Since 1993, it has sat next to the Blue River, right in the middle of town. Over those 30 years, world-class musicians, rock ‘n’ roll bands, wedding parties, nonprofits, politicians, filmmakers, community members and visitors have been welcomed into its spaces. The National Repertory Orchestra has called it home since it was built. On Friday, July 28, the Riverwalk Center will get a chance to be celebrated during the Riverwalk 30 Anniversary Carnival.

“The Riverwalk 30 Anniversary Carnival captures everything wonderful about the Riverwalk Center: world-class talent from every corner of the globe has graced its stage, and it serves as a true pillar of our community,” said Tamara Nuzzaci Park, president and CEO of Breck Create in a news release. “So much fun has been had here, and it’s a giant point of pride for our organization to manage it for the Town of Breckenridge.”

The center’s origins can be traced to a temporary event space in the same location of the current Riverwalk Center. A temporary tent was maintained by local volunteers, and it hosted a summer chamber music festival put on by the Breckenridge Music Institute, according to the news release. In the early 1990s — after a restoration project helped beautify and restore the section of the Blue River that ran through downtown Breckenridge, and with plans to include a walkway along the water, a need for an anchoring space for the new riverfront and the then-Keystone headquartered National Repertory Orchestra looking to find a new home — plans emerged for a performance space that could offer a new home for the orchestra and a welcoming venue for a variety of purposes.

By 1993, the Riverwalk Center had arrived. It featured seating for 750 patrons, an outdoor terrace, plenty of facilities for performers and office staff, and, through 2007, a tent roof that was put up and taken down each spring and fall. The tent, which was manufactured by the same company that constructed the roof of Denver International Airport, lasted for 15 seasons but was eventually replaced with a permanent roof and walls in time for the 2008 season.

The 15 seasons since have seen additional maintenance and improvements, including some somewhat more significant enhancements based on a 2012 study that aimed to increase the audience experience and available uses for the space, according to the Breck Create release. Now in its 30th summer hosting events, the center continues to live up to its goal of inviting residents and visitors alike to enjoy something special in the heart of the mountains.

“It is organically situated right in the center of Breckenridge, and such a welcoming place. Even for audiences not accustomed to attending concerts, the space invites you in,” said National Repertory Orchestra music director Michael Stern in a June email interview. “… It truly underlines the idea that music, culture, and the arts should be as natural a part of our lives as nature or anything else in the world around us — as it should be!”

Friday’s celebration begins at 6 p.m. for VIP ticket holders with a carnival on the center’s lawn that is set to include an open bar, fair games, a dinner buffet and live music. Breckenridge Mayor Eric Mamula will be sitting in a dunk tank during the carnival. Doors will open for general admission at 7:30 p.m., and Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel will be performing following a few remarks starting at 8 p.m.

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Tickets can be bought online at BreckCreate.org and cost $50 for general admission and $250 for the VIP package, which also includes reserved seating for the concert. The Riverwalk Center is located at 150 W. Adams Ave. in Breckenridge.