
Celebrating water conservation & education in the headwaters region
Presented by NoFo Brew Co. and in partnership with the City of Gainesville Parks & Recreation and Department of Water Resources, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper hosted the first annual Waterfest on Earth Day, April 22, 2023. More than $26,000 was raised to support our water conservation and education efforts in the headwaters region of the Chattahoochee River!
Completely free to the public and hosted at Midland Greenway, an accessible outdoor park in Gainesville within walking distance from the Downtown Square, a rotation of local talent played live music while attendees of all ages enjoyed fun, food, drinks, an Environmental Expo with local organizations highlighting their good work, a virtual silent auction featuring hand-painted rain barrels.
Save the date for next year’s event!
April 20, 2024
Midland Greenway
Gainesville, GA
Meet the bands!

Let There Be Rock School
Let There Be Rock School is the perfect place to learn, create, and foster the talents that so many kids have. Owner and Director Kyle Sanders established Let There Be Rock School to design a place where kids of all ages can feel like they fit in and are free to express themselves creatively.
Kyle Sanders has become one of the most sought-after players in the heavy music scene after his roles in bands like Bloodsimple, SKREW, Medication, and MonstrO. Since 2013, he has been hammering out the bass duties in the heavy metal supergroup HELLYEAH alongside members of Pantera, Mudvayne, and Nothingface.
Malachi Mills
Malachi Mills is a Southern soul singer and songwriter based in North Georgia. He is stationed in Gainesville but frequently visits Nashville to co-write and record.
Focused as a writer, Malachi writes multi-genre including Country, Pop/soul, & CCM. As an artist, you can expect gospel & pop sounds mixed with southern roots. A polished singer/songwriter style that features acoustic sounds and is inspired by artist such as Allen Stone, Sam Cooke, and Chris Stapleton.
Malachi was featured on Season 19 of American Idol and is also the other half of the southern duo “The Band Loula.”


Fukushima Tuna
Daniel Ecke (vocalist and guitarist) and Dru Edmonson (drummer) are the duo who makes Fukushima Tuna. They raise the entertainment bar by mixing in unique, stylistic versions of a variety of popular, crowd-engaging songs that leaves crowds dancing and laughing! Blending all styles of music from jazz, smooth RnB, and Motown, to pop and rock, old and new, and 80s to classic, Fukushima Tuna is a duo you don’t want to miss.
Sweet Auburn String Band
Formed in 2013 in the Sweet Auburn Historic District of Downtown Atlanta, Sweet Auburn String Band plays high-energy soul to bluegrass and other great southern and mountain music traditions. Attendees will enjoy talent from Ian Hennessee (guitar, upright bass and banjo) and Will Ruff (mandolins, guitar and resophonic guitar)!


Velvet City Sound
Velvet City Sound is an upbeat and versatile cover band based out of Atlanta. Before VCS became an official group, all of the respective members were regularly playing out supporting other wedding and corporate bands among the southeastern states. As the gigs went by, the same members kept crossing paths and created an affinity for playing together. Thus, VCS was born: A group of talented, versatile, and passionate music professionals with a shared goal of bringing 110% to every show!
VCS’ repertoire is vast and covers many genres and decades. Country, Funk, Classic Rock, Modern Alternative, Folk, Singer-Songwriter, Motown, Hip-Hop and RnB, Reggae, Blues, Top-40 – you name it, they play it!
“We all came from very different backgrounds and have different tastes in music, but it somehow gels together, creating this exciting blend of awesome music – a cosmic gumbo, if you will.” -Frank (drums)
Environmental Expo
The event includes an Environmental Expo where attendees can meet Chattahoochee Riverkeeper staff members, along with representatives from other local organizations, and learn how to take action in support of important local causes.
Guest exhibitors include:
- Alliance for International Reforestation
- Brenau University
- Celestial Studios
- Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
- Citizens Climate Lobby
- City of Gainesville’s Department of Water Resources
- Festive Water, LLC
- Friends of Gainesville Parks & Greenways
- Gainesville Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Gnarly Marsh
- Hall Co. Library System
- Keep Hall Beautiful
- Lanier Canoe & Kayak Club
- Sierra Club – Greater Gwinnett Group
- The Redbud Project
- Trailblazers School of North Georgia
- UNG Students for Environmental Awareness
- U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
- Wildwood Outfitters


Silent Auction
Waterfest features an exciting virtual silent auction! From hand-painted rain barrels to North Georgia adventure packages, there’s something for everyone attending the festival and browsing virtually.
Rain barrel artists include:
Food & Drink Vendors
- Downtown Drafts
- Frozen Frenzee
- The Inked Pig
- City of Gainesville Concession Trailer
- Complimentary Water Bottle Refill Station

Get Involved
We depend on organizations, businesses, and people from our community to make the annual Waterfest a success. Please consider becoming a sponsor of this festival to help us bring the Headwaters community together in celebration of our natural wonders. Your contribution will also benefit The Clean Lanier Equation.
Learn more about the benefits of becoming a sponsor for this year’s festival by contacting Mallory Pendleton, Headwaters Outreach Manager, by emailing mpendleton@chattahoochee.org.
Calling Volunteers!
There are plenty of ways to get involved in Waterfest as a volunteer, from joining the cleanup crew to greeting exhibitors. If you are interested in volunteering at the event, please send an email with the subject line “Waterfest Volunteer” to Mallory Pendleton, Headwaters Outreach Manager, at mpendleton@chattahoochee.org.
Help keep our parks clean!

Spring Cleanup & Beautification Event
The week before Waterfest, City of Gainesville Parks & Recreation and Department of Water Resources will host a Spring Cleanup and Beautification event at a number of local parks.

Leave No Trace
Waterfest encourages all attendees to please carry their trash and recyclables out of the venue for proper disposal. Thank you for your cooperation!