Wilmington’s 45th Riverfest

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Wilmington’s Riverfest transforms downtown into a hub of activity for two days.

From Princess to Hanover Street, visitors can stroll through the streets, shopping and interacting with small businesses and local vendors.

This year’s festival expanded its footprint, stretching down by Cape Fear Community College and Hanover Street.

Attendees can enjoy a wider selection of vendors, a dedicated Kid Zone, and spaces for fun performances.

Riverfest President, Roderick Bell shared his vision for the festival: “We want to be able to bring this back to what it was started for, and that was to bring more people back downtown.”

A highlight of this year’s Riverfest is the drone show, a new addition that replaces the traditional fireworks display. Bell explained, “Instead of closing the night out with a firework display, this year’s Riverfest coordinated with pilots and the FAA to put on a choreographed drone show just for downtown.”