Get your motor running and head out to Riverfront Park in Cottonwood because Thunder Valley Rally presented by the city of Cottonwood’s Parks and Recreation Department returns on Friday, Sept. 19 and Saturday, Sept. 20, with motorcycles and 11 bands taking the stage with headliners country act Chase McDaniel on Friday and Puddle of Mudd bringing their signature brand of rock’n’roll on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
After 30 years on playing and selling over 7 million albums with numerous hits including “Blurry, “Bleed,” ”She Hates Me,” “Control,” “Psycho,” “Drift And Die Drift,” along with “Beautimous,” off their most recent album 2025’s “Kiss The Machine,” Puddle of Mudd Lead Singer Wes Scantlin told the NEWS he never plans on stopping.
“I just love music, and I like writing songs, and I just like being artistic and creative,” Scantlin said. “That’s pretty much it, except the fans are so awesome, and they’re not going to let me like they’re not going to let me stop anytime soon, you know. So there’s always going to be you. Some love for the mudd, and there’s really no end in sight at this point I guess, I guess I’m going to have to go until I drop, man.”
“I can’t wait to see you guys at the Thunder Valley Rally,” Scantlin said.
Well Dressed Wolves will return to the TVR stage on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 3:45 p.m., drummer Gabriel Rhodes said he loves returning to Riverfront Park because it’s a venue holding nostalgic value from childhood visits.
“People call it neo-classic rock, basically classic rock with an updated sheen,” Rhodes said. “We’re three guys obsessed with the music of the ’60s and ’70s, but also children of the ’90s, so that energy comes through. It’s a ’60s vibe with a ’90s attack at maximum volume.”
Parks, Recreation & Library Director Jak Teel emphasized Thunder Valley Rally has grown into the second-largest motorcycle festival in Arizona, behind only Arizona Bike Week.
“Using the park as the venue has given us an atmosphere to build a small city over the weekend,” Teel said. “In Old Town, you’re limited on what you can do considering the space capacity. We outgrew that space when we had George Thorogood out there — the street was legitimately packed from top to bottom. So we needed to expand that space and do it in a place where we can grow, take public safety into mind, and still allow for parking and [the] event atmosphere. Now it’s really more of a music and motorcycle festival than it was in Old Town,” Teel said last year was an outlier due to political factors and was down to “somewhere [around] 1,800,” but typically attendance ranges from 3,000 to 4,000. This year, organizers are hoping for 2,500 to 3,000 people over the weekend.”
“One thing we learned last year is that we had priced ourselves out of our local market,” Teel said. “We more than doubled ticket prices, so this year we brought them back down.”
Teel said the city was introducing a $15 same day ticket for community members who felt priced out, it gives them an affordable option and while it doesn’t allow for reentry it grants the holder access to the full experience.
“We’re also introducing what I’m tentatively calling a ‘Day Breaker Ticket,’” Teel said. “It’s a discounted daytime ticket. On
Friday, if you’re there by 4 p.m., you can get in for $15. On Saturday, if you’re there by 2 p.m.”
Otherwise advance tickets are available for purchase on the TVR website for $25 a one-day ticket or $40 for both days.
“We’ve made some changes to include more daytime activity,” Teel said. “The Progressive Cash [Raffle] Ride, put on by the American Legion Riders, now starts and stops at the event to encourage more on-site activity. We’ve added biker games, we’re working with a vendor who’s bringing in a mechanical bull, and our motorcycle show is moving in front of the stage to highlight it more.”
Proceeds from the ride will go to benefit a local youth sports scholarship, and registration is $20 a rider and riders must be 21 or older.
For questions about the Progressive Cash Raffle Ride call the Legion at (928) 300-2242.
On Saturday, Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. The lovely ladies of the Verde Valley though women from all corners are welcome will also be competing for the title of Miss TVR 2025 at Main Stage Sports Bar at 1 S Main St,
“This year ’s Miss Thunder Valley Rally encompasses both the classic ‘Pin-Up’ as well as the ‘Classic Biker Babe,’” the TVR website reads. “Miss TVR will be given her title on the Main Stage at Riverfront Park before the main act between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. following the competition.”
Alcohol will be available for purchase, including beer and mixed drinks like margaritas. Five different food trucks will be serving barbecue, Mexican food and more.
Riverfront Park will be closed from Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 8 a.m. until Sunday, Sept. 21 at noon for preparation and cleanup.
“We ask the public to not enter the main park area or softball fields during this closure,” a Parks and Recreation press release reads. “We encourage the public to use amenities that will remain open such as the skate park, disc golf, skate rink, and other public parks such as the Cottonwood Kid’s Park and Garrison Park.”
“It’s a wonderful weekend in the middle of September … it’s one of the coolest events in the Verde Valley and a lot of it is just about community,” Rhodes said. “Whether you’re in town, or from out of town, it’s our own little mini Sturgis, and for those reasons alone, you need to come check it out at least once in your life.”
A free shuttle service will be available. For more information and tickets, visit thundervalleyrallyaz.com.
Friday, Sept. 19
2 to 3:15 p.m. — Kicked Out of Cottonwood
3:45 to 4:45 p.m. — Tyler Gummersall
5:15 to 6:15 p.m. — Jed Morrison
6:45 to 8 p.m. — Wheelwright
8:30 to 10 p.m. — Chase McDaniel
Saturday, Sept. 20
1 to 2 p.m. — Wade Buzzard
2:15 to 3:15 p.m. — Buffalo Star
3:45 to 4:45 p.m. — Well Dressed Wolves
5:15 to 6:15 p.m. — Color of Chaos
6:45 to 8 p.m. — Christopher Shayne
8:30 to 10 p.m. — Puddle of Mudd
