America’s River Festival will not be back in 2020 and beyond. The festival debuted in 2005, quickly becoming an annual fixture in the Port of Dubuque area. In recent years, the event has been highlighted by concerts and has drawn more than 10,000 attendees in four of the past seven years. Travel Dubuque President and CEO Keith Rahe said the decision to end America’s River Festival was influenced by a recent surge in live music options in Dubuque, notably the rise in large concerts hosted at Five Flags Center and Dubuque’s two casinos. With those venues drawing crowds and supporting tourism efforts, the need for an annual festival in the Port of Dubuque has dissipated.
