PORT NECHES — Five days of fun filled with carnival rides, boat races, midway food and live entertainment starts Wednesday with the opening day of Port Neches RiverFest.

Debbie Plaia, executive director of the Port Neches Chamber of Commerce, said this year’s festival will be wonderful.

Some of the fun started this past weekend with the Two-Day Fishing Tournament, Fun Run and Smoke of the Water Barbecue contest.

“Tomorrow (Wednesday) we have Faith and Family Night with Micah Tyler,” Plaia said. “Thursday we have Curse and the Cure, Pea Patch Orchestra and Pug Johnson. Friday is David Joel, William Clark Green and Whiskey Myers. Saturday is Richard LeBouef and Hayes Carll. And the boat races stat Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon.”

There’s plenty to do during the festival such as the car show, “which always has great attendance.”

“And we are looking forward to the Veterans Parade on Saturday at 11 a.m.,” she said. “There are a lot of family things going on.”

On Tuesday, the Mighty Thomas Carnival folks were busy setting up rides and games. Margaret Conway was one of the folks with Midwest Concessions that runs the “duck pond” game.

“I’ve been in the business 37 years. I was born in the business,” Conway said. The widow of a U.S. Marine Vietnam veteran who died four years ago from Agent Orange exposure, Conway wears a small cylindrical pendent with her husband’s ashes. Conway is a California native on the road from January through October.

Port Neches RiverFest runs from May 2-6 at Port Neches Riverfront Park.