River Festivus

06/03/2026

05/28/2026

Start planning your trip to River Festivus now - and make sure a stop at some of our sponsors is on your must-do list!

The Southernmost Point on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Starts in Burkesville 🥃🍕

Burkesville isn’t just near bourbon country — Burkesville is the southernmost point on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®.

With Southern Kentucky Distillery in Cumberland County, Burkesville is the true gateway to Kentucky bourbon country from the south. Southern Kentucky Distillery is already producing Kentucky bourbon in Burkesville, with tours, tastings, bonded warehouses, and thousands of visitors coming through our part of Southern Kentucky.

And when you’re coming up from Tennessee, your first true Bourbon Trail dive bar stop is Sounds Good: recently voted Best Pizza Joint and Dive Bar on the Bourbon Trail.

So whether you’re touring the distillery, visiting Dale Hollow Lake the Cumberland River, or making your way into bourbon country, start the trip the right way:

Bourbon country starts in Burkesville.
Pizza, cold drinks, and good times start at Sounds Good.

📍 Sounds Good
802 S. Main Street, Burkesville, KY
🍕 Ovens shut off at 9 PM.

05/04/2026

🎸🎤 BOTB IS BACK! 🎤🎸

Don Franklin Burkesville Chevrolet is proud to present our 5th Annual River Festivus 𝗕𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗦!! 🤘

Registration opens TODAY! This is your chance to showcase your talent and compete for a spot to play in front of thousands on the SKD Stage at River Festivus! And the best part? The GRAND PRIZE WINNER will take home $2,000 and open for THE FRONTMEN LIVE at our headlining concert!! 🌟

Think you've got what it takes to make it to the final round? Whether you're a solo artist or a full band, cover or original material, we want YOU to show us what you've got! 🎶✨

How to enter: Follow the link below and get ready to rock! See official info below.

This is YOUR chance to take the stage and get noticed. So, what are you waiting for? Register today and let the battle begin! 🚀🔥

🔗 https://www.explorecumberlandcounty.com/tourism/river-festivus

——————

Competition is open to solo and group acts, original and cover material, and all genres of music. Please keep in mind that this is a family community event; vulgar or obscene material will not be accepted.

Entry deadline is June 22, 2025. Entry is FREE!!

The Top 5 entries that will perform live at the Battle of the Bands will be determined by public voting on Facebook. Voting will begin June 26, and end July 17, 2026. Facebook voting will consist of ‘Like’ and ‘Love’ reactions to each entry’s photo that will be posted on the River Festivus page along with links to the entry video, other submitted videos, music, social media, website, etc. Only LEGITIMATE votes (NO BOTS ALLOWED) submitted on the original post on the River Festivus page will be tallied to determine the Top 5 acts.

Top 5 entries will be announced on July 24, 2026. A list of rules, regulations, and scoring criteria for the live competition will be sent to those acts after the public announcement has been made.

The Top 5 entries will perform in a LIVE competition in Burkesville, KY on Friday, August 14, 2026. Each band in the Top 5 will have 45 minutes on stage. Each band will complete their sound check and perform for the crowd during that allotted time.

Order of performance will be determined by a random draw. A house kit consisting of drum set and bass amp will be provided for the competition, as well as professional stage lighting and sound. Live competition winners will be determined by a panel of 'celebrity' judges.

Prizes are as follows:

There will be a total of ONE (1) winner selected from the Top 5 performers.

GRAND PRIZE:
$2,000 in prize money AND a 90-minute set on Saturday, August 15, 2026, as the opening act for THE FRONTMEN LIVE + commemorative framed poster

OTHER FINALISTS:
$500 in prize money + commemorative framed poster

Any/all decisions made by the River Festivus Committee and the Battle of the Bands judges are final.

Please email [email protected] with any questions.

05/01/2026

Just about to go LIVE with our first monthly giveaway!

04/20/2026

If your ideal Saturday includes horsepower 🛻 , sunshine ☀️, and wandering around saying 'now THAT'S a nice one!' 🤩 … then River Festivus is the place for you!

Roll into the River Festivus Cruise-In on Saturday, August 15 from 10 AM – 4 PM for a full day of shiny rides, good music, and great friends!

✨ Free entry + Door prizes ✨

Bring your car, bring your crew, or just bring your lawn chair and hang out!

Be sure to check out all the other awesome events taking place in the park while you're there, and when the sun starts to dip, don’t go anywhere - stick around for our FREE concert featuring The Frontmen!

For more information, please call Craig Coe at 270-433-1173.

03/23/2026

BIG NEWS, Festivus fam! River Festivus Split the Pot is back - this time with even MORE perks!!

One lucky winner will take home HALF THE POT (last year's winner raked in more than $25,000 🤯) plus a FULL BARREL OF BOURBON from Southern Kentucky Distillery 🥃 (or the $1600 cash equivalent if you prefer).

But wait, there's MORE!! 💥 Buy your tickets early, and you'll automatically be entered into our monthly giveaways including VIP tickets, The Frontmen Meet & Greet tickets, and other festival perks! All while your name remains in the running for the GRAND PRIZE! The first monthly giveaway will be May 1 - the earlier you enter, the more chances you have to win! And don't forget, the bigger the pot, the bigger the prize! 💵💰

See a committee member or stop by one of the following businesses to grab your tickets TODAY!

- Sulphur Creek Resort
- First & Farmer National Bank
- Cumberland Co. Farm Bureau Insurance
- Sounds Good
- The Bait Shop
- Citizens Bank of Cumberland County
- The Alpine Hotel
- Hamilton's BBQ
- Wayne County Farm Bureau

03/12/2026

🌊 The River’s Calling—Are YOU Ready to Answer? 🚣‍♂️

This is where it all began—the heart-pounding, paddle-splashing, adventure-loving origin of River Festivus: The Mighty Cumberland River Run!

What started as our first humble gathering has become a signature event, attracting competitive paddlers and thrill-seekers from all over the country. Imagine the sun rising over one of the most breathtaking stretches of the Cumberland River as you carve through the current in an early-morning adrenaline rush you won’t forget!

‼️ Now an officially sanctioned race with both the American Canoe Association and the United States Canoe Association! ‼️

Ready to join the adventure? Claim your spot today and see if you have what it takes to conquer The Mighty Cumberland!

👉 Sign up here:
https://paddleguru.com/races/TheMightyCumberlandRiverRun2026

03/09/2026

💥 See The Frontmen LIVE at River Festivus 2026!! 💥 August 15, 2026 - Full schedule of events coming soon!

03/05/2026

Sunshine, music, the river, and a whole lot of happy people… River Festivus 2026 is on the horizon and we’re looking for amazing vendors to join the fun! ☀️🎶🛍️ We have a NEW VENDOR AREA and layout that will put every vendor in the middle of the action! If you sell handmade goods, unique finds, delicious treats, or anything festival-worthy, we’d love to have you be part of the River Festivus family!

Apply here to become a vendor:
https://form.jotform.com/260574922370054

‼️ ATTN: Electricity is NOT available in the new vendor area.

12/31/2025

Same river, same good vibes, but a new year with new memories!
Thanks for being part of the River Festivus family. We’re so grateful for this community and can’t wait to make more memories together! Cheers to what’s next in 2026! ✌️🤩