This weekend the annual Reno River Festival kicks off the special events season and celebrates its 15th year! The whitewater competition is just one part of the reason more than 50,000 outdoor enthusiasts flock to Wingfield Park and the Truckee River. Over the course of two days, visitors can enjoy a weekend of fun, including such things as:

• Interactive summer and outdoor experiences
• Freestyle and competitive whitewater kayaking
• More than 100 food/beverage, outdoor merchants and craftsmen vendors
• FREE live music featuring up-and-coming, and established, national recording artists
• Specialty areas including the Craft Beer Village and the Summer Wine Village
• Interactive summer and outdoor experiences at the Reno Tahoe Adventure Park, a carnival atmosphere with thrills for the entire family, including a zip-line across the river
• Specialty clinics like Yoga in the Park and fly fishing
• 4th annual Reno River Roll, a costumed slow bike ride with a traveling live band
• The list goes on and on – see the event schedule

The Music (free)
Summer is synonymous with music and the Reno River Festival delivers. You just can’t beat listening to great music while lounging next to the beautiful Truckee River on a beautiful Spring day, especially when it’s free! The music festival schedule showcases 14 awesome acts on two stages and promises two days of outstanding performances. Saturday’s headliner is viral sensation Filmore; on Sunday, the Cripple Creek band rocks the park as the headline act.

Reno River Roll (registration fee)
This 5-mile costumed “slow” (aka casual) ride kicks off at the Virginia Street bridge and finishes in the heart of the Reno River Festival. Tour the streets on your best ride while trailing a live mobile band. It will be a bike ride experience unlike any other!

Smugglers Village
Featuring more than 100 different vendors selling everything from handmade crafts to popular retail items. B

Pub N Grub Village
Serving up gourmet hot dogs, tacos, burgers, fried chicken, food on a stick, candy popcorn and a whole lot more.

Reno Tahoe Adventure Park (ticketed)
Featuring the largest collection of obstacles and challenges ever including the Truckee River Zip-line, Mega Rock Wall, 30′ bungee jumping, mechanical rides, bounce houses, games and a whole lot more. Whether you have kiddos who like to bounce or you want to fly high above the record rapids of the Truckee River, the Adventure Park has bigger, faster, and more daring rides that guarantees fun for all ages.

Craft Beer Village (ticketed)
Enjoy a true outdoor bar setting with all of the elements of summer . . . . music, tables, chairs and shade. Oh, and did we mention the amazing views from the point of the peninsula of the Truckee River and the whitewater events? More than 18 different breweries will be represented. The challenge is to sample them all – and if you can, you’ll be entered into a grand prize drawing.

The Summer Wine Village (ticketed)
There is nothing quite like the light, refreshing taste of summer packaged into a crisp glass of wine. Relax under the summer themed shaded wine village with a VIP view of the Reno River Festival’s music lineup. Tickets include a commemorative Reno River Festival wine glass and sampling of more than two dozen summer wines, champagnes, sangrias and mixed beverages.

Whitewater Competition (free to spectators)
Watch some of the top whitewater athletes compete for more than $10,000 in Freestyle, Boatercross and Slalom categories.

What’s your favorite part of the Reno River Festival? Let us know in the comments!