the much sparser crowds…” — Sam G.
“Don’t block off the area so long beforehand.” — Erik L.
“...people seemed to be nicer and in a better mood this year.” — Treston T.
“We LOVED it this year! Great music, lower crowds, lots of security and generally just a great vibe. Everybody we met was having a great time!!!” — Debbie R.
“...no one missed that death march to the Unum stage by Hunter, though it did have some great acts in years past.” — Jamie C.
“The festival this year was a much more pleasant experience. Without the changes, I probably would have skipped the event totally.” — Kim
“Much improved. Haven’t been in years due to extensive crowds. Glad I tried it again - new format is making me want to come back.” — Anonymous
“The better talent brought us back to Riverbend after several years of not going. Keep it up!” — Barbara M.
“The grand finale. Macklemore put on a great show and I wasn’t even really a fan.” — Chris A.
“A third bartender at the club/vip section. Waited in lines to long. Also need back stage screen so can view band from back of deck area past where bar was.” — James W.
Poll
