How did a half million festival-goers, thousands of volunteers, more than 30 food and beverage vendors, plus a host of musicians, vendors, rides and games and law enforcement personnel enjoy a three-day without leaving a huge environmental footprint? It seems like an impossible task, but thanks to Riverfest’s “Go Green” Volunteer Committee, AEP Southwestern Electric Power Company, Regional Recycling & Waste Reduction District, Waste Management, Coca-Cola and a quarter of a million festival-goers, Riverfest is proving that it can be done!

The Riverfest Recycles Program encourages festival-goers to keep recyclable plastic bottles and aluminum cans out of the landfills by collecting them from the festival grounds.   Festival-goers can stop by our recycling tent located on the grounds and pick up a collection bag or pick up a bag at one of several informational kiosks located on the festival grounds.  While enjoying Riverfest attendees are encouraged to return their full bags (15 to 20 items) of recycling to a Recycling Tent for a chance to win a prize.  Each full bag returned to a Recycling Tent results in a chance to spin a prize wheel.  Prizes on the wheel include t-shirts, hats, corndogs, and many more fun prizes including a few premium prizes.  In addition to the prize wheel, festival goes are encouraged to make use of the numerous recycling containers located throughout the park.  Recycling Volunteers will be on the move near the entertainment stages looking for other fun ways to encourage festival goes use those recycling containers.  Riverfest thanks you in advance for your efforts in Recycling!

Without the support of AEP Southwestern Electric Power Company and our other recycling partners, Riverfest, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, would be unable to continue this program and successfully undertake or fund the type of recycling program we have for the past two years.  Following are details from our 2009 and 2010 recycling efforts.  With the additional funds provided in 2011 we hope to increase our recycling numbers even more!

RIVERFEST 2009:

  • 1st year of the “Riverfest Recycles” program.
  • $25,000 grant provided by Regional Recycling & Waste Reduction District allowed Riverfest to purchase t-shirts and other giveaways.
  • Festival-goers were encouraged to collect recyclables, return them to one of two Recycling Tents on-site and exchange for a shirt or other giveaway.
  • A media partner is secured to promote the program.
  • Coca-Cola Bottling Company joins the program by bringing in an interactive display promoting recycling and environmental responsibility.
  • Coca-Cola Bottling Company provided over 60 new recycling containers to be used on-site.
  • Riverfest Recycles Program collected 10 tons of recyclable material.

RIVERFEST 2010:

  • $50,000 grant is provided for the 2nd year of the “Riverfest Recycles” Program.
  • While continuing the incentive program of giving away t-shirts and other items, Riverfest enhanced and expanded the program by giving away a Smart Car as part of the program. In order to register to win the car, individuals had to do at least three environmental acts at Riverfest. These included:
  • Collection of bottles and cans;
  • Visiting the “Scrap Exchange*” booth; (*This was a booth sponsored by Tenenbaum Recycling Group to show festival-goers how to recycle household items that they may choose to discard).
  • Riding their bikes to Riverfest;
  • Riding the Riverfest shuttle buses to Riverfest;
  • Recycling old cell phones as part of Verizon Wireless’ “Hope Line”;
  • The Smart Car was given away in June of 2010 to Amy Frazier of Jacksonville, Arkansas. She alone recycled 21 bags of materials.
  • The media partner returned for the second year to promote the program.
  • Coca-Cola Bottling Company continued to support the program by bringing back their interactive display (one of only two displays that travels the country), as well as other corporate sponsors such as TRG Recycling Group and Verizon Wireless.
  • Riverfest food vendors participated by displaying signage at their food locations encouraging festival-goers to recycle.
  • Recycling tents had to remain open one hour past festival closing hours each night because of the overwhelming response of festival-goers collecting bottles and cans after the concerts concluded;
  • Fiesta San Antonio sent officials to visit Riverfest 2010 because of the success of our 2009 program. They are now using ideas collected at Riverfest in their events, as well as other events taking place in San Antonio. Riverfest was also featured as an example at the Texas Festival and Events Association meeting for our outstanding recycling program.

“Riverfest Recycles” program for the 2010 event recycled 17 tons of materials – almost doubling the recycling efforts in one year.