It was the first time Echuca’s Victoria Park had been used as the site for the festival since 1976, when AC/DC performed.
Festival director David Frazer said he did initially have some reservations about the change of venue.
“Ever since we secured the venue, I certainly had some trepidation about how the event would be received,” Mr Frazer said.
“Luckily, we have a really passionate and loyal fan base who stood by us. About 80 per cent of our audience have been to our festival before.”
Despite his concerns, the event surpassed his expectations.
The larger space gave organisers the opportunity to design and build a stage three times the size of their usual stage at Echuca’s Aquatic Reserve, with two super screens.
“People loved Victoria Park. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive,” Mr Frazer said.
“There was a lot of barefoot dancing on the grass, which is something that can’t really be done at the reserve.”
It was the economic boost to the region that locals were most pleased about.
High St was packed with people spending money, a stark difference from the lack of visitors in the past few months.
The beauty about Riverboats is that concert-goers can come and go whenever they want and spend money wherever they like.
This year, festival organisers even encouraged their crew, artists and ticket holders to spend time and money in Rochester on the way to or from the festival.
A number of business operators in Rochester reached out to Mr Frazer to say this was the most visitation they had had in months, thanking him for the opportunity.
Back in November, it was touch and go as to whether Riverboats would even go ahead and, if it did, where it could be held.
The team behind the festival worked hard to secure Victoria Park as the venue because it was the only other location that could hold a great capacity and was still within walking distance of the town.
Once approval for the location was received, Mr Frazer said concerns began to surface about whether there was enough shade.
“We weren’t able to put a shaded structure over the entire space because it was just too big. The oval is about four times the size of the Aquatic Reserve,” he said.
“We spent a lot of time and money trying to ensure we could keep people as cool as possible with misting fans, umbrellas and tents. Thankfully, it all worked out in the end.”
The event could not have gone ahead without the support of the community, the council and the local cricket clubs who moved their games for the event, Mr Frazer said.
He said it was the Crofton St residents in Echuca who really got behind the event.
“We did a letterbox drop to say we were thinking of holding the event across from their homes at Victoria Park and we received about 14 positive responses,” he said.
Some of those residents even offered to host the festival after-party, specifically giving headline act Marlon Williams permission to swim in their pools.
The committee behind the festival cannot wait to head back to its home location at Echuca’s Aquatic Reserve in 2024.
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