10/19/2025
What a wonderful 35 years it’s been for the Rison in the Fall Festival! When work began last October to put this anniversary celebration together, we knew it was going to be memorable! And every curveball we were thrown leading up to the day only created more memories! One day we’re going to laugh about going out looking like wet bananas! Tonight, we’re not laughing. It’s bittersweet, but we remain grateful.
Thank you for your patience as we monitored the weather throughout the day and adjusted schedules. More curveballs. This was our first year to take on a production this size and battle weather threats at the same time. We learned a lot! While we absolutely did not want to call it and cancel the final performance, Sunny and I made the decision together. We would NOT put anyone at risk. As much as it hurt, we made the right call. Sunny and Ernie, thank you both for your guidance and confidence in me to navigate this ship through the storm!
Most importantly, thank you to every single person who attends the festival each year and shows your support behind everything we do as Rison Shine Community Development, Inc. For everyone who was here today, we appreciate you. You really did make this one of our biggest years!
If you know me, it’s not a secret that music runs through every fiber of my being, despite not being able to carry a tune or play an instrument. But what I can do is call on my friends in Nashville to come through for me to make up for it! The planning, stressing, orchestrating, fundraising, panicking, string-pulling… that I can do… thanks to the support of my Rison Shine team behind me, and a wonderful community of artists, managers, agents and more that have kept their faith in me all these years. It’s surreal to think we just pulled off year six since starting this revival of the festival and growing it into one of the best FREE music festivals in the state. If the day ever comes and we have to call it quits, know that this festival will forever be one of the projects I am most proud of for fulfilling many of my wildest musical dreams with the best people I know, in Nashville, and especially here in Rison. It is an honor to be able to do this for all of Cleveland County. I’m down to keep going as long as the community and sponsors make it possible! Sponsorships are already coming in for 2026. THAT is a testament to just how much you ALL have played a part in growing the festival each year.
Sunny, Alisa, Logan, Livia and the whole Sweeney Express Train… Y’all are freaking fun! I just wish we had gotten more time together! I know how badly you wanted to make this show happen because YOU rearranged your schedule to make a place for Rison in your busy year of touring with Trisha Yearwood and your own headlining tour in support of your incredible new album. (Go get those GRAMMYs, Sunny!) We’re going to try and work it out to get you back here. You’re now part of our Rison Shine family as you got to take one of “us” back with you in animal form. 💛 We will see you again one day. Thank you again for all you did for us.
Thom and Coley, I’m so glad our mutual friend connected us and said “You’ll love them!” (Missed you, Cole!! You were right!) It was a delight having you here! Thank you for bringing the beach to Rison! Happy Anniversary to you lovebirds! Thank you for playing and filling the gaps before the storms hit. Rison loved you!
Ernie, dude, you’re simply one of the best people I know, in general, and musically! I loved getting to see you again after so long! Thanks for saying YES!! I always tell my crew, I only have the greatest people on speed dial. I think they believe me now. They love you just as much as I do! Next time you’re coming through Arkansas, you’ve got more than me to visit now! (Mandy, wish you could have been here with us to complete the reunion! Glad we got to face time!)
Jeremy, Drew and Brandon… I cannot wait to see what you do with your career! Copper Flats are rising fast and we are blessed you came to spend time with us! Glad you texted, Jeremy! It was great having you back in Rison!
Laura, our hometown girl… all of Cleveland County could not be more proud of you! Thanks for opening our shows this year, and everything else you do for Cleveland County. We’ve got your back, always.
It takes a year… and an army… to pull this festival together! And you all saw my army running around in our new, bright yellow Rison Shine polos! You may have started as my friends, but you have all become my family and I love you dearly! The best blessing this festival has given me is finding my people. The surprise you all pulled on me today was very touching, to everyone who had a hand in it… Thank you. That meant a lot to me, and I know it did to Roy as well. The hijinks that came along with it will forever make me laugh and smile. When you’re told your circus is being taken over, a moment of panic sets in. You all had to get creative. But the fact you couldn’t figure out how to explain the cards to the point I signed the card to myself just goes to show how hard you have to work to get anything past me. We’re gonna laugh about that for years!
First and foremost, Roy Phillips, I say it every year. You may have passed the reins to me, but without you, we wouldn’t be here doing this! When I’m tied up tending to technicalities and answering questions, you jump into action and pick up any slack. I can’t thank you enough for trusting me, but more than that, for your friendship. YOU are what makes Rison truly a special place.
Celeste Beatty, my friend, you scared me last year when you told me you were stepping back some to tend to other things. I couldn’t imagine doing this festival without you. When it comes to helping me field out artists, making sure things look incredible, making sure the food is ready, you’re my go-to! I knew though deep down, you love this ride as much as I do! We could never quit. Thank you for everything you do for me, for the festival, for everyone! Thank you for always having a hug or a joke ready! I’m going to keep trying to fill that slot for you! Per usual, we’re the last to roll out… but boy did it feel weird rolling out before 2 a.m.
Keden Shrum, I do not know what we did before you moved to Rison. Seriously, does anyone know how we made it? You go above and beyond, always. It’s in your DNA. You don’t stop. I appreciate your friendship and dedication, and have so much respect for you and your leadership. You may be our VP, but I think we need to add an M to the front of that.
Kristy Strother, thank you for leading our Rison Shine group with such passion! You were instrumental this year in getting our local students out to help with the festival. It is because of you we hope to instill a younger generation of people to help make our town shine for a long time.
Britt Talent, Malinda Berry, Les Walz, Mayor Charles and First (Tin) Lady Connie Roberts… Thank you for holding down the office, the City, and everything else you do to jump in where needed. Thank you for having my back and letting me turn things upside down, shut down streets, run away randomly to fix something, catch a curveball or freak out. Rison is lucky to have you all, for this festival, but for everything else you do year round. I appreciate you all more than I could ever put into words.
My Fellow Masterminds… Stacy Walz and Austin Compton! Stacy, you find some unique way to make things even more fun every year… Like finding a way to make a beach happen! Who does that?! YOU! Who covers the beach with a tarp and forgets to tell someone to uncover it? ME! (I mean I was preoccupied just a little….) We joke that crazy runs deep in our bloodline where our family lines cross, but really that’s to the benefit of the community because these crazy cousins/friends always bring the fun! Your idea for the Drop the Mic Scavenger Hunt has been the runaway hit we never knew we needed! What we also didn’t know we needed, was someone just as witty, brilliant and fun as us! Austin, you fit in with us immediately! And yes, I did call all three of us brilliant! This trio is just getting started and we have more tricks up our sleeves beyond this festival. Get. Ready. Rison. Christmas is coming…. I don’t think any of us expected we’d have more fun hiding things around town than the people who go look for them. Haha! I am immensely grateful to you both for being my friends, sounding board, sanity keepers, and helping me remember to laugh through the chaos. There have been countless times in the past few weeks I was getting overwhelmed to the point of breaking, but you both checked in constantly to make sure I was OK, keeping me positive everything was going to work out. I can't thank you enough for all you've done. Despite everything going insane, you both made me have fun this year! The universe definitely gave me two of the absolute best friends when I needed them. You’ve got my back, I’ve got yours. Always.
To everyone who volunteered to help us this year, thank you! If you moved chairs, sold shirts, directed vendors or traffic, decorated, marked streets, got people out of the rain or more, know that you played a vital role in making this event a success. Our Rison Shine team thanks you from the bottom of our hearts.
Lauren Threlkeld and everyone who blew the Fall Into Fitness event up this year! WAY TO GO! You are all incredible for making this the biggest one yet!
Lynn, Emma, Matt, Kimberly, David, Jayden, Dave, Deej, Timothy, Thomas, Travis, Ragan, Spencer, Kristie, Haven, Sharon, Sharon, Elizabeth, Chandra, Paula, Stan, Angela, Stephanie, Aubrey, Hugh, Gibson… thank you for all you did! Please know that we appreciate you. If I did forget anyone, please forgive me.
To Scott and the whole Rock City Events team… you did it again! Thank you! You gave the absolute best sound techs we’ve had to date! We appreciate all the work you do to give us top notch productions.
This following part is repeated from previous years’ thank you notes, because nothing has changed when it comes to the sponsors and I can’t say it any better, or louder. This festival is literally a year-in-the-making event. There’s seeking sponsorships and donations to set the budget, and then finding out what I can fit in that budget, what schedules can coordinate before I can even set the date. And then there are hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of prep work before I can start delegating tasks out to volunteers. I say this to say absolutely NONE of this would be possible without our sponsors. They are my starting point. To this year’s sponsors, THANK YOU! It takes a lot of money to pull this off, and every little bit counts. Your contributions are key to the entertainment we bring in, but more importantly, they're what keep this a free event for the community to attend. If anyone wants to be a sponsor, please reach out to me.
Thank you to our local businesses and restaurants who step up to take care of us, our guests, and the festival. Whether you’re feeding us, feeding our entertainment, or just promoting the festival… You always represent Rison well. And your hospitality and generosity leave a lasting impression on our guests.
Once again, thank you to Marty Bowlin, Vickie Padgett, Frances Lightsey and all of the Cleveland County Cultivators, Debi Attwood, Lewis Releford for making our park and flower beds in town look so great before the festival.
To the vendors and food trucks who joined us this year… THANK YOU for coming! Thank you for dealing with the crazy weather! We had a record number of vendors this year and look forward to having you all back in the future.
Lastly… if you came to Rison to celebrate 35 years of this festival, THANK YOU. If you bought a shirt, THANK YOU. That helps us start the funding for next year! If you bought from the vendors, those tax dollars are going right back here into the community. THANK YOU! You showing up makes every bit of the work from the past 365 days worth it!
It’s time to start on 2026… and SURPRISE, what I haven’t even told my army…one slot is already filled for next year. But my lips are sealed… for now. You’re gonna LOVE it!
With all my gratitude, appreciation, love and exhaustion…
See you next year! 🍁🍂💛🎶
Douglas Boultinghouse
Rison in the Fall Director
Rison Shine Secretary/Treasurer
