FAQ & INFORMATION
WHAT IS RIVER RETREAT
Have you ever wanted to go back in time and relive the best eras of music; camp with your best friends; dress up in your best vintage & thrift store outfits; and float the Guadalupe River before everyone else in Texas? Then River Retreat is the contextualized music and camping adventure through the decades you're looking for to accomplish all these desires in one magical weekend!
River Retreat is a music & camping festival showcasing the music birthed from the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's. With nightly costume pageants & contests, cleverly curated decorations, and live entertainment, River Retreat has all the nostalgia you need to enjoy the weekend camping alongside the pristine Guadalupe River. Your days will be filled with food and beverage and time spent with your friends and neighbors splashing about in the river. As the sun settles, we bust out the bingo, trivia, and live music and carry on into the late night hours.
WHERE IS RIVER RETREAT
Once again we are partnering with our favorite campgrounds, KL Ranch Camp “on the River” and KL Ranch Cliffside in New Braunfels, Texas. River Retreat is a great vacation from city life as it stretches over 10+ acres across the entire river front property. The campsite price varies based on campsite amenities and location. You will be assigned a campsite number and that is your campsite that will NOT be shared with anyone outside of your group.
The campsite address is: 5455 River Rd, New Braunfels, TX 78132 (Check-in located at this address)
WHO ATTENDS RIVER RETREAT
River Retreat is a family friendly event (children 12 and under are free). If you choose to bring your child, we suggest you select a campsite in the On The River Tent Campsites or anywhere at Cliffside.
* You will be required to sign a personal responsibility waiver at check in.
WHEN IS RIVER RETREAT
We've scheduled the Retreat on the last weekend of March that bleeds into the beginning of April. Since the river’s peak season is yet to begin, there are less people enjoying the river and the nights are cooler allowing for perfect camping conditions. River Retreat is scheduled for:
4 Days and 3 Nights -Thursday, April 4 through Sunday, April 7
Check-in
Gates Open at 1:00 pm on Thursday, April 4th (Your reservation is for all four days)
Gates Open at 1:00 pm on Friday, April 5th (You can check in on Thursday or Friday, but its the same price)
Check-in available until 10:00pm
Attendees can stay as late as 1:00pm on Sunday, April 7th
CAMPING INFORMATION
If you are bringing your own RV/Motorhome please make sure you reserve a Group Package that has the proper 30/50 amp plugin options. Most RV sites have water but some do not and those sites are a bit smaller and cost less. All the RV sites have 30 Amp electrical plug-ins, most have water connections; 50 amp sites are also available but limited. Generators are not welcome unless given special permission. Please note that one can Reserve a 50 or 30 Amp RV site and choose not to bring or use an RV/Motorhome/Camper. You may simply pitch tents on the premium sites. Please read ALL descriptions.
You are welcome to setup as many tents as are necessary to accommodate your party. Only one RV/Camper per campsite permitted.
Attendees who plan to tent camp will do so just like on a regular camping weekend at KL. For positive sleeping arrangements On The River, we suggest requesting Group package campsites #69 #68 and #59 and 60 - 62 A&B (splice sites large enough to split between two groups of 4). All sites even if specified with 30 or 50 amps can be sued for tent camping as well they just cost more due to upgraded amenities. And there is plenty of tent camping that can also be done at Cliffside and the price is right over there #ALWAYS #CLIFFSIDEISCOOL
Don’t forget to buy your parking pass (one parking pass per vehicle) if you want to park your car onsite and on the KL On The River Campgrounds. Free parking is available outside of the grounds across the street.
Clean and well-maintained showers are available on site, but they do require quarters for operation. We will have numerous hand washing and hand sanitizer stations spread around the campgrounds, as well as portable bathrooms.
Everyone is encouraged to bring their own camping supplies (food, equipment, coolers, face masks, and beverages). Once again, please feel free to cook on your site but remember FOOD/meals and Drinks are all-inclusive. As always the campgrounds have firewood and ice on-site for purchase. There is also a small store on both Campgrounds with various camping necessities should one forget or need something. You can even buy cold beverages at the "Cliff-side' corner store.
LITTLE KITCHEN HTX
River Revival not only features super talented performers on stage but also in the kitchen! Jason and Becca Kerr of Little Kitchen HTX have spearheaded our all-inclusive Food Program since 2018. As Chef Kerr describes it himself, the River Revival Food Program is "An outdoor culinary experience dripping with nostalgia, wielded in smoke and smothered in Americana for all ages, Little Kitchen HTX takes the spirit of the Texas River and revitalizes your soul with food cooked from the Heart!" While "Chef Kerr is known for his meat-centric, lowbrow-take on American comfort food", Little Kitchen HTX provides vegetarian and vegan options for brunch and dinner each day. Check out his 2016 appearance on the "Chopped" episode titled "A Bloody Battle in the Kitchen" wherein Jason Kerr advances to the final round, available on Hulu.
RIVER RETREAT FAQ's
Q: Can I stay off site? A: Yes, you do not have to stay overnight. Your wristband allows you to leave the campgrounds and return. Please identify your wristband when you check back in at the box office.
Q: Can I bring my own beverages and food? A: Yes, feel free to bring your own beverages and food. The event is All-Inclusive, but you can bring your own supplies.
Q: Can I bring my own RV/Camper? A: Yes, you can but, you must Reserve a campsite that has the proper plug for your camper/RV. Each site has different amenities so please read the descriptions.
Q: Can I bring my RV/Camper and just run the generator? A: No, we do not allow generators on the campsite because of the noise pollution.
Q: May I sleep in my car/truck/van? A: Yes, but you must purchase an On The River SLEEPER/Parking Pass if you are planning on staying at KL On The River and sleeping in your vehicle. At Cliffside you do not have to buy a parking pass regardless of whether or not you’re sleeping in your car.
Q: If I bought a Cliffside pass do I need to check in at KL On The River? A: No, we no longer require everyone to check in at On The River. If you bought a site or a pass at Cliffside then you can check in at Cliffside. This is a new policy that will continue for the foreseeable future.
Q. Can I bring my own golf cart? A: No, but you may contact the event first and request permission; attendees who are older or have an issue walking will likely be granted permission. Please feel free to bring your bike (w/ lights) or an electric bike, or one wheel.
Q: Is there shuttle service at Cliffside? A: Yes, there is a BIG YELLOW BUS that is ran by the campgrounds running all day and until around midnight. We have golf carts that are designed specifically for Cliffside pick up and drop off, and the campgrounds have van/shuttle pick up and drop off as well. Pick Up and Drop Off areas are clearly marked with signage on both campgrounds. Feel free to ask Bobby or Jennifer at Cliffside for a ride or updates on the shuttle.
Q: Can we have campfires? A: Yes, if there is no fire ban. Five out of Ten years (in total between Retreat and Revival) there has NOT been a fire ban.
Q: Can we bring our own float? A: Yes. or you can rent one from us at the Merch booth for the entire weekend.
Q: What is the Campsite Deed Program? A: You may have noticed that some campsites are not available for certain packages. This is because Splice Records started a Campsite Deed Program in 2021 that allows River Revival attendees (after the Revival) to reserve their campsite for the following year's events. For a small fee, you can own the "deed" to your campsite, which means the campsite is all yours for both River Retreat and River Revival the next year. So if you really enjoy where you're camping this year at the Revival only, then consider buying the "deed" to the campsite so that it is all yours in 2024.
SEVEN NEW ADDITIONS TO RIVER RETREAT:
1. Improved Shuttle Service: we’ve added golf carts designated for Cliffside use only. The golf carts will be marked Cliffside and they are for Cliffside transportation only.
2. New Parking Policy: We will have very very limited parking at On The River because we are cutting off the road access from campsite 88 to 114. This means no parking spots or car access past campsite 88. You can buy the Sleeper/Parking Pass for On The River if you want to park at one of the designated parking spots at On The River.
3. WE ARE UPGRADING THE FOOD PROGRAM TO BE ALL-INCLUSIVE!!! YAY!!! Your ticket now comes with 6 meals!
4. More Bands than 2022.
5. This year will feature a collaboration for the ages on Friday: The Tribute to "The Last Waltz"* with guest performers covering the music from the movie directed by Martin Scorsese.
6. Don't forget about Saturday's Prom Night! Dress in Campground 80's Prom Night attire! That sounds easy enough, right?
7. We have Tube Rental available in the ADD ONS Menu and at Merch on The Lawn where you can rent a tube for the weekend, hassle free!
* "The Last Waltz was a concert by the Canadian-American rock group The Band, held on American Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. The Last Waltz was advertised as The Band's "farewell concert appearance", and the concert had The Band joined by more than a dozen special guests, including their previous employers Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan, as well as Paul Butterfield, Bobby Charles, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Emmylou Harris, Dr. John, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Muddy Waters, Ronnie Wood, and Neil Young. The musical director for the concert was The Band's original record producer, John Simon." - Wikipedia
Get a musical preview here!
HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS
The health & safety of all River Retreat attendees is of the highest importance to us, which is why we will be following all guidelines and regulations set by the local and state governments (State and Local).
REFUNDS
There are NO refunds for this event; and please do not ask. As always if you purchase a ticket and cannot attend, you can transfer your reservation to a friend or family member. If we have to cancel this event for any reason, or postpone it for any reason we will offer everyone a 100% refund.
IN CONCLUSION
We are very excited to return to the KL campgrounds; in fact, this is the third year we've done an event on this particular weekend and last year was abso-freaking-lutley amazing. We like to say the Retreat is like the Revival but "way more funner" (lol) and at the start of Spring oppose to the beginning of fall. Same vibes, same awesome people and the same smaller micro-fest design to bring out the best in people. Go to the thrift store, dive into the concept, invite your best friends to join and be ready for a unique festival experience made for people who hate going to modern festivals!