By Ben Doak, Staff Writer

As I watched The Chattanooga Pipe Band usher people through the festival gates at Riverbend, I began to reflect on how strong Riverbend 2008 really was.

Unfettered by intense heat and a shaky economy, the festival still drew the thousands of attendees it draws every year.

If anything, this is a strong statement of the strength of Riverbend as a Chattanooga institution.

So as the festival closes and we reflect on its successes, failures and changes, what does this stalwart draw of attendees really say about the festival?

Riverbend went through some striking changes this year. The most notable of them being its arrangement of festival grounds. The Bud Light Stage was turned towards the Olgiati Bridge, and there have been two new areas of the festival: the Children’s Area and the Marketplace.

“I wasn’t completely enamored with (the arrangement) the first night,” said Carole Waller, of Signal Mountain. “But I think it’s really a better situation.”

For once there was an entire area set aside for children, which I can only imagine was a huge relief to parents, and with the Bud Light Stage facing a new direction, the central grounds were left less cluttered. Chattanooga vendors were given an opportunity to promote their business, even if sales were not what they had hoped.

There were even better activities for those tired of roaming the festival grounds. These were primarily located at the military tents, where people watched a PackBot roll around, while others rolled around themselves in the Extreme Equilibrium ride.

Even with all of these changes, the festival looked the same as always. The majority of people spent their time strolling up and down Riverfront Parkway, stopping in front of stages when bands struck their fancy.

When asked about the highlights of the festival, responses alternated between the arrangement of festival grounds and an outstanding performance by a small band. Some said they were disappointed by the Riverbend lineup this year, but ZZ Top’s performance on Thursday night still seems to be the talk of the town.

“They were awesome,” said Pam Albertson, 52, of East Brainerd. “They outdid themselves, to be old people like that. They just rocked the house from top to bottom. They didn’t stop. They didn’t let go.”

The highlights, habits and numbers of Riverbend were the same as always, despite what one might expect from the changes we saw this year in the economy and at the event.

Riverbend attendees seem to know what to expect from their festival, and they do know what to do while they’re there.

In a changing world, Riverbend is a surprisingly solid affair.