Riverfest officials this morning stamped the 21st annual weekend festival a success, paving the way for planning to begin for 2009.

“We achieved what we set out to do, which was put on a quality festival with a family-friendly atmosphere,” board president Ginny Tzotzolas said.

A count on how many people attended the festival was not available this morning, but board members planned to have numbers by the end of the day. Judging by crowds, who filled Washington Street Friday evening for entertainment on two stages and again all day Saturday, Tzotzolas called the event a “great success.”

“On Friday, we’re normally not quite as busy, but we seemed more crowded,” she said.

The first night, which, after heavy showers came and went, featured entertainment by The Chill, country sensations Jason Aldean and Crossin’ Dixon and R&B performers High Frequency, Dr. Dee and Lakeside, came with a bit of contention for one downtown business owner.

Robert Ware, owner of The Ware House, a luxury resort space that fills much of the 1400 block of Washington Street, had his property fenced off by city employees just before tickets were sold at 6 p.m.

The fencing followed a dispute between Ware and the Riverfest board over The Ware House customers entering the festival.

As a result, his business was closed to the public Friday evening, causing “a huge loss of revenue,” he said. By Saturday, Ware and the board had resolved the issue and the fences were removed. Ware said he sold tickets to customers who were at The Ware House when nighttime activities kicked off, ending a dispute over Riverfest workers entering the business to require patrons to buy tickets after gates opened at 6 p.m..

“We sold tickets (Saturday night) and I gave (the board) that money via a Main Street representative,” Ware said.

“It was an unfortunate situation but, happily, by Saturday morning, we had a new agreement and this merchant was able to participate in the remainder of the event,” Tzotzolas said.

Saturday entertainers were Riverwind, Michael Anthony & The Groove, Swartz Brothers, Robert “The Duke” Tillman, Vickie Baker and rock headliner Rick Springfield.

Riverfest is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, a status placed on organizations whose net earnings are devoted to charitable, educational or recreational purposes. The group is led by volunteers who use ticket sales each year and money from public and private sponsors to plan for the next year’s festival.

Daytime activities along Washington Street and at the 40th Annual Arts & Crafts festival crowded the downtown area, but because events are free, attendance can’t be counted.

“As volunteers, the Riverfest Board of Directors is proud of Vicksburg and the renaissance taking place in downtown,” Tzotzolas said. “For the first time ever, tickets were available for purchase on PayPal so we could track where tickets were sold. People came from Texas, California and even Australia.”

Vicksburg police, Warren County Sheriff’s deputies and agents with the Mississippi Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control made about 25 arrests either for minors consuming alcohol or people providing minors with alcohol Friday and Saturday evening at the festival, Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said this morning.

The 22nd Annual Riverfest is panned for April 17-18, 2009. For information on entertainment as the date nears, visit www.riverfestms.com.