It’s an election year.

Festival organizers say volunteers are what make the festival a success and help hold admission prices down.

Bill and Cheryl Schenck, of McMinn County, Tenn., have been attending Riverbend for years.

It’s the end of Riverbend 2008 and time to reflect on the best musical performances of the festival.

If you have a boat and are willing to brave the chilly morning air on Dec. 1, you might get a spot six months later on the riverfront dock during Riverbend. For those who braved it, their pain was worthwhile.

Music fans might disagree as to which festival, Riverbend or Bonnaroo, they would like to attend.

Well, folks, this is my last blog for Riverbend, and as I bid this festival “adieu,” I have to say for all the blood, sweat and tears (mostly sweat) of covering it, I’ve managed to eke out a good bit of fun in the process.

It’s gotta be tough being a street performer.

Since I’ve already discussed, at length, the reception of the changes and new features of the festival this year, I feel it’s only fair to do the same for some returning features as well (other than the weather, of course).

I wasn’t scared, but it sure seemed like a lot of people were frightened when lightning lit up Chattanooga’s packed riverfront music festival, Riverbend, Wednesday evening.

As I’ve walked this festival for the last five days, I’ve come to realize that one thing Riverbenders share in common with tense political standoffs is the need for cooler heads.

Well, I now have to fold in half the page of my Riverbend pamphlet showing the week’s lineup. That means, friends, that we’re officially on the downward slide to the end of the festival.

Trade the beer, burned skin and stumbling music fans for street-side soul saving and religious literature.

Whether you call it Family Night, Faith Night, Faith and Family Night or the mid-Bend Stretch, Tuesday is not your typical festival night.

When I sat down at 5:15 p.m. to soak in a soul-punk pot luck as the Black Diamond Heavies kicked off the Strut at Miller Plaza, I thought maybe I’d arrived on the wrong day.