Singer/Actor Brings Star Power to Fall Festival, Impressed by Town
RISON - This past Saturday's Rison in the Fall Festival brought in a large crowd to Downtwon Rison to see singer and actor Charles Esten, according to Festival Director Douglas Boultinghouse who puts on the festival with his team of Rison Shine Community Development, Inc. members.
“Last year, we brought in over 2,000 people, so we went into this year expecting that or more, and we hit that mark,” he said.
With multiple entrance points and two wings of the festival, Boultinghouse said it was hard to track how many people were on site throughout the day.
“There were people everywhere wandering around, shopping, eating and playing, so it is really hard to count each person,” he noted.
Though unexpected high-temperatures may have delayed some people from attending in the afternoon, by the time the sun started setting, people were filling the streets shortly before Esten took the Rise Up Rison stage.
“October in Arkansas is unusual,” Boultinghouse said. “Sometimes its cool, sometimes its hot, we’re just glad it wasn’t raining.”
Fans also traveled far and wide for this year’s entertainment. Guests were reported from Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois.
Unanimously, Boultinghouse said he, Rison Shine members, and the artists were thrilled with the turnout and ease of this year’s festival.
“Across the board, we had five great performers that each brought a following of people, and equally enjoyed their time here in Rison,” he said.
In addition to Esten, GRAMMY-nominated country star Rissi Palmer, The Voice finalist BIAS, American Idol finalist Marybeth Byrd, and local artist Matt Wilkerson performed during the day.
Boultighouse said that is one of the things he is most proud of, “That we have created something that artists can leave our small town and be impressed by what we have put together.”
“All of the artists have expressed their gratitude for the people that showed up, the hospitality they were shown and more,” he said.
Part of the draw this year, according to Boultinghouse was fans getting up close and personal with someone they see on the TV shows and movies they watch.
During one segment of the show, Esten brought fans on stage with their “Deacon” signs, referencing his role on the hit series “Nashville.” He also took crowd questions asking if it it is better to be a Pogue or a Kook, the two groups in the smash Netflix series “Outer Banks,” which he stars.
“Fans really enjoyed getting to share those experiences with him here in Rison,” Boultinghouse said of the star, who stayed for over an hour after the show ended to sign autographs, take pictures and thank each fan in person.
In addition to the fans, Esten also shared his appreciation for the organizers and the town.
Boultinghouse said Esten and his family took a jog through town and took note of all the businesses they saw that contributed to the festival.
“They were amazed to see the community support to make this happen,” he said. “They have a deep appreciation of small towns and know the work that goes into putting an event like this together.”
Boultinghouse expressed his gratitude to each sponsor who donated to this year’s festival.
“Without our sponsors, none of this would be possible,” he said. “We’re already working on 2025, which will be the landmark 35th year of the festival.”
Sponsorship commitments are already rolling in for next year because of the success of this year’s festival.
“I am excited that funding is already coming in so we can set a budget for next year and start looking at entertainment prospects,” Boultinghouse said.
Anyone interested in sponsoring should contact Boultinghouse at (870) 510-2433.
Esten was not the only one wowing the crowds.
“Everyone here got to see what I’ve known for years,” Boultinghouse said. “Rissi Palmer is a powerhouse!”
The newcomers, BIAS and Marybeth Byrd, also represented the Natural State well with their performances.
“We have some incredible talent born in this state, and these two have shared their gifts on television, and now here in Rison,” Boultinghouse said.
Local talent Matt Wilkerson from the White Hall area opened the festival and gained many new fans.
“My goal has always been to bring great artists, and more importantly, great human beings, to Rison,” Boultinghouse said. “I’ve been blessed to be able to do that each year with past acts like Twitty and Lynn, Julie Roberts, Erin Enderlin, David Nail and more.”
“But this year, our lineup created something really special for Rison,” he said.
Boultinghouse credits the help of Esten and his wife Patty for continuously promoting the festival across social media.
“They went above and beyond to help get the word out,” he said.
He also credits the use of Arkansas Department of Tourism and Arkansas Land of Legends Travel Association support to help market the festival.
“There were many factors that helped us get to this point of growth this year,” he said. “And it makes me, and all of us in Rison Shine, excited to see what we can do for next year.”
The entertainment was not the only draw to the festival. Shopping and food options brought people in to explore almost 50 vendors.
Boultinghouse said many of the vendors have already expressed interest in returning next year as they sold out.
Kingdom Made Treats made their debut at the festival this year and had so much fun, the food truck has asked to be notified of next year’s date so they can sign up.
There are some things Boultinghouse and Rison Shine members plan to adjust next year.
“We expanded our vendor spaces this year, and we’ve found new spaces we can utilize next year to fit in more without separating some other vendors,” he said.
A special thank you note from Boultinghouse can be found on the Rison in the Fall Festival Facebook page.
“I am honored to be able to direct this festival and bring in entertainment,” he said. “But without the help of my Rison Shine team, our Mayor Charles Roberts, and the many volunteers who pitch in, we would not have the festival we do.”
