The Big River Festival is back this year and will take on more of a heritage flavour.
The festival was cancelled last year but organisers say next month's event will be a great family day incorporating several popular community events.
Heritage is the theme of this year's festival to be held on Saturday, March 17, beginning with the Sam Perkins Cavalcade from Mt Stuart.
The cavalcade will arrive at Beggs Beach for the start of the Kai Point Coal Raft Race before joining the rest of the events at the Balclutha showgrounds.
Sam Perkins achieved notoriety when he began the false gold-rush to Mataura, and will be the topic of a short play on the banks of the Clutha River.
Festival organiser Jean Proctor said the gold rushes were the reason why Balclutha became the place to cross the river, and remained an important part of the area's heritage.
The festival would also include the Ken Milne Classic triathlon and duathlon, Future Olympics, and the Big River Bikers Cruise.
The day would begin early with the cavalcade leaving Mt Stuart at 7am. The main events would begin at 2pm in the river and at the showgrounds, and entertainment and stalls would be present throughout the day.
Prizegiving for all the events would take place at 4.30pm, and the festival would close with the South Otago Theatrical Society's performance about the gold-rush era.
