The fourth annual Mamquam River Whitewater Festival is set for its biggest event ever, with the festival stretching from one to two days for the first time in its existence.
Organizer Tyson Bell expects this year to be a memorable one for the festival, which takes place on June 25 and 26.
"I think the festival is a lot bigger and better this year," he said. "It should make for a more entertaining day for both racers and spectators."
Bell said that last year's event, which took place in a single day, attracted about 40 paddlers. He hopes for at least 60-80 for this year's two-day event.
The festival will kick off on Saturday (June 25) at 10 a.m., with paddlers hitting the water and having the opportunity to take part in several different clinics on the water. Paddlers can take part in slalom, freestyle and throw bag competition events, while on the land there will be a silent auction, barbecue and a foam boat building experience for children.
Races continue throughout the afternoon with a slalom race going down at 1 p.m. and the children's finished foam boats will battle it out against each other as they race downriver. Prizes will be then be given to the race winners, with Day 1 continuing later that night at the Howe Sound Brew Pub with a fundraiser featuring the music of DJ Riddem Fernandez and Tessa Amy starting at 9 p.m. A $10 donation to attend the night of dancing helps support the Mamquam River Access Society. Door prizes and a paddling movie to go along with the music highlight the Saturday night event.
The festival continues on Sunday (June 26) featuring paddle cross races and another opportunity for the kids to build and test out their foam boats. The paddle cross race finals take place at 1 p.m., with a foam boat competition starting at 3 p.m. Race results and the silent auction will conclude the festival, with prizes being handed out at 4 p.m.
The public is invited to visit the site during the festival, with all on-land activities completely free. A free shuttle service will be available for the public who are asked to park their vehicles before the powerhouse gate. The whitewater site can be found approximately five kilometres down the Mamquam Forest Service Road, downriver from the power plant.
Bell said the event is crowd friendly, with a rebuilt road and trail access to the site improved last year.
"It's really a great location for people to come and check things out," he said. "We've improved the site to make it more accessible and it's really well maintained."
Tickets are $25 for one day or $45 for a two-day pass and are available online at www.squamishpaddlingclub.com.
