If you’ve ever been interested in getting involved with one of the most unique and dynamic events in the area, this session is for you! On the River is seeking the help of a diverse group of people who desire to not only make a difference in their community but also those who wish to have a ton of fun in the sun!

This philanthropic summer festival has attracted thousands of people to beach right in the middle of downtown South Bend over the past three years.  This year, On the River wants you to “Catch the Wave!” Come join us on for snacks, socializing and some information about how you might be able to get involved.

When:

• Wednesday, March 2
• Registration: 5:30 PM
• Event: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Where:

• Legends of Notre Dame
• 100 Legends Drive
• Notre Dame, IN, 46556
• (100 Yards South of Notre Dame Stadium)

Please RSVP no later than February 23rd to info@ontheriverfest.com

Finally, we’d like to be clear that your attendance at this meeting requires no additional commitment; however, at the conclusion of the session you will be given the opportunity to express how you might want to be involved with On the River 2011.

We look forward to seeing you soon…summer is right around the corner (kinda)! Oh yeah, and for those of you who just can’t wait until the meeting, On the River 2011 will take place on Friday, August 5th and Saturday, August 6th.

~On the River 2011 Event Directors,

Aaron Perri, Matt Money, & Paul Phair

P.S. – Please invite your co-workers, friends, neighbors, distant relatives, random kids you see at the mall, etc. We’re looking for teenagers, young professionals, moms and everyone in between. Please just make sure we get an RSVP for everyone who will attend.

It’s really starting to feel like OTR season now! We had our first big build, paint, and prep session on Thursday evening at the warehouse where we’re keeping all of our props and decorations. It sort of looks like a luau exploded in there. Well, see for yourself:

The committee has spent the last two summers creating — drawing up blueprints, building the tiki huts and lifeguard chairs, cutting out the surfboards, stenciling on the designs, painting, painting, and painting. We’re now shifting from creation to preservation. As Blake, one of our decór managers, said the other day, “Who really wants to do something three times when it only needs to be done once?” This year, we’ll touch up the paint jobs on the surfboards and chairs and then throw some polyurethane on them so that hopefully they’ll last us a few seasons.

They could use a good scrub down first, though. Did you know that sand will actually cling to all this stuff through nearly a year in storage and two rounds of loading and unloading? Yeah, neither did we. Thanks, guys!

We’re also working on reinforcing all of these tiki hut roofs so that they’re sturdier and less likely to break.

We had another big project to work on this week, though: getting ready for the College Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Parade, which is…today! Look for our float and make sure you get “lei’d” — we took the liberty of affixing a little OTR 411 to each of the 2,000 leis we’re handing out along the parade route today. Everyone is excited to come party at On the River in their beach gear and leis in a few short weeks, so we figured it’s time to start looking the part!

Thanks to our helpers from the Junior Committee!

Hey FYI, On The River Staff are going to be at the Enshrinement Festival on July 16-17. We’ll be the ones that look like we just walked in out of a luau or a Hawaiian circle dance. Just to save you time when you see us there (you will be there, right?), let me clue you in on the typical opening conversation at one of these events:

Q = You.
A = OTR Beachcomber Dude/tte.

Q: Hey you! Yeah you in the Hawaiian shirt! What is “On The River?”
A: It’s a two-day, fun-filled beach bash for all ages!

Q: What’s the point?
A: To enjoy the sun, sand (1500 tons of it), and have a blast! Plus, all the profits go to support the South Bend Center for the Homeless.

Q: I like that. What is there to do?
A: You can:

• Enjoy Teen Night on Friday with live music, dancing, and a battle of the bands
• Bring the kids for Family Day Saturday with face painting and kid’s games
• And rock the 21+ Beach Bash on Saturday night with volleyball, cornhole and music!

That’s only the start! You can get way more info on our website.

Q: Sounds like a blast! Where do I sign up?
A: Find out how to get tickets by going to the tickets page on our website. FYI you can save up to 38% if you buy in advance.

So there you have it! Now that you’re clued in, you can skip the opening chatter and talk about how your teenager’s band is so going to win the Battle of the Bands, how much your kids are gonna love Family Day, and how your team is totally going to pwn (defeat in a humiliating fashion) everyone else in the volleyball tournament. You are going to sign up for those, aren’t you?

It’s Free Ticket Friday! Comment on our Free Ticket Friday post on facebook.com/ontheriverfest for a chance to win FREE TICKETS to On The River 2010! Here’s how it works:

1. Find the Free Ticket Friday post on Facebook.
2. Leave a comment.
3. We’ll draw a random winner and announce it on Monday.

A few housekeeping things:

1. All comments posted before 12:00 a.m. Monday morning will be accepted.
2. Commenting multiple times will not increase your chances of winning.
3. Your privacy settings must be set to allow us to message you on Facebook – otherwise we can’t contact you if you win!

There you go! Happy commenting, and best of luck!

Tickets for Downtown South Bend’s biggest beach bash of the summer are on sale now! Purchase your On The River 2010 tickets online, at the Coveleski Stadium box office, or your local Martin’s Supermarket. Advance ticket sales will end at 12:00 noon on Friday, August 6th, so don’t wait around!

OTR Insider Tip: You can save 33% on Saturday night tickets or almost 38% on Teen Night tickets by getting them in advance!

I am so excited (and maybe a little anxious) to be about a month away from On the River 2010!

Registration is now open for the 6-on-6 Adult Co-ed Beach Volleyball Tournament presented by Memorial Health & Lifestyle Center. Entry fee is $150 per team (pre-registration) and $180 per team on the day of the event for the 21+ Beach Bash on Saturday. All players receive a free t-shirt and free admission to the party. There are only 16 team slots available, so move quickly!

Registration is also open for the DOUBLE ELIMINATION corn hole tournament! Entry fee is $20 per team for Teen Night teams and $50 per team for the Saturday 21+ Beach Bash and – all players receive free admission to the party.

Go to www.ontheriverfest.com for more info or to register. See you there!

OTR Insider Tip: You can save almost 17% by registering your volleyball team in advance!

On The River Fans! What was your favorite experience at past On The River events? Share your story in the comments below!

We just unloaded a semi-truck trailer full of props for On the River 2010! The props include Tiki huts, surf boards, life guard chairs and more tropical themed paraphernalia than would ever be expected in the midwest. Everything is handmade by volunteers, except for the thatch which is imported from Mexico. We’re going to begin re-painting everything and also building some brand new props for 2010. Check out the gallery below!