Feather River Festival (CA) - September 24 - 26

The 20th Annual Feather River Festival will coincide with the Rock Creek/Tobin scheduled releases on Saturday and Sunday, September 25 and 26, 2010. The fund-raiser event for American Whitewater is hosted by local paddling club, the Chico Paddleheads. The benefit event will be held at "Indian Jim School" campground located two miles upstream from the small town of Tobin and one mile upstream from Tobin Vista. Free camping and ample parking is available.

FRIDAY, September 24th:

New this year! Chico Paddleheads will host a river clean-up on Friday, September 24th in conjunction with the Sierra Nevada Conservancy. Our fun river clean-up will be in the style of a “trash bingo” game with prizes for different items of garbage collected. This is a great event for the whole family!

The clean-up will be from 12 noon to 3:00pm. Meet in front of the Indian Jim School at noon sharp for supplies and shuttle to the clean-up site. Contact Jim Welborn for details.

An awards ceremony and celebration of the River Clean-up will be Friday evening at 6:00 pm. The celebration will be followed immediately by the Film Festival. Participants in the River Clean-up get FREE admission to the Film Festival!!

New this year! Also on Friday from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm, the Chico Paddleheads will host a film festival from the National Paddling Film Festival and local celebrity boaters. Films will include paddling, environmental and educational films. All proceeds will go to American Whitewater.

Cost for the films will be $3.00 per person. However, if you participated in the River Clean-up earlier in the day, admission is FREE.

Beer will be provided by generous donation from Sierra Nevada Brewery.

SATURDAY, September 25th:
Saturday’s events will include a FREE Class II slalom course appropriate for all skill levels, all ages and for kayaks, whitewater canoes, inflatable kayaks (IKs) and stand-up paddleboards.

New this year! There will be a stand-up paddleboard race on a short section of the Class II slalom course.

The slalom race will be located at the Indian Jim School campground and will be held from 12 noon to 3:00 pm. There will also be a free Class V downriver race on the Tobin stretch beginning at Tobin Vista sometime on Saturday afternoon. For both races, inquire at the Indian Jim School for information and signup.

There will be an awesome Benefit River Party Saturday night featuring live music with the Taylor Robertson Blues Band. The food, music and beverages will begin at 6:00 pm and last until midnight. The barbeque dinner will be provided by Chico Paddleheads and the beer will flow through generous donation by Sierra Nevada Brewery.

In support of American Whitewater, our generous sponsors have donated an amazing variety of boating gear and accessories. These items will be part of a silent auction and raffle and proceeds go directly to American Whitewater. Raffle prizes, race prizes and silent auction items will be given at the party Saturday night. Details about raffles, prizes, and race results will be available at the event headquarters.

THE RELEASES:
The Rock Creek/Tobin releases will occur beginning Saturday morning through noon on Sunday. The Rock Creek reach is a Class III run appropriate for rafts, IKs, and kayaks and the Indian Jim campground is the perfect take-out. Below the campground is the Class V Tobin reach followed by the Class IV "Lowbin" reach. There is also flatwater and Class I/II sections available all weekend.

 

Important things to remember about the Festival:  Drinking water is NOT available at the campground, please bring your own. This is a leave-no-trave event so please pack it in. . .pack it out! There have been bear sightings recently so please keep your campsite clean. Bring your own coffee cup for Saturday and Sunday morning coffee service and get a discount on your cup of joe!

Bring the whole family to enjoy, celebrate, and support the work American Whitewater has done to ensure regular, recreational whitewater releases on this amazing, classic California river!!

For more information see: www.chicopaddleheads.org - http://sierranevadaconservancy.ca.gov/ - Lisa Williams 530-892-8923