About Us
Premier Event Production and Management in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Friends of the Festival is a non-profit organization that was launched in 1982 to promote, set up, produce, and attract sponsors for Riverbend Festival, Chattanooga’s first and original music festival held in the heart of downtown on the banks of the Tennessee River.
“FOF”, as we are known for short, has grown tremendously from our humble beginnings of putting on the very first Riverbend Festival in 1982 and has seen three total CEOs. Our first CEO was Richard Brewer, 1982-1999, followed by Chip Baker until 2019.
Friends of the Festival is now helmed by current CEO, Mickey McCamish.
As of today in 2022, Friends of the Festival currently promotes, sets up, and organizes not only Riverbend Festival, but many more Chattanooga music and arts festivals, including 4 Bridges Arts Festival and Riverfront Nights.
OUR MISSION
Friends of the Festival is a non-profit organization experienced in event production in the greater Chattanooga area with expertise in planning, implementation and management.
Using 40+ years of experience, we lend our expertise, resources and partnerships to other organizations.
We provide a full spectrum of logistical services and consultation tailored to meet specific event planning needs.
Meet the Team
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Mickey McCamish, Executive Director
Mickey is one of Chattanooga’s best known citizens and a proud U.S. Navy veteran. Ret. Capt. McCamish puts his military expertise into the festival to make sure we hit our goals and that our operations are well-run. His background as a commander comes into play at almost every turn of the festival.
As Executive Director, he builds strong relationships with organizations and funders to ensure that their experience is a good one - every single time.
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Mitchell Hall, Director of Operations
A local native of Chattanooga, Mitchell grew up going to Riverbend Festival and has watched it evolve throughout the years into what it is now. Mitchell loves the outdoors and traveling the world!
He uses his expertise and experiences as the Director of Operations to ensure that the festival site is properly built for the safety and enjoyment of festival goers.
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Samantha Wright, Director of Sales
Another Chattanooga native, Samantha has always had a passion for live music. She spends her free time attending concerts and festivals, much like Riverbend Festival, as well as graphic designing.
As the Director of Sales, Sam handles festival admissions, alcohol operations, and merchandising to design a unique and lively experience for all attendees.
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Trevor Boyd, Operations Manager
Hailing from middle Tennessee, Trevor attended the University of Tennessee Chattanooga and fell in love with the area, so he decided to make it home. He has always loved music and enjoys playing guitar from time to time. He’s an outdoorsman at heart.
As Operations Manager, Trevor oversees set up and ensures plans are implemented correctly. He’s the man behind the scenes making sure everything is running how it should be.
Our History
The first iteration of Riverbend in 1982 lasted from August 24 to August 29. Back in those days, Riverbend only had two sponsors: The Krystal Company, which was started right here in Chattanooga, and the Lyndhurst Foundation, a local Chattanooga non-profit organization. As for the musical talent involved, the original Riverbend Festival showcased and promoted five separate artists to headline each of the five days the festival took place. These five headlining artists included Count Basie and his big band, gospel singer Andre Crouch, Soul singer Roberta Flack, the popular local band Overland, and Bluegrass and Riverboat Captain John Hartford.
Today, 40 years later, Riverbend has increased Chattanooga-Hamilton County tax collections by hundreds of thousands of dollars and is currently providing a multi-million-dollar economic boost to the city of Chattanooga. Dr. Mark Burton, a Research Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Tennessee Haslam College of Business said in a 2016 report done on Riverbend Festival, “…Riverbend is a long-standing and important contributor to the Chattanooga and Hamilton County economy, providing employment for nearly 250 area residents, $30 million in aggregate commerce, and an amount approaching $1 million in net public sector revenues.”
As of today, Riverbend Festival is ranked as one of the top 10% of festivals in the nation alongside the Kentucky Derby Festival, Memphis in May International Festival, West Palm Beach SunFest, and the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Riverbend showcases Chattanooga’s diverse and multi-faceted artistic talent while undoubtedly acting as the city’s crown jewel.
Some of the Riverbend Festival’s most noteworthy acts over the years include the Commodores, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, Willie Nelson, Blackberry Smoke, Stone Temple Pilots, Hank Williams Jr., Don McLean, Weezer, 3 Doors Down, Tanya Tucker, Widespread Panic, Cage the Elephant, and Lionel Ritchie.
Lets travel back to 1982, back to a time when downtown, Chattanooga’s scenic, riverside beauty was shrouded behind the industrial sector. Back when Chattanooga was not ranked one of the top ten cities in the U.S. to retire, or named one of the best small towns in America. When you imagine pre-Riverbend Chattanooga, your mind should conjure up images of boarded up buildings, industrial streets and businesses, and not a single person in sight downtown after 5:00 pm.
This presented a problem that needed to be solved. Before long, Chattanooga community leaders would present a solution: Riverbend Festival.
These Chattanooga community leaders shared a vision for a better, more prosperous Chattanooga, whose community would relish the scenic beauty their city had to offer. Gone were the days when green grass was nowhere to be seen amidst the industrialized riverside.
Essentially, the impetus of Chattanooga’s community leaders to launch Riverbend Festival was a desire to breathe new life into early 80’s downtown Chattanooga. When Riverbend was first conceptualized, it was conceptualized as a magnet to be thrown into a dead area of the city and attract major economic gains through revitalizing downtown Chattanooga into a scenic, vibrant, and attractive area for the public to enjoy and call home.
Board Leadership
Becky Browder, Chair
Mary Kilbride, Past Chair
Cara Alday
Dr. KC Dyer
John Sorrow
Kim Swafford, Secretary
Martha Attaway
Evann Freeman
Andrew Zito
Thomas Lee, Treasurer
Kyle Bianco
Chrissy Mincy