34th Annual Portfest Festival The Marshall Tucker Band, Little Texas and Josh Thompson will be the featured performers during the 34th Annual Portfest “Rollin’ on the River” Festival on June 5-6. Hosted by the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce, Portfest is held on the banks of the White River at beautiful Jacksonport State Park, three miles north of Newport off Hwy. 69. One of the major Southern rock bands of the ‘70s, the Marshall Tucker Band was formed in Spartenburg, SC in 1971. They gained recognition through a tour with the Allman Brothers Band and found significant success during the course of the ‘70s, with most of their albums going gold thanks to songs like “Can’t You See” and “Fire On the Mountain.” Their peak came with the million-selling album Carolina Dreams and its Top 15 single “Heard It in a Love Song” in 1977. Still led today by founding member and lead singer Doug Gray, they represent a time and place in music that will never be duplicated. Opening the show on June 5 is Arkansas’ own Riverbilly. Along with their amped-up live show, Riverbilly’s incredible sound with three-part harmony combined together allows them to continue the winning of fans in city after city, night after night. Tickets for June 5 are $17 in advance or $22 at the gate (taxes included). Kids six and under get in free. Riverbilly performs at 7 p.m. followed by the Marshall Tucker Band at 8:30 p.m. Josh Thompson burst onto the music scene in 2009 with his debut single “Beer on the Table” followed by the success 2010’s singles “Won’t Be Lonely Long” and “Way Out Here.” His second album Turn It Up debuted at number seven on the Top Country Albums Chart and features “Cold Beer with Your Name on It” and his current single, the album’s title track, “Turn It Up.” Thompson’s live shows have earned him a solid fan base and gained him plenty of respect from those other acts that dared to follow him – including Brad Paisley, Eric Church, Justin Moore and Lynyrd Skynyrd, all of whom have taken Thompson on the road. Founded in 1998, Little Texas produced hit singles throughout the early to mid-90s. “First Time for Everything,” “What Might Have Been,” “God Blessed Texas,” “My Love,” “Kick a Little,” and “Amy’s Back in Austin” are just a few of the most popular releases from their gold, platinum and double platinum albums. Country fans the world over richly rewarded the band, buying up over 7 million of their albums, while critics showered them with 3 Grammy nominations plus honors from both the Academy of Country Music (Vocal Group Of The Year) and the Country Music Association (Album Of The Year). Tickets for June 6 are $12 either in advance or at the gate before 4 p.m. (taxes included; they will increase to $17 at the gate after 4 p.m. (taxes included). Kids six and under get in free. Little Texas is set for 7 p.m. followed by Josh Thompson at 8:30 p.m. with the fireworks extravaganza ending the show. Tickets will be available at outlets throughout the region including Searcy, Batesville, Jonesboro and Newport. Portfest welcomes Kenny’s Funland Carnival on June 3-6 at Jacksonport State Park. In addition, attractions for kids of all ages are free with admission on June 6 and include pony rides, inflatables, a petting zoo, trackless train rides, rock climbing wall and much more. A buddy bass fishing tournament, horseshoe pitching and Baggo tournaments will also be held on June 6. Other dates to remember: Portfest 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, May 16 at ASU-Newport and the free Kids Fishing Derby at Newport Lake on Saturday, May 30. Don’t forget your blankets and lawn chairs! Coolers are welcome, but there will be a $10 cooler fee at the gate. Free parking. For a complete schedule of events, go to www.portfest.org. Find Portfest Festival on Facebook or on Twitter @portfest.