Photo by Zachary Siebert / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo

Rico, a Chihuahua, waits around Saturday afternoon while the dog’s owner chats with the driver of a classic Mercury Cougar at the ‘Rockin’ on the River’ event held outside the new Remington Nature Center of St. Joseph on the riverfront. ‘Rockin’ on the River,’ free to the community, delighted large crowds from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday with live music, food, drinks and a classic car show.

Patsy Simerly and her family will have to wait a bit longer to find out what treasures can be discovered inside the Remington Nature Center of St. Joseph.

“The kids can’t wait until we come back,” she said after peering through a window of the new facility Saturday afternoon.

Ms. Simerly and her grandchildren were among the throng that descended on Riverfront Park for “Rockin’ on the River” — a festival of music, food, classic cars and children’s novelties — among other attractions. Spectators also strolled over the grounds of the new Nature Center, which has not yet opened to the public.

The attraction was headed by the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce and organized by the Parties on the Parkway committee, with sponsorship assistance from numerous local businesses. It was patterned after the traditional “Parties on the Parkway” and replaces Oktoberfest, said event coordinator Natalie Leonard-Redmond. It could become an annual event to be held the first Saturday of every October, she said.

“We’ll evaluate it,” she added.

The festival included prizes given away during concert breaks for correct answers to St. Joseph trivia questions. Meantime, kids had their attention focused on face painting and a balloon artist. Music lovers set up lawn chairs and otherwise enjoyed barbecue and other refreshments.

Christy Parton brought along family and friends to the riverfront.

“We came for the car show, the live bands and the face painting,” she said. “A great day to do it.”

Soca Jukebox and the Jason Riley Trio performed on stage throughout Rockin’ on the River.

Ray Scherer can be reached

at rscherer@npgco.com.