River Days: It was just ducky

Horns resonated down South Third Street, while drill teams clicked their shoes and about 1,500 parade participants shared their Renton pride at the IKEA Renton River Days Parade.

Rows of folding chairs lined the road. The roughly 10,000 parade-goers, a number police and organizers can only guess at, filled downtown Renton on Saturday to kick off the Renton River Days weekend events.

“Just another great draw to the city of Renton, for sure,” said Renton’s Brett Cooley, who discovered the festival for the first time this year.

Though the crowds were steady, the hot emperatures discouraged people from staying as long as past years, said event director Sonja Mejlaender. “We’ve seen this other years with extreme heat.”

About 40,000 people were expected to attend River Days.

“We were proud of the crowds we had, despite really warm temperatures,” she said.

Sunny skies rose temperatures at the Renton Municipal Airport to the middle and upper 80s, though occasional cloud cover provided temporary relief throughout the day.

The parade ended at Liberty Park, where local restaurants offered their best as a part of the Nibble of Renton.

Two stages offered varying music styles and entertainment.

“You get a lot of local performers,” Cooley said, who enjoyed the music the most.

Sunday the Rubber Ducky Derby made a splash, raising about $21,000 for the Renton Rotary Club to support such charitable groups as the Northwest Burn Foundation, the Salvation Army Food Bank and Communities in Schools of Renton.

Local crafters sold artwork and handmade goods at the art market. Kids sought out streamers, dolls and sparkly wreaths.

“The general appearance is that attendance was down this year, but it was still fun,” said Mary Clymer, who organized the art market.

At the nearby Renton Community Center, a more intimate art show lured passersby with live instrumental music and framed artwork.