Linda Shannon snuggled Grace, her little dog, inside her sweater against a chilling wind as she and her sister, Alice Little, examined the wares at one of the craft booths lining both sides Walnut Street near City Hall.

A Vicksburg native, she had been away from the city and was returning home to live after a 50-year absence, and came down to enjoy a tradition — RiverFest.

“I’ve just come back from living in Florida, but I don’t miss RiverFest. You just don’t miss RiverFest.”

Shannon was one of the more than 2,000 Vicksburg residents and people from the surrounding area to enjoy the 29th edition of RiverFest, which took place under grey, cloudy skies that appeared to threaten a return of the rain that dampened the art an music festival’s opening Friday night.

The second annual Rhythm Run, the day’s opening event, cranked off at 8 a.m. in a misting rain with about a 10 mph wind and temperatures in the low 60s. The mist cleared off by about 8:30, just as the craft booths surrounding City Hall began opening.

And Grace wasn’t the lone pooch at the festival. Many festivalgoers either carried or walked their dogs on leashes as they examined the items in the booths, watched children try their luck at events like “Meltdown,” a game where they had to avoid inflated obstacles, or “Texas Twister,” a mechanical bull that had it share of adult challengers.

“I always enjoy coming to RiverFest,” said Susan Daniels, who was with her son Cody. “I was worried it was going to rain again like last night, but I think we’ll be OK. I never miss RiverFest. We should rock tonight.”

“This is the first time I’ve been back in a while,” Cody Daniels said. “I’ve been two or three times before. I like it.”

Cheri Lindirin, another longtime RiverFest fan, said her daughter and her family come for the festival from Hattiesburg. “We make it a family outing. The children like the games, we get to be together and enjoy the activities.”

Bobby and Kimberly Thomas were making their third RiverFest since moving to Vicksburg. They were joined by son Wally, who relaxed in his stroller enjoying a graham cracker.

“We enjoy it,” Bobby Thomas said. “We thought we’d take a break from working on our house. We’re trying to renovate it ourselves.”

Kenneth Juvie, a Jackson resident, said he heard so much about RiverFest “that I had to check it all out.”

Sarah Thomas, a Vicksburg native who said she always goes to RiverFest, was watching her daughter, Katelyn Bassett as she enjoyed a ride.

“I like the games for the children, the attractions and the crowd,” she said. “The people.”