GARDINER — Fireworks, a carnival and a rock band will kick off this year’s river festival at the city’s Waterfront Park.

The Greater Gardiner River Festival will run from Wednesday through Saturday.

Anne Davis, who is on the Greater Gardiner River Festival Committee, said the event is the start of the Whatever Festival, which is celebrating 35 years and includes several communities including Hallowell, Winthrop and Augusta.

“That’s probably about the same time we started with this,” Davis said.

“It wasn’t always called the river festival. It used to be called ‘A Day on the Commons,’ but now we’re embracing the river because of the city’s beautiful waterfront.”

Davis, director of Gardiner Public Library, said the committee started planning for the event last September. New this year are kayak and canoe demonstrations and pontoon rides up and down the river, she said. A Coast Guard vessel will be docked at the waterfront and be open for tours.

“This is the second year for the carnival, so we’re hoping this gets bigger and bigger each year,” she said. “But really we’re focusing on the river.”

Patrick Wright, executive director of Gardiner Main Street said years ago the Whatever Festival was a celebration of the cleanup of the Kennebec River.

When it first started, people participated in a race down the river from Augusta to Gardiner on floats of whatever they could make.

“Eventually concerns over safety and liability ended the Whatever race, but again next week, Gardiner dips a toe back into the river, and this year adds several other new activities in addition to our favorite annual events,” Wright said.

Kavanaugh Carnival will open at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. The Bilge Pumps rock band will perform from 7 to 9 p.m., followed by a fireworks display by Central Maine Pyrotechnics at 9:30 p.m. The carnival will continue through Friday.

Kate and the Kindred will perform on Thursday and Sweatband from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday.

Judy Lloyd, executive director of Johnson Hall, said many of the events are planned for Saturday. She said restaurants and food vendors at the waterfront will remain open all day.

The library will hold its annual book sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Johnson Hall’s waterfront talent show is at 6:30 p.m., hosted by comedian Gary Crocker. Another fireworks display sponsored by Gardiner Federal Credit Union, will be launched at 9:30 p.m.

Water Street will be closed to traffic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the 10th Annual Gardiner Arts & Crafts Festival.

Christ Church will host a pancake breakfast and a yard sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There will be art projects in front of Johnson Hall from 10 a.m. until noon for children and live music in the mini-park next door. Entertainment includes magician Bruce Johnson, the Maranacook String Band, and Rick Adam who will be making balloon animals and walking on stilts. For more information call the library at 582-3312.

Mechele Cooper — 621-5663

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