Several area law enforcement officers and emergency responders, including those from the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, Guthrie Center Police Department and the Iowa State Patrol, convened yesterday with Guthrie’s River Ruckus Promoter Grant Sheeder for one final safety meeting before the big concert coming up in just a couple of weeks.

Sheeder says the biggest change to this year’s event is attendees will now be required to purchase at least a single day pass into the campgrounds in order to be part of River Ruckus.  Walk-ups were allowed on the Guthrie County Fairgrounds for free in years past but that will no longer be allowed.

In the hopes of curbing some of the underage drinking at the three-day concert event, Sheeder says he and members of the River Ruckus Board will be distributing platinum wristbands to people over the age of 21 for when they are inside the concert venue.

Attendees will still be allowed to bring in their own alcohol to the campgrounds however.

So far just under 10,000 tickets have been sold and that number will be capped at 15,000 for the July 24th through 26th event.  Sheeder says he’s expecting a crowd somewhere between 12,000 and 15,000 people for the Friday and Saturday concerts.

Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright says law enforcement is confident they are ready to deal with any problems that may arise at this year’s River Ruckus.  He says officers’ sole goal “is to keep everybody safe.”

More than 150 officials will be patrolling the crowds at this year’s concert, with the departments involved being Guthrie County Emergency Management, the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, the Guthrie Center Police Department, Panora EMS, CSC Security, and the Office of Juvenile Justice, along with other various law enforcement officers from around the state.