Bustling lines, sweaty crowds, loud music, and turkey legs the size of a small child, all packed into an action filled weekend, would be the best way to describe Riverfest And as many high schoolers would agree, Riverfest was a high point to the beginning of summer.

The recent cancellation of Little Rock’s hallmark music festival has left people high and dry as they search for an explanation as to why the beloved celebration got shut down. The answer is actually quite simple: with all of the competing festivals going on at the same time as Little Rock’s, and the increased cost of booking musicians and security, Riverfest doesn’t have enough financial support to continue to get the big name artists that the people want. Also there had been a recent decline of people attending.

“I didn’t get to go this year and was super bummed, so when I figured out that I would never be able to attend again, I was heartbroken,” junior Micah Meghreblian said.

Junior Hannah Berry looks at not just her own interest in the concerts, but also at the community the event created.

“ Riverfest was a super great way to connect with so many people, and it also helped support smaller local businesses and the art department,” she said.

Although Riverfest was a gem in some people’s eyes, other students weren’t sad at all. Junior Phoebe Tillemans believes that Riverfest was a waste of money.

“ It’s too many people in too small of an area. Not my type of environment,” Phoebe said.

“I’m glad Riverfest is dying; I hated it”, Stacy Mitchell, one of Central’s art teachers, who had not returned to the event in years, said.

The end of this era has left people with mixed emotions and a lack of a big music festival in the city. The question is whether a new event will be developed to fill the void, or if music lovers will have to hit the road.