Harpeth Conservancy’s River Swing Raises More Than $680,000 for Clean Water and Healthy Rivers Across Tennessee

This article was written by Harpeth Conservancy.

Harpeth Conservancy’s 23rd annual River Swing, presented by AllianceBernstein and FarmVet, joined by nearly 70 corporate sponsors, brought 900 guests together at River Circle Farm in Franklin on Sept. 19, raising more than $680,000 to support the organization’s work to protect clean water and healthy rivers across Tennessee.

River Swing began in 2003 as the “Harpeth Hootenanny” and has grown into Harpeth Conservancy’s signature fall fundraiser. Over more than two decades, the event has now surpassed $5 million raised in support of clean water and healthy rivers across Tennessee.

“For 23 years, River Swing has been Harpeth Conservancy’s flagship fundraising event, where river conservation and celebration come together. This year, we were honored to celebrate an incredible milestone: more than $5 million raised over the life of the event to support clean water and healthy rivers across Tennessee,” said Harpeth Conservancy CEO Grace Stranch.

The evening unfolded beneath sweeping tents across River Circle Farm, where guests gathered for cocktails with music from Wily, dinner, a silent auction and a headlining performance by The Jack Wharff Band, followed by a late-night party with DJ J. Howard. River Swing’s silent auction generated just under $70,000 toward the event’s overall fundraising total.

A special focus of the evening was Tennessee’s Duck River, the most biologically diverse river in North America and a major focus of Harpeth Conservancy’s ongoing conservation work. From the stage, CEO Grace Stranch also highlighted media partner Nashville PBS and its documentary Down the Duck, which has helped deepen the public’s connection to the Duck River watershed by bringing its beauty, biodiversity and conservation story to audiences across Tennessee.

The event was once again hosted at River Circle Farm by Christian Currey, River Swing co-chair and longtime Harpeth Conservancy supporter, alongside new co-chairs Betsy Taylor and Elena Graves.

“I’m proud to open River Circle Farm once again for River Swing,” Currey shared. “This land and this river are part of who we are, and it means a lot to welcome friends, neighbors, and supporters here to celebrate and invest in protecting Tennessee’s waterways.”