Thousands of visitors that come to Beloit Riverfest each summer talk about the great people they meet when they come to Beloit. It's the volunteers that make the difference, says Riverfest Executive Director Rod Beaudoin. We have a great time working together and it is a fun way to support the community. We couldn't do Riverfest at the high level we aspire to without hundreds of community members working with us.

This July 10-13, there will be a lot of exciting new elements scheduled for the ultimate rockfest in the Midwest. Extreme sports, a new carnival and expanded music programming mean that Riverfest will need more volunteers than ever. For those who want to be a part of the biggest party of the year and provide that Beloit welcome, Riverfest has 600 volunteer opportunities.

Volunteers are needed for handling everything from setup to cleanup and from security to zone hosts, ticket takers and parking support. Shifts are approximately three to four hours long and go from 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Each volunteer gets a free general admission ticket and a T-shirt.

Those interested need to register by Friday, June 6. Registration forms are located at www.beloitriverfest.com For general information please contact Mary Furman, volunteer coordinator, at mary.riverfest@gmail.com or (608) 751-2717. For those interested in Riverfest grounds security, please contact Chad Tilly at 608-752-8909 or tob244@charter.net. To register for parking security, please contact Ed Brockman at 608-774-7748 or excelrep2001@yahoo.com.