Tickets, campsites still available at Rockin’ the Rivers

Published: July 20, 2008

In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Rockin’ the Rivers promises the most diverse musical talent in its decade-long history. The event, held at the Bridge just east of Three Forks, begins at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, and continues past midnight on Sunday, Aug. 10.

This year’s festival kicks off Friday with Third Eye Blind, Soul Asylum, Roy Rogers and the Delta Rhythm Kings, BulletBoys, Kid Sister and the Clintons, a well-known band with Montana roots.

Saturday’s line-up features Dennis DeYoung with the music of Styx, Nazareth (featuring Manny Charlton), Fran Cosmo (former singer with Boston), Jared Stewart (a Rockin’ the Rivers staple from Billings), Kite and Hot for Teacher (paying tribute to Van Halen).

The rock fest wraps up Sunday with Eddie Money, Foghat, Bad Company featuring former lead singer Brian Howe, Blackfoot, Too Slim and the Taildraggers, Garratt Wilkin and the Parrotheads (with a tribute to Jimmy Buffett tunes) and the Dave Walker Band, headed by a veteran British blues rocker who now lives in Virginia City.

A month before the first act takes the stage, the festival had sold out its 1,200 general campsites and organizers had created an overflow camping area with an additional 300 sites. “We knew that the tenth year at the Bridge would draw a big crowd,” said Rockin’ the Rivers president Mark Vandolah, “but we weren’t expecting to sell out of campsites this far before the show.”

The Bridge, which has become an identifiable landmark in southwest Montana and famed in its own right, accommodates over 2,000 camp spots and upwards of 10,000 people. With its festival-style seating and natural acoustics, the Bridge offers outstanding outdoor sound quality.

Three-day tickets are $150, single-day tickets are $60, and campsites are $75, and include an extra vehicle pass.

Tickets are available online at www.rockintherivers.net or by calling the Rockin’ the Rivers office at 866-285-0097.