If the RiverFest celebration Saturday was a coming out party for downtown Tampa’s expanded Riverwalk, then the Cannella Elementary rock band stole the show.
Clad in Converse and sequined aviators, the kids drew a crowd of rowdy spectators as they belted radio hits and jammed to a song one member penned about her very curly hair.
The band, which is still working on a name, was among the dozens of vendors and booths that set up camp along the Hillsborough River for the city’s first RiverFest, a two-day event highlighting the 1.8-mile Riverwalk path that opened in March. Completing the scenic stretch took four decades, six mayors and millions of dollars.
On most weekends, people flood the area on bikes and inline skates. Dogs romp in the six waterfront parks and kids swing on playgrounds. Saturday was no different, but the fun was highlighted with the second annual Mayor’s Mac n’ Cheese throwdown, a jazz festival in Waterworks Park and a children’s carnival outfitted with carousels and cotton candy.