Riverside Cemetery

"A Music and Arts Festival in a cemetery?!"
Yes.
"Can't you do this somewhere else?!"
No.
"WHY!?"
Because...

Historic cemeteries are expensive to care for. Every tree that needs trimmed, every road that needs repaired, every building that needs preserved... it all adds up quickly.

The Music & Arts Festival isn't just a community event. It is one of the ways we raise money to help care for Riverside without constantly asking for donations or increasing the cost for graves and burials for local families.

Is this event everyone's cup of tea? No, probably not. We understand that not everyone will agree with hosting a festival at the cemetery. But please know that every decision is made with respect for the people buried here and the families who visit them.

The festival takes place along the road by the chapel and people are NOT driving over graves. Every dollar raised goes right back into preserving this beautiful, historic place.

The festival isn't about changing what Riverside stands for and it isn't about "throwing a party." It's about making sure Riverside is still here and still beautiful for the next generation.

Still not convinced? Come check it out for yourself.
July 26th from 1pm to 6pm.

The sign is up! We are looking forward to this great event. Silent auction baskets, raffle basksts, 75+ vendors, bands and food trucks!

🌳 CEMETERY WARS: TREE EDITION 🌳

Our wildlife usually takes center stage in the "fight" we call cemetery wars but today we are checking in on this absolute unit!

This tree is probably about as old as the cemetery itself and at this point, it's less of a tree and more of a witness. It's seen horse-drawn hearses, Model Ts, world wars, changing skylines, and approximately 1, 647,000 squirrels acting like they own the place. 🥴

It has survived crazy wind, wild lightning strikes, and the occasional climber. With any luck this beauty will supply peace and shade for many generations to come!

P.S. This photo simply doesn't capture how stunning this tree is! Come check it out in section 10!
🌳

We have had some questions and concerns about our signage regarding shepherd hooks so I am hoping to clarify for everyone.

1. This does NOT mean we are taking hooks off of every grave.
2. This does NOT apply to you if you keep your hook regularly decorated.
3. This does NOT apply to you if your hook is brand new or recently placed.

4. This DOES mean we are removing hooks that have gone several seasons without decorations placed on them.
5. This DOES mean we are removing broken hooks.
6. This DOES mean that we have taken the time to inform all visitors of our plan while leaving ample time for families to decide if they will remove it themselves or decorate the hook.

If you are not sure if your hook applies based on what you read from above, please direct all questions to [email protected] and we will do our best to help you understand the process.

Thank you!!

Thank you so much to every single volunteer that came out today to mark the graves of our veterans! We all braved the heavy rain and worked hard to make sure each one had a flag.

If you notice your loved one was skipped, please know that it was not intentional. Feel free to email or call the office and we will put them on our list of veterans who receive flags so that doesnt happen again!

Even with the threat of rain, we had a lovely group attend our Masons, Mystics, and Marked Stones tour this evening. Our tours are a great way to learn about the people buried at Riverside and help with our mission to keep history alive! Our next tour is in June! The Creative Blueprint- Riverside's Makers and Masters See you then!

One of the most meaningful parts of preparing for this year's Music & Arts Festival fundraiser has been seeing support come not just from businesses, but from members of our community you believe in what we are trying to do at Riverside Cemetery.

The donations pictured here came from Karen Wojnowski and Holly Schneider - individuals who wanted to help make this event successful!

Thank you for your generosity and for believing in what we are working towards. We are excited to have these items showcased for the fundraiser!