Three friends with the goal of revitalizing support for local businesses and a passion for old friendships are working for the second year to bring the Revive River Drive event to Estill County.
Nivra Lainhart, Stacy York and Jacqueline Noland, with the help of Estill Development Alliance Director Joe Crawford, pulled off the cruise-in style event during Labor Day weekend last year.
The trio was shocked at the turnout and the overwhelming support from the community and local businesses.
“We had a lot more response than we thought we would,” York said. “It made us see we’re not the only ones who want something to do in town.”
Crawford said he attributes the event’s success to the simplicity of it all.
“We were completely bowed over by last year’s turnout,” he said. “We had absolutely no idea people were that excited about cruising again. It was good because it wasn’t any big shabang.”
The idea for the event came last summer when the women were reminiscing about times in the 1990s when they were just teenagers who spent hours cruising River Drive.
She described a time when the traffic on River Drive was “bumper-to-bumper” and said the friends agreed last summer they would love to “cruise River Drive just one more time.”
Their wish came true as the traffic was once again “bumper-to-bumper” during last year’s event.
“It was just a fantastic night,” Crawford said. “We knew we had to do it again.”
With the motto, “Bringing Irvine back to life and bringing the community back together,” the group has started planning for the second Revive River Drive.
York said this year’s event is still in the early planning phases, but the support from the community is still there.
“We’ve had some different bands tell they’re interested in playing this year,” she said. “The local businesses are really interested in getting involved.”
The friends placed a huge importance on shopping the local stores and eating at local restaurants during the event.
Many business owners had sidewalk sales and the restaurants offered specials for the evening. There was live music and car shows, too.
This year there will be more emphasis on the music and partnering with the businesses.
The group has agreed to only make changes that won’t complicate the event.
“Why mess with it if it’s already fantastic,” Crawford said. “If it gets too structured or too planned, it loses it’s luster. People are just there to cruise.”
Posts on the group’s Facebook page had revealed they are trying to set up live bands in the gravel lot across from The Twin on River Drive.
York said she thinks events like Revive River Drive are important for communities like Estill County.
“It’s important for the community to come out and show support for the community in general,” she said. “This is an opportunity to see people you haven’t seen in years. A lot of people see this as their one opportunity a year to come back and visit with their classmates or friends they grew up with.”
Above all else, she said it’s a time to find something fun to do in a town where those options are constantly dwindling.
“This is a really good time to come out and enjoy yourself,” she said. “It’s a chance to see old friends and have fun for the night.”
York said the group has tentatively set the date of the event for Saturday, Aug. 31, which is Labor Day weekend.
She said there are even several class reunions being scheduled in conjunction with the event.
For more information, or to get involved with planning the event, visit the group’s Facebook page by searching Revive River Drive.
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Planning begins for second Revive River Drive
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