On Saturday, Aug. 2, thousands of paddlers will hit the Ohio River for the 24th annual Ohio River Paddlefest. If you want to be one of them, registration is now open.
Cincinnati nonprofit Adventure Crew will host the event again this year.
“We love bringing people together to celebrate nature and the outdoors,” Miriam Wise, director of support and engagement for Adventure Crew, said in a press release. “Paddlefest weekend is a great opportunity to explore the wonderful resources for outdoor lovers in our region, from the mighty Ohio itself to the wealth of organizations that offer or support outdoor recreation here.”
Paddlefest is open to kayaks, canoes and standup paddleboards, as well as participants of all paddling experience levels. Motorized boat traffic will be prohibited on the river during this time, making for smooth paddling.
You can choose between the full nine-mile route from Schmidt Recreation Complex in the East End to Gilday Recreation Complex in Riverside or the Mini, which is 4.5 miles from Schmidt to the Public Landing in downtown Cincinnati. The Finish Line Festival will be held at the end of the nine-mile paddle at Gilday, featuring music, food trucks and beer from MadTree.
Participants can either bring their own boat or sign up to rent one during registration, but the number of available rental boats is limited.
Festivities will kick off Friday, Aug. 1 with the Outdoors for All Expo at the Schmidt Recreation Complex in the East End. More than 70 exhibitors, including local parks, environmentally-minded organizations and adventure experts, will be there. There will also be live music from local bands The Tillers, Jake Speed & the Freddies and Ma Crow & Co.; hands-on demos, raffles, food and beer from MadTree. The expo is free and open to the public.
Money raised through Paddlefest will go toward Adventure Crew’s mission to connect city teens in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky with nature and each other through engaging outdoor adventures.
“Our programs get city teens outside for the activities that Paddlefest attendees love, including hiking, biking, skiing and, of course, paddling,” Wise said. “Every dollar you spend during Paddlefest weekend provides critical funding to help us continue to break down barriers that keep local kids from experiencing the wonderful outdoor recreation opportunities our area has to offer. We truly appreciate the support!”
Paddlefest is still open and is $65 for adults and $25 for youth (17 and under) for the nine-mile paddle and $60 for adults and $20 for youth for the Mini through July 26. After that, the prices go up $10 for adult registrants. Register here.
Schmidt Recreation Complex, 2944 Humbert Ave., East End. More info on Paddlefest: ohioriverpaddlefest.org.
This article appears in Mar 6-19, 2024.
