Riverfest is a three-day celebration of the Susquehanna River, local history, outdoor recreation, and community. The event commemorates the burning of the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge during the Civil War, when local residents prevented Confederate troops from crossing the Susquehanna River in June 1863. Riverfest features boat tours, outdoor recreation activities, educational programs, races, watch parties, and the lighting of the historic bridge piers.