COME ON DOWN: The action at IKEA Renton River Days at Liberty Park is in full swing

July 23, 2009 2:25 pm
Connie Moore of Renton
Connie Moore of Renton

The booths are up, the Nibble of Renton is serving lunch and dinner and entertainment is under way.

It’s all happening at Liberty Park and elsewhere in Renton. It’s IKEA Renton River Days and the fun is going on through Sunday.

The theme of this year’s IKEA Renton River Days is “Explore the Heart of Renton.”

The festival, founded in 1986, offers music, art, food and a lot of good outdoor fun. Festival central is Liberty Park, but there are events going on throughout the city.

After a hot and sunny – and very busy – Kids’ Day on Wednesday, the festival moves into the big weekend of events.

The highlights include the parade at 10 a.m.Saturday and the Rubber Ducky Derby at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. There are plenty of other festival favorites, including stage entertainment, the Nibble of Renton, Art Market, Renton Annual Art Show, Quilt Show, Chalk Art Contest, Petting Zoo and the Pancake Breakfast. For the active, don’t miss the Golf Tournament, Volkssport Fun Walks, Canoe and Kayak Regatta, Tennis Tournaments, and the youth Six-A-Side Soccer Tournament.

Street closure

Houser Way between Mill Avenue and Bronson Way closed at 5 a.m. on Wednesday and will reopen on Monday at approximately 1 p.m.

The parade

The River Days Parade will proceed down South Third Street from Shattuck Avenue to Liberty Park, beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday. In order to form the parade, South Third Street between Rainier and Bronson will be closed to all traffic and parking from 7 a.m. until completion of the parade at approximately 1 p.m. All side streets adjacent to or leading to South Third Street will be restricted to local access only during the same time period.

Shuttle service

Free, continuous shuttle service will be available Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday noon to 7 p.m., as follows:

• Renton Memorial Stadium, next to the Cedar River (parking)

• Liberty Park on Bronson Way North, near the tennis courts (stage entertainment, food, arts and craft booths)

• Look for the sandwich signs that read, “River Days Shuttle Stop.”

The full schedule

For the complete list schedule of festival events with dates, times, and locations call 425-430-6528 or visit www.RentonRiverDays.org or the city’s Web site at rentonwa.gov.

Schedules are also available at Liberty Park.