By Ashley Rowland and Dorie Turner Staff Writers

Despite torrential rain early in the day, Chattanooga’s new waterfront officially opened with a bang Saturday.

About 35,000 people came out for a day of music, dancing and celebration along the banks of the Tennessee River. The night ended with a performance by the Project Bandaloop dancers and fireworks that lit up the sky over the newest developments in downtown Chattanooga. "Many, many years ago, you did not come down to this part of Chattanooga," said Sondra Koch, who grew up here and is moving back to Chattanooga this summer. "They’ve definitely made some good improvements. I’ve always loved the riverfront."

The $450,000 weekendlong celebration marks the end of weeks of openings along the riverfront, all of it part of the city’s 21st Century Waterfront project. The day started with a performance by the Chattanooga Tai Ji Community and ended with music and fireworks.

The $120 million waterfront project, announced in 2002, is the latest investment in Chattanooga’s riverfront development. The city, county and private investors have spent more than $2 billion over the past two decades to spruce up the oncedingy industrial downtown. City leaders believe the investment will spur still more private development that will bring jobs and tourists to the area.

"What we have all done together has been remarkable," former Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker told the crowd gathered at Ross’s Landing on Saturday night. "Thank you for being so bold as to get behind this."

Mr. Corker, who left office last month, lead the three-year effort to redevelop the waterfront using solely private money. Saturday’s partygoers said they are impressed by the changes.

"I think that they’ve made it very friendly to the people that come. There’s lots of places to sit," said Lesa Johnson, of Red Bank, pointing to the grassy "bleachers" on the river’s edge.

Rita L. Jones, of Chattanooga, watched as her son, nieces and nephews splashed in the water that rolls down the steps in The Passage, which honors the area’s American Indian heritage. After Friday’s dedication of The Passage, Ms. Jones said she went home and e-mailed friends who live in Alabama.

"I said, ‘You have to see it,’" she said. "I think it’s wonderful." Only a month had passed since Sarah Rivkin, of Red Bank, visited the riverfront, but she said it looked like a different place.

"I think that all the construction has been hard, but it’s been worth it," she said.

Andy Fitzsimmons staked out a spot on the riverbank with his family early in the afternoon, waiting out the downpour underneath colorful umbrellas. Though he was frustrated with the traffic detours and orange cones that came with the riverfront development, Mr. Fitzsimmons said he enjoys the final product.

"It’s beautiful," he said. "I was kind of angry with all of the construction over months and months, but I guess it was kind of worth it."

Terry and Jamie Selph, of Atlanta, hadn’t visited Chattanooga for several years. Their biggest surprise?

"How much there is to do now," Mrs. Selph said. "We can’t believe everything. It’s awesome."

As people strolled along the new waterfront in the morning, members of Project Bandaloop, a group that mixes modern dance with climbing and rappeling, dangled from the Market Street Bridge to practice the routine they would perform twice later.

Later in the day, Gowri Saiprasad stood with her family watching two hot air balloons floating close to the ground at Riverfront Parkway and Chestnut Street. Ms. Saiprasad, who has lived in the city for two years, said the waterfront is a great place for her to bring her 3-year-old daughter, Pooja, and 10-month-old son, Akash.

"It’s nice," she said. "I like everything, especially for the kids. They really enjoy it."

Rozanne Brown, a volunteer for the Downtown Partnership, said she arrived at 8 a.m. to begin hanging a 200-foot banner from the Market Street Bridge. Hundreds of people had signed and put their handprints on the banner in the past two weeks at riverfront events.

The idea was "to get as many in the community as possible involved in the celebration," she said.

The 21st Century Waterfront Project includes: The Tennessee Aquarium’s Ocean Journey exhibit, featuring saltwater creatures ranging from stingrays to sharks.

The $30 million, freestanding, 10-story expansion includes a Butterfly Garden and took two years to build.

A $20 million addition to the Hunter Museum of American Art and remodeling of its two original buildings.

The contemporary, curved-roof building sits on an 80-foot bluff and adds 23 percent more gallery space, 69 percent more exhibit preparation space and 52 percent more storage space to the museum.

A $3 million expansion and update at the Creative Discovery Museum. The new Rooftop Fun Factory and the renovated Dinosaur Area, Excavation Station and Inventor’s Clubhouse opened in March.

The Cherokee Passage, an underground pedestrian walkway that lets people bypass Riverfront Parkway when walking from downtown to the river. The Passage is at Ross’s Landing, the site of the first forced departures in 1838 for the 1,000-mile march that became known as the Trail of Tears.

Cherokee artists designed the seven discs lining the Passage, which depict images significant to the tribe.

The glass Holmberg Pedestrian Bridge and an incline elevator that link the Hunter to the rest of downtown.

The 160-foot-long City Pier, which features seven 40-foot-tall stainless steel lights.

E-mail Ashley Rowland at arowland@timesfreepress.com E-mail Dorie Turner at dturner@timesfreepress.com