Spin Doctors to headline free Riverfest at Salisbury Beach

92.5 the River will bring Spin Doctors, Buffalo Tom, Fantastic Cat and Gavin Marengi to Salisbury Beach for the station’s 24th annual Riverfest on Aug. 22. The free, rain-or-shine festival runs noon to 6 p.m. at the Broadway Boardwalk and includes music, exhibitors, food, drinks, parking options and shuttle service.

Why it matters: - Riverfest is a free summer draw for Salisbury Beach and the North Shore, with a lineup that mixes national alt-rock acts, Boston favorites and local talent. - The event is designed to bring visitors to the Broadway Boardwalk, where businesses, restaurants and arcades will be open during the festival. - Festival access includes transit and shuttle options, which can ease traffic and expand attendance.

What happened: - 92.5 the River announced that Spin Doctors will headline the station’s 24th Annual Riverfest Music Festival on Aug. 22, 2026, at the Broadway Boardwalk at Salisbury Beach in Salisbury, Massachusetts. - Buffalo Tom, Fantastic Cat and Gavin Marengi are also on the bill for a full day of free music and activities. - The festival is presented by Bud Light and produced with the Salisbury Beach Partnership. - Riverfest runs Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, from 12 noon to 6 p.m. and is rain or shine. - More information is available here.

The details: - Spin Doctors built their mainstream following with the multi-platinum 1991 debut album Pocket Full of Kryptonite. - The band is known for “Two Princes” and “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong.” - Spin Doctors’ current lineup includes vocalist Chris Barron, guitarist Eric Schenkman, bassist Mark White and drummer Aaron Comess. - Buffalo Tom formed in Boston in the late 1980s and reached a wider audience with the 1992 album Let Me Come Over, which included “Taillights Fade.” - Buffalo Tom released Quiet and Peace in 2018 and Jump Rope in 2024. - Fantastic Cat brings together Anthony D’Amato, Brian Dunne, Don DiLego and Mike Montali. - Gavin Marengi is a Salisbury, Massachusetts, singer-songwriter with roots in Americana, folk, southern rock and outlaw country. - More than 30 participating exhibitors will be on site before, during and after the event. - Adults will have access to the Bud Light Beer Garden and Tito’s Handmade Vodka POD Bar. - Free shuttle school bus service will run between Salisbury Beach State Reservation parking and the Broadway Boardwalk from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. - MeVa Transit will offer free bus service from surrounding areas. - The free MeVa #20 bus will run from the Newburyport MBTA station, pass through downtown Newburyport and reach Riverfest. - The #20 bus will start hourly service at 7 a.m. and run about every 20 minutes from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. - The MeVa #17 bus will leave on the hour starting at 7 a.m. from Haverhill via Amesbury direct to Salisbury Beach. - More transit details and timetables are available at MeVa Transit. - Past Riverfest performers include Barenaked Ladies, Guster, Noah Kahan, Frank Turner, Mt. Joy, Ripe, The Lemonheads, Big Head Todd & the Monsters and The Revivalists. - The festival has over 800 on-site paid municipal parking spots.

Between the lines: - Riverfest is also a showcase for Salisbury Beach’s recent improvements, including the restored historic carousel, the new boardwalk, the welcome center and other public upgrades. - The Salisbury Beach Partnership says the event helps revitalize and protect the beach by promoting its recreational, historical, environmental, cultural and community assets. - The booking strategy suggests Riverfest is aiming to balance nostalgia, discovery and local identity in a single free event.

What's next: - Organizers are steering attendees toward carpooling, rideshare services and public transit to reduce congestion. - Festivalgoers can expect fireworks over the ocean after the day’s events, according to the Salisbury Beach Partnership. - 92.5 the River says the festival will again highlight both music and Salisbury Beach as a summer destination.

The bottom line: - Riverfest remains one of 92.5 the River’s biggest public-facing events: free, oceanfront and built around a lineup meant to pull in both longtime fans and casual summer crowds.