Another Riversplash! has come and gone, and before local mainstream media (many who don't spend a great deal of time in Downtown Milwaukee, much less live there) drastically overblow Saturday's incidents (a closing time "mob scene" and gun shot to someone's foot), I'd like to provide a residential and neighborhood (yes, Downtown is a neighborhood) perspective on the festival and -- similar to last year -- provide ideas on how to make it better.

For the record, OnMilwaukee.com hosts Riversplash.com, updates the Web site with supplied information and has been a festival sponsor for years.

As I said last year, I wholeheartedly think its time to shake Riversplash! up and continue to clean it up.

At its heart, Riversplash! is a beer festival. It helps provide Water Street bars with needed revenue as they head into a Summer that's usually slower. I have no problem with this. But, the Water Street and Old World 3rd Street areas during the three-day festival (at least after dark) have become mini-Bourbon Street-like parties.

Without massive security and organized settings, things can and did get crazy. Drunk people do drunk things. Stuff happens, I know and I've been there, trust me. But, I believe Riversplash! can do more to make its Water Street and Old World 3rd Street areas cleaner, less crowded and safer. See ideas below.

Even though Riversplash! is a beer festival, it still positions itself as family-friendly. Truth be told, it is. Especially on Sunday and during the days on Friday and Saturday. But, frankly, it's much nicer to walk through Downtown when Riversplash! isn't going on. It's cleaner and void of the mishmash of vendors and seemingly uncoordinated design and look of official festival signs, vendors and maps.

Riversplash! should be about the Milwaukee River. This year, to the organizing groups' (Riverwalk District, Water Street Association and Old World 3rd Street Association) credit canoe rides, fountains (why can't they remain all summer?) and other water-related activities were offered and heavily promoted. If you were on a boat cruising through Riversplash!, it looked great and the weather was nearly perfect.

In the spirit of constant change, creativity and improvement I offer the below three simple suggestions for Riversplash! 2009 (the 20th version of the festival). Please use the talkback feature to agree, disagree, comment and provide ideas of your own.

Kill the music, or most of it.
Milwaukee simply doesn't need another music festival. And Riversplash! is far from being a great one. I was thrilled to see Willy Porter back this year and with all apologies to the booked bands, let's move Riversplash! away from music and focus it on the dining, controlled drinking and the river. Strolling musicians, buskers and smaller music stage areas would suffice.

Figure out what you want to be, be it and design it.
Design matters in everything and Riversplash! lacks a look and feel. As I walked through on Friday I was shocked at the clutter, non-uniform signage of the vendors and the general cheesiness (for lack of a better word) of it all. I'm sure I'll get ripped on for this, but compare Riversplash! and its look to that of Bastille Days. There's no comparison. Bastille is, for the most part, clean, friendly and organized. Riversplash!, not so much. Simply hiring a design firm and stealing a few ideas from Bastille would help greatly. Also, let's de-clutter Pere Marquette Park -- too many vendors there spoiled the setting.

Embrace the Milwaukee River, the fireworks and how about a parade?
This is a holdover from last year, but one idea that needs to be better embraced. For a festival called Riversplash!, it really doesn't "use" the Milwaukee River enough. The festival needs more fountains, gondolas, public floating art, lights and a night lights parade along the Riverwalk and on the Milwaukee River. Let's add games that use the water, too -- like rubber duck races and other contests (and yes, I know they do an annual paddle boat race). Use the river, have fun with it and do the same with the Riverwalk. As for the fireworks, they are awesome. But, let's couple with a summer Downtown lights program (like the Marcus Center) and a parade of boats and lights on the Milwaukee River.

I love Milwaukee's Downtown and expect its festivals and events to be great. For Riversplash! to continue, without additional and similar problems next year, it needs to change.