How East Brady Riverfest Began

By Luanne McAnallen

For several years East Brady had no summer festival, so in 1984 a large group of townsfolk got together and formed what we all know as Riverfest!

We are not sure who came up with the name and many who formed this group are sadly not with us anymore, so our knowledge is limited.

However, we know it started small and was located for several years in the parking lot across from Nelson’s hardware and along Water Street. Each year it grew and grew with homemade goods from all the community churches, games, raffles, an auction every year, music and of course fireworks & the fireman’s parade. It got so big that they decided to move it to the football field for several years, but it just wasn’t the same as when it was (up town)! So when the football field became unavailable a few years back, the current committee decided to try and move it back up town, we did however run into some road blocks and could not have it like it was before. And then Covid hit and for the first year we just had fireworks, then the next year a one day event. Then we came up with the idea of having it in various parking lots and along Kellys way (with the permission of local businesses and churches we got to use their parking lots & yards) and that’s how East Brady Area Riverfest & Street Fair came back up town!

We want to thank our past & present committee members who have worked so hard to keep this event going for 40 years! And a huge “Thank You” to our community & surrounding communities and all our sponsors for their continued support of Riverfest!

Cheers to another 40!!

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See more about the 40th Annual East Brady Area Riverfest at: https://www.myprogressnews.com/eb40thriverfest