After a suspenseful weather delay, the RiverBeat Music Festival in Memphis has flung open its gates at 4:15 p.m., deviating from its 2 p.m. schedule due to stormy forecasts, offering festivalgoers the chance to dive back into the music and merriment on its final day. The inaugural event at Tom Lee Park, which kicked off Friday, experienced a rough patch when storms threatened to put a damper on the Sunday festivities with a "seek shelter" order and concerns of possible lightning striking close to the outdoor celebration, Action News 5 reported.
Adjustments were swiftly made to the set times of the day's performers to accommodate the two-hour setback, details of which can be found on the festival's official website, yet despite the erratic weather, RiverBeat stood firm in its decision not to cancel the event with an official representative stating that the event "will go on rain or shine," come hail or high water, an unwavering testament to the organizers' commitment to the show as obtained by FOX13 Memphis.
According to The Commercial Appeal, officials kept a close eye on the weather, delaying the opening as they monitored the skies for looming lightning before finally giving festivalgoers the green light, shared via an Instagram update from RiverBeat confirming that gates were cleared for entry.
The latest from the National Weather Service does not promise clear skies ahead, forecasting an 80% chance of showers and thunderstorms throughout the evening, but this hasn't seemed to break the spirit of the resilient RiverBeaters, ready to revel in the remainder of the festival's music and experiences as they have since Friday's more auspicious start.