The event will take place July 18-19..
“The typical festival format is to get as big of a space or field as you can, throw a stage out there, and then, jam as many people in there as you can, and keep them there all day. We recognize that Hamilton’s ‘built-environment’ in the walkability of the community, in relation to the amphitheater, could lend itself to a completely different format, so we don’t have to be the festival in a nondescript field, where you stand out there, and bake in the sun, in the sea of humanity. That’s not what we are trying to do here,” Helms said.
In the past, there has been all-day music at the amphitheater that ran from 1 to 11 p.m. with five or six bands at the amphitheater.
“This year, we are doing two nights at the amphitheater, but we are only going to have two bands at the amphitheater each night. So, the first night is going to be David Shaw and his band with Maggie Rose, and then, the second night will be the Revivalists with Andy Frasco and The U.N. The different part is the daytime programming. Instead of doing it at the amphitheater, we are spreading bands and different events across eight different venues. So, we’ve partnered with The Casual Pint, Pour House, ArtSpace, 3rd Street Music, Fitton Center, Hamilton’s Urban Backyard, The 513 bar, and Immortal Vibes,” Helms said.
On Friday, music and activities across town will start at noon and run to 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, music will run from 1 to 6:30 p.m. at those eight different places. In addition to the four bands performing at the amphitheater each evening, there will be 29 different bands performing at venues outside of RiversEdge.
A two-day general admission pass for the evening shows at RiversEdge Amphitheater is $90. Tickets for Friday night only are $39 and tickets for Saturday are $65. Tickets are on sale now. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and music begins at 7:30 p.m. at RiversEdge.
Additionally, there will be different VIP two-day only ticket packages available, including “Other Side of Paradise” VIP for $475, and a “Wish I Knew You” VIP Meet and Greet Package for $250. “All My Friends” VIP tickets start at $175.
For more details on the various VIP ticket packages, or to purchase tickets, go to www.bigrivergetdown.com.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of David Shaw’s Big River Get Down. RiversEdge will also be opening a new venue this concert season. They are putting the finishing touches on the new roof and stage.
There will also be late night sets to enjoy at The 513 (there will be a cover at The 513), Pour House, and Immortal Vibes.
“Last year, we had just under 2,000 people attend the event, and the crazy part is 1,200 of those people were from outside of Butler County. There were 700 people from Hamilton and Butler County that attended Big River Get Down. The vast majority are not from the area. Our second largest market for attendees, that’s not Hamilton, is Chicago. People travel from all over for this event,” Helms said.
He said all of the hotel inventory in Hamilton is already sold out for that weekend. There’s also a large art event at Spooky Nook that same weekend.
“We do have room blocks at a cluster of hotels in Liberty Twp. and West Chester. That’s already posted on the website. The discount or reservation codes are posted, and people can call and make reservations at those hotels, and we are also going to be running a shuttle service on both days, the whole day, so people don’t have to drive back and forth to Hamilton,” Helms said.
The shuttles will only run to the hotels where the festival has reserved room blocks, and the shuttles are free to guests staying at those participating hotels.
David Shaw has made it a priority every year, and the community loves having him and the Revivalists in town.
In 2015, Shaw worked with city officials to establish David Shaw’s Big River Get Down as an annual event to help give back to his hometown of Hamilton. Proceeds from the event have been donated to Hamilton’s Fourth of July fireworks and RiversEdge Amphitheater. Shaw graduated from Hamilton High School in 2001. He and his family currently live in New Orleans.
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