Rockin' the Rivers this week

This week music enthusiasts from across the state will make their way to "Bridge" near Cardwell for the 19th annual Rockin the Rivers festival. The music festival is scheduled to take place August 8 to 10, and the 2019 lineup will include Cheap Trick, Warrant, Dokken and Zakk Wylde.

According to co-owner Dave Hamilton, preparations for 2019 have been going well.

"Our team plus many dedicated volunteers are working tirelessly to transform the venue and prepare it for the thousands of fans eager to begin the three-day event," he said. "Presales have been outstanding, and we are thrilled so many people have purchased tickets ahead of time. It's a strong indication of how excited people are about this year's lineup and the caliber of entertainment people have come to expect at Rockin' the Rivers. We can't wait."

Organizers are incredibly excited about the 2019 lineup that features a mix of older and current artists.

"It's been months in the making to put together a lineup to entertain a diverse and growing crowd. We literally have every decade from the 60s to the present represented and performing a variety of rock music from classic rock, modern rock, and hard rock to 80s hair bands. The lineup features 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Cheap Trick, multiplatinum artists Warrant, Grammy nominated Dokken, The Guess Who, whose highly recognizable hits earned them the title of best band ever out of Canada according to Goldmine Magazine, Lou Gramm the original voice of Foreigner with Asia featuring John Payne performing classic hits of their respective former bands, and the Viking Thunder God himself, Zakk Wylde, along with an all-star roster ready to jam from the first six Black Sabbath albums ," Hamilton said.

The lineup will also include local bands including Pink Floyd Tribute Band, Pinky and Stranded by Choice of Billings.

"A total of 28 bands will perform over the course of three days on two stages. We are ready to rock," Hamilton said.

Just days away from the event, Hamilton said Rockin' the Rivers is a unique three-day music festival.

"It's a natural concert venue unrivaled in the Northwest with amazing scenery and awesome acoustics," he said. "The quality of bands that play at Rockin' the Rivers draws people from several surrounding states. The music appeals to a wide range of concert goers."

Along with the great bands, Hamilton believes the people are what make the event special.

"This is our 19th year and many have attended every year since the beginning. They congregate in camps of family and friends and reunite with others for a now traditional annual escape. The camps are named, decorated and become centers of activities such as the annual Poker Run," he said. As one person said, 'It's a great place to go where everyone treats each other like family and new members are always welcome.' These friends old and new share a passion for great rock music all under the beautiful Montana Big Sky."

For more information about the lineup and tickets visit http://www.rockintherivers.com or call (406) 285-0099.