KAUKAUNA — The City of Kaukauna is bringing back the music with the 2025 Electric City River Jam, scheduled for June 18-21, 2025 in Hydro Park, located at 100 Crooks Ave. downtown.
Following the departure of the previous privately-run event last spring, the City of Kaukauna organized its own two-day music festival that was held in August 2024. On the final day of the event, Mayor Tony Penterman revealed its new name: Electric City River Jam.
“We are the Electric City, and we like to party and jam by the river,” Mayor Penterman said during a speech last year where he announced the new name.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, downtown Kaukauna enjoyed festivals such as River Jam and River Days. The city hopes this new event will grow year after year.
“Those two events were very successful for many years, and I often heard we should bring them back,” Penterman said.
The first Electric City River Jam will feature live music Friday (from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.) and Saturday (from 12:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.) from eight bands, including award-winning groups such as Half-Empty, RPM, and Kyle Megna & the Monsoons; the up-and-coming Billy Bronsted Trio; Fox Valley-based favorites Petty Things and Homemade Brew; and globally acclaimed bands LowDown Brass Band and Wild Adriatic.
The festival will also include carnival rides and food trucks (Wednesday through Saturday) and food and beverage tents (Friday and Saturday).
Stay up to date by visiting the event’s page on the city’s website kaukauna.gov/electric-city-river jam/ and by following on Facebook @Electric City River Jam. Those interested in sponsoring the event can check out the Sponsorship Opportunities tab of the event page for more information. Volunteer opportunities will be shared soon.
Friday, June 20:
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM:
Kyle Megna & the Monsoons (Alternative Rock – Fox Valley, WI)
Kyle Megna and the Monsoons (2017 & 2018 Wisconsin Area Music Industry Alternative Rock/Rock Artist of the year 2018 Male Vocalist of the year) is an original Wisconsin band with an ever-growing following locally and beyond. The band has shared the stage with acts such as Toto, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Rusted Root, Jack Russell’s Great White, and Here Come The Mummies. Touring the Mid-West and South-East the Monsoons are a tight-knit group of accomplished, charismatic musicians with diverse backgrounds, these guys know how to have fun while always keeping it professional. Best seen live, they feed off the vibe of the crowd as well as each other. Their “dark-indie-blues-folk-rock feel” is a magnetic force that’s ever-charged with surges of creativity and artistic experimentation. Fused with a healthy dose of spontaneity and humor, Kyle Megna and the Monsoons channel can’t-get-enough energy that’s good for the soul.
7:30 PM – 8:30 PM:
Half Empty (80’s and 90’s Rock – Fox Valley, WI)
Half Empty is a four-time Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Award Winning band including Cover Artist of the Year (twice), and winner of the northeast People’s Choice Award (twice). They’ve performed over 600 shows and headlined many area festivals including Paperfest, Octoberfest, and the Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival over their 12+ years of performing.
9:00 PM – 10:30 PM:
RPM (Pop Covers – Fox Valley, WI)
Premier Wisconsin party band led by Kaukauna’s very own Don Dix, RPM will take the Electric City River Jam stage for a reunion show! RPM has performed more than 3,000 shows across a variety of venues and was one of the top-drawing regional cover bands in Wisconsin for over 25 years.
Saturday, June 21:
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM:
Billy Bronsted Trio (Americana – Tomahawk, WI)
With two studio albums, a handful of cross-country tours, and a slew of festival shows under his belt, Billy’s newest project is a genre-bending exploration of his musical roots. Billy Bronsted Trio (BB3) delivers the heartfelt storytelling of Billy’s expansive catalog through the grit and grime of new sonic textures and progressive flows. The music celebrates hard working folks, the highs and lows of everyday life, and the rhythms that keep us dancing.
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM:
Homemade Brew (Bluegrass – Fox Valley, Wisconsin)
Homemade Brew has been performing together for years and are known for their energetic live shows and traditional bluegrass sound. Band members include Tom Paulson on banjo, fiddle and vocals; Kurt Kloehn on guitar and vocals; Dan “Boogs” Bruecker on mandolin, harmonica and vocals; and Adam “Ike” Eisenhauer on upright bass, fiddle and vocals. They’ve played at various venues around Wisconsin, including the Cold Shot in Appleton and Hydro Park in Kaukauna.
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM:
Petty Things (Tom Petty Tribute Band – Wisconsin)
Petty Things is a Wisconsin-based tribute band dedicated to honoring the legendary music of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. The band’s mission is simple: to faithfully recreate the sound, spirit and energy of one of rock music’s most beloved acts, delivering an authentic musical experience that transports audiences back to the golden era of rock ‘n’ roll. Petty Things brings together a stellar lineup of seasoned Wisconsin musicians, including Geoff Landon on lead vocals, Pat Stillman on lead guitar, Chris Okkerse on bass, Terry Michaels on keyboard, and Erik Holmes on drums. Their collective talent and chemistry on stage make them more than just a cover band – they embody the true essence of Petty’s sound.
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM:
LowDown Brass Band (Soul, Funk, Hip-Hop, Jazz – Chicago, IL)
The LowDown Brass Band is a uniquely strong representation of Chicago Music culture. Providing a modern take on soul, funk, hip hop, and jazz, this multifaceted all-horn band boasts freedom through the art of their craft, whilst gaining critical acclaim from The Gazette, Fame Magazine, The Chicago Reader, and more. LowDown kickstarted 2023 and has accumulated over 1.1 million streams across Spotify alone with notable performances at Cotai Jazz Fest, The Montreal Jazz Festival, Winnipeg Folk Fest, SummerCamp, Vancouver Jazz Fest, Folk Alliance, Green River Fest, Chicago Jazz Fest, Aspen Jazz Fest, Mile of Music, Alaska’s infamous Salmon Fest, and opening runs with Galactic, Rebirth Brass, Bon Jovi, and others.
8:00 PM – 10:00 PM:
Wild Adriatic (Rock, Blues, Soul – Saratoga Springs, NY)
Wild Adriatic seamlessly blends a rock ‘n’ roll core with influences from 60s and 70s blues and soul, creating a timeless and captivating sound. A decade spent on the road, playing 250 shows a year, has honed the band into sharp form and cultivated an international audience with their signature mix of groove, grit, and guitar-heavy swagger. No strangers to Caffè Lena, Wild
