Ottawa's Riverfest kicks off this week

There may not be any musical entertainment along the riverfront, but Ottawa's Riverfest still will be in full swing.

One of the more popular returning events is the Riverfest Parade at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, which Parade Coordinator Alaina Rivers said will be quite the celebration.

This year's parade marshals consist of Ottawa High School Student Maddy Smith who took the Class 3A pole vault championship at the IHSA State Meet at Eastern Illinois University in May. She'll be joined by the Marquette Academy baseball team that won the Class 1A State Baseball Championship, the first team champion at the school, and the Ottawa High School Poms team that won the Illinois drill team association Class 3A jazz championship and Class 3A grand champions for state dance.

"Maddy is really excited and so are the other ones," Rivers said.

Last year, the parade reverted back to an older route and will be doing so again this year.

The line-up begins at 11:30 a.m. on Boyce Memorial Drive and the parade will begin in earnest at 1 p.m. The parade begins on West Madison Street and heads over to La Salle Street. From there, it will proceed north to Lafayette Street then over to Rigden Park.

The 54th Annual Welcomeburger Picnic returns and is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 31, at Washington Square as is the La Salle County Cruisers' 35th Annual August Event with a new time and location from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at 234 Albin-Stevens Drive, just south of the riverfront.

The city of Ottawa scratched off the Taste of Ottawa and musical lineups for this year's festivities and noted poor attendance as one reason in March. The new City Council is assessing what a return could look like during next year's festivities.

Aside from those offerings, the festival remains the same as it has every other year.

And while attendance has been down for the musical line-ups, it's going up for others, such as the Ottawa Art League's Art in the Park, which will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, in Washington Square.

Art in the Park Chairwoman Sharon Danielson expects this to be the "best show ever" with 34 artists presenting a vast collection of different pieces.

The show will feature returning talents, such as Jerry Rose's woodturning and new talent such as the stone chipping, necklace-making The Spirited Stones.

Danielson said many artists only present their work at the show and it also tends to attract artists from other states.

"People just think Ottawa is a lovely destination and it's awesome," she said.

Danielson said she's been attending Riverfest nearly every year since 1992 and expects this year to be just as successful as the others.

"A lot of people this year think we're not doing Riverfest but we are doing Riverfest so come on down," Danielson later added.

Tuesday, July 30

Noon to 3 p.m.: Founder's Day Picnic for Senior Citizens, Festivities Unlimited. Free admission tickets at City Hall.

Wednesday, July 31

5 to 8 p.m.: 54th Annual Welcomeburger Picnic, Washington Square. Call 815-433-0084 for tickets.

Thursday, Aug. 1

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Downtown Ottawa Merchants' Sidewalk Sales.

5 to 7 p.m.: Kids' Fishing Rodeo, and the conflux of the Fox and Illinois rivers. Bring your own fishing pole.

Friday, Aug. 2

8 a.m. to 7 p.m.: American Association of University Women's Annual Book Sale for College Scholarships, Washington Square.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Downtown Ottawa Merchants' Sidewalk Sales.

Noon to 8 p.m.: Outdoor Food Vendors' Market, 100 block of West Jackson Street.

5:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Gray's School of Dance presents When I Grow Up, Jackson Street Stage in downtown Ottawa. Call 815-434-5787 for information or visit graysschoolofdanceinc.com.

7 to 7:45 p.m.: Ottawa Dance Academy, Jackson Street Stage in downtown Ottawa. Call Julie at 630-815-9742 for more information or visit ottawadanceacademy.com.

Saturday, Aug. 3

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.: American Association of University Women's Annual Book Sale for College Scholarships, Washington Square.

9 a.m. to noon: Agriculture Street Fair, 100 block of East Jackson Street. Farm animals on display, modern farm equipment, giveaways and hands-on activities.

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or later: Outdoor Food Vendors' Market and Downtown Ottawa Farmers' Market, 100 block of West Jackson Street.

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Art in the Park by the Ottawa Art League, Washington Square.

10 a.m. to noon: Officer Hopkins with a Child Identification Kit, southwest corner of Washington Square. Hopkins will provide a child identification kit for parents or guardians.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Downtown Ottawa Merchants' Sidewalk Sales.

11 to 11:45 a.m.: Duque Institute of Martial Arts Demonstration Teams, Jackson Street Stage in downtown Ottawa. For more information, visit their Facebook page or ottawadima.com.

4 to 9 p.m.: La Salle County Cruisers' 35th Annual August Event, 234 Albin-Stevens Drive along the riverfront. Call Steve at 815-252-0024, Mike at 815-228-4083 or visit lasallecountycruisers.com for more information.

6 to 8 p.m.: Music in the Park, Washington Square. Ottawa Special Events Committee presents Paul Windsor's Alter Ego.

Sunday, Aug. 4

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Art in the Park by the Ottawa Art League, Washington Square.

11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Outdoor Food Vendors' Market, 100 block of West Jackson Street.

11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Fifth Annual Building Trades Cookout, 1001 Boyce Memorial Drive. Free, public event.

1 p.m.: Riverfest parade, starts on West Madison Street to La Salle Street then to Lafayette Street and ends at Rigden Park. Line-up begins at 11 a.m. on Boyce Memorial Drive.

2:30 to 3:30 p.m.: Crossbridge Community Church Band, Jackson Street Stage in downtown Ottawa.