The yearly Elk River Boat Party will be held on Saturday, July 6, from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. It’s free to the public by boat only, simply pull up, tie-out your boat and enjoy some free entertainment.

This year’s boat party is the second year of a new era, after making a change in the band’s last year. It was a big step, but the party was a success in spite of the rain early on.

Elk River Boat Party officials announced the return of the band “Sipsey Falls,” who will be boasting a new look with a few new band members this year. They continue to bring in good turnouts and they were certainly a crowd pleaser last year as well.

Last year, the band allowed the boaters to text in requests for songs. Something so simple made the party really fun. Although not required, partygoers could also tip the band if they wanted.

As always, free koozies will be passed out to all the boaters, which are paid for by sponsors and donations. The koozies will come with the colors that represent the Fourth of July holiday, while also listing the sponsors for the event.

The sponsors are the ones who continue to make this event happen for the community each year, dedicating their own money. The Elk River Boat Party is sponsored by different businesses, allowing people to constantly connect with new businesses they would otherwise never get the chance to interact with.

Estimation for the number of boaters this year is difficult, as it is so dependent on the weather, but boat party officials expect anywhere from 250-350 boats. Many people that attend the event plan their holiday weekend around it, staying on the water all weekend.

People have brought kayaks, floats, jet skis, kids water skis and even ski boarding to the Elk River Boat Party in previous years. The famous bluffs are a hot-spot for people to tie up and hang out while watching others jump off the cliffs into Elk River.

The Alabama Marine Patrol will drift through occasionally, providing towing and lending a hand whenever they get the chance to help someone in need.

“Sipsey Falls” is a North Alabama country band, with all of the members having played in the music industry for more than 20 years with different groups.

The band is the perfect combination of their talents, emphasizing on harmonies and their signature guitar licks. Each member has their own individual style, playing a variety of music ranging from Merle Haggard to country music on the radio today.

The group prides themselves on carrying the torch of traditional country music, with high energetic shows on stage and a lot of crowd involvement. The crowd will again get the opportunity to participate in the show by scanning the band’s QR code to request songs.

The band members are as follows:

— Zach Lowery, lead singer and rhythm guitar.

— Gaylon Parker, background/lead vocals and bass guitar.

— Rodney Blaxton, drums.

— Anthony Blaxton, lead guitar.

— Olivia Manson, fiddler.

With their years of experience, the fun they have and their love for playing their hearts out, they are sure to make this year’s Elk River Boat Party another classic.

The only way to get to the party is by boat, and the directions are as follows:

From the Tennessee River, go north on the Elk River and under Lee Hi Bridge (U.S. 72 bridge) from there turn left into Anderson Creek and the party is on the right. The nearest boat launch is the Lee Hi Bridge boat launch.

For more information go to the 18th annual Elk River Boat Party on Facebook.