Panther Island Pavilion experienced an explosive year that brought over 200 thousand folks together for good times and tan lines. From concerts and festivals to runs and recreation, the iconic waterfront venue and its indoor facility, The Shack kept the river rocking with more than 50 events in 2017.
2017 Highlights
- Raising funds and awareness for a worthy cause were the shining stars of 2017. Panther Island Pavilion served as the host venue for various third-party races, runs and rides. Over $2.6 million dollars were raised and more than 150 miles of the Trinity Trails were utilized for fundraising events such as March for Babies, Relay for Life, Walk to End Alzheimer’s and the Jingle Bell Run.
- Recreation on the river amped up in 2017 with Backwoods Paddlesports at the hub. The retailer operated 8 months of the year putting over 6,000 kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboard rentals in the Trinity at Panther Island Pavilion. Backwoods also spearheaded 10 bass fishing tournaments that put nearly 300 anglers out on the river for some friendly competition.
- Bike sharing has become a ‘thing’ at Panther Island Pavilion. The B-Cycle Station made it easier than ever to hop on and off at the venue and the trails for an outdoor, emission-free adventure. Averaging more than 10 per day, 3,561 bikes were checked out at the Taylor Circle station ranking it as the 6th best performing location in 2017!
- A warm summer’s night with cool jazz tunes and easy Rhythm and Blues filled the air when Poetic Justice held the first-ever, Jazz on the Trinity. The soulful event featured Grammy-award winning artists Lalah Hathaway and The Robert Glasper Experiment.
- The Cody Johnson Throwdown returned to Panther Island Pavilion for its second year, this time to a sold-out crowd of 11,000 fans. The all-day country music festival also featured performances by fan favorites, Mike Ryan and Tracy Byrd.
- Panther Island Pavilion became a sea of neon pink, yellow and green at the Life in Color X Tour. World-class DJs performed at the EDM festival, which featured extreme paint blasts from the stage. The energy was electric, as were the fans!
- New attractions spurred renewed excitement at signature Panther Island Pavilion events. The addition of a midway brought roller coasters, rides and games to Oktoberfest Fort Worth. The Lockheed Martin Grit and Tenacity Wall paid homage to the USS Fort Worth (LSC-3) and its crew at Fort Worth’s Fourth celebration.
- Summer brought more music, tube and tan time! After six years rocking the river banks on Thursday, Rockin’ the River switched to all-day party on Saturday. The summer tubing and music series showcased 30 bands and six fireworks shows throughout the summer.
- They love us, they really really love us! Panther Island Pavilion was a proud honoree of several awards in 2017, including two Fort Worthy Favorite nods from the Star-Telegram for Best Performance Venue and Best Local Event for Rockin’ the River. Additionally, the venue was selected as Best Event Venue in the Reader’s Choice category in Fort Worth Weekly’s annual Best of Fort Worth Awards. Shout out to our fans and supporters for these very worthy accolades!
Diverse backgrounds and cultures were celebrated with various interests and causes supported at Panther Island Pavilion. The friendships formed, music shared and distance covered has never been stronger. Cheers to another great year!
With the addition of the midway to the 3-day German festival, revelers will have access to traditional rides and games, as well as more high-tech rides. There will also be a variety of kiddie rides for the little ones and family favorites such as the carousel and 8-lane super slides. Thrill seekers will get a kick out of the white-knuckled hang on to your hat rides and gravity-defying, gut-droppers like the Starship 2000. Also on the midway will be traditional games of skill – such as the duck pond game and ring toss.
