Participate in one of America's largest and most exciting paddling events!

You will love our NEW course this year. We will start at Schmidt Field in Cincinnati's East End and take out at the Gilday Riverside Park. Special thanks to our partners with the Cincinnati Recreation Commission who manage both sites.

Enjoy the FREE parking, easy boat drop off & pick up and the speedy shuttle bus ride back to your vehicle.

Along the new 8.9 mile course you can explore the mouths of the Licking River and the Mill Creek, paddle under 6 bridges, take in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky skyline, and enjoy the live music and refreshments at the "Halfway Celebration" on the Covington shoreline.

In case of unsafe water conditions, the make-up date will be Saturday, August 13th

The Ohio River Paddlefest is being sponsored and managed this year by Outdoor Adventure Clubs of Greater Cincinnati, a non-profit organization connecting urban teens to nature and the outdoors year round. Paddlefest proceeds will support the work of OACGC in 20 area high schools in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. For more information about Outdoor Adventure Clubs of Greater Cincinnati, go to www.outdooradventureclubs.org or visit us on Facebook

February 1- May 31: "Early Bird" discount registration at www.OhioRiverPaddlefest.org

June 1- August 1: Regular rate on-line registration (no online registration after August 1)

Thursday, August 4: in-Person Registration and packet pick-up at Roads, Rivers, and Trails (118 Main Street, Milford, Ohio 45150) from 4:00-8:00 p.m.

Friday, August 5 - Paddler's Party for a Cause

Registration, boat drop-off, packet pick-up, and camping at Schmidt Recreation Complex (2944 Humbert Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226) from 4:00-9:00 p.m. with live music, food trucks, craft beer, raffle, gear swap adn SUP clinic on the Ohio. Free parking & admission.

Saturday, August 6 - Paddle the Ohio
6:00-7:30 a.m. - Optional early shuttle from take-out at Gilday Riverside Park to Schmidt Recreation Complex put-in (free parking)

6:00-8:30 a.m. - On site registration, packet pick-up, and boat drop off at Schmidt Recreation Complex (free parking)

6:50 a.m. - SUP racer's meeting (mandatory)

7:00-8:45 a.m. - Paddlers put-in and depart

7:15 a.m. - Start of SUP race

8:00 a.m. - Deadline to claim rental boats

8:45 a.m. - Put-in closes

8:00-10:00 a.m. - Half-Way Celebration at Covington Landing (music, refreshments, port-o-lets, water bottle refill, exhibits & Licking River tours)

8:30-10:45 a.m. - Paddling tour of Mill Creek (30 min roundtrip paddle to MSD Barrier Dam)

9:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. - CRC Finish Line Festival at Gilday Riverside Park (music, food trucks, vendors/exhibitors & craft beer)

9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. - Shuttle buses back to Schmidt put-in

9:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. - Boat pick-up at Gilday Riverside Park

11:00 a.m. - SUP Race Award Presentation at Gilday Riverside Park

12:00 a.m. - Deadline for rental boats to take-out at Gilday Riverside Park

12:00 p.m. - Ohio River reopens to barge and boat traffic

1:30 p.m. - Last shuttle bus leaves Gilday Riverside Park for Schmidt

2:00 p.m. - Deadline to pick up boats at Gilday Riverside Park take-out

If you are renting a canoe, kayak or stand up paddle board, you must complete your registration and claim your boat at the registration booth at the Schmidt Recreation Complex NO LATER than 8:00 a.m. on Paddlefest morning, August 6. Please arrive earlier to be sure you do not miss the deadline. Stand up paddle boards used for the SUP race must be claimed by 6:45 a.m.

Rental boats not claimed by the 8:00 a.m. deadline will be rented to waiting list paddlers. Rental boats include paddles and life jackets. Rental boat must arrive at the Finish Line Festival take-out no later than 11:30 a.m. (so they can be loaded and returned by truck to our canoe livery partners for reuse that afternoon).

If you would like to pre-position your vehicle at the Paddlefest take-out at Gilday Riverside Park, just park there early Saturday morning and take a Paddlefest Shuttle Bus back to the put-in at the Schmidt Recreation Complex. Parking at Gilday Riverside Park is FREE. Shuttles run from 6:00-7:30 a.m. to Schmidt and take about 20 minutes, so plan accordingly.

You will need to drop off your boat and complete your registration at Schmidt on Friday, August 5. The Shuttle Bus will NOT be able to transport your canoe or kayak or stand up paddle board.

Shuttle buses will take you back to your vehicle at the Schmidt Recreation Complex starting at 9:30 a.m. The LAST bus will leave from Gilday Riverside Park at 1:30 p.m. Paddlers must show their Paddlefest registration wristband to ride the shuttle bus.

Boat Drop Off: You can drop off your canoe, kayak or stand up paddle board and complete your registration on Friday, August 5 from 4:00-9:00 p.m. and on Saturday, August 6 from 6:00-8:30 a.m. at the Schmidt Recreation Complex (2944 Humbert Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226) in Cincinnati's East End. Parking at Schmidt is FREE. We encourage you to drop off your boat and complete your registration on Friday to avoid the rush Saturday morning.

Please be sure to put your "Boat Check" tag (which you will receive at registration) on your boat and the matching one on your wrist (along with your registration wristband). Outdoor Adventure Clubs volunteers will help you unload your boat and place it on the edge of the parking lot in a secure area close to the boat ramp. The boat storage area will be patrolled Friday evening and overnight by an off duty law enforcement officer.

Boat Pick Up: Outdoor Adventure Clubs volunteers will help you take your canoe or kayak out of the Ohio at the boat ramp at Gilday Riverside Park (3540 Southside Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45204) and place it in our "boat security" are close to the parking lot for pick up. Volunteers will be available to help load your boat onto your vehicle- and will check your "boat check" tags to be sure they match before you leave the parking lot. Deadline to pick up your boat from the take-out is 2:00 p.m.

All paddlers MUST wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket (PFD) at all times when on the Ohio River. Paddlers who do not comply violate the terms of the Ohio River Paddlefest insurance policy and can jeopardize the continuation of the event in the future. It is recommended that each paddler also carry a whistle on your life jacket or in your boat for use in case of an emergency.

Numerous safety boats and safety paddlers will be located along the 8.9 mile route. Many of them will have on yellow or orange vests and signs on their boats and will be displaying Paddlefest Safety Patrol signs so you can easily locate them should you need help. Safety boats will be in communication with medical personnel and can help transport injured paddlers to shore-based medical assistance.

Restrooms and port-o-lets will be available at the put-in at the Schmidt Recreation Complex and at the take-out at Gilday Riverside Park. Water and port-o-lets will be available at the Half Way Celebration on the Covington shore at the confluence of the Licking and the Ohio. The Covington Half Way Celebration with live music, refreshments and exhibits will be open from 8:00-10:00 a.m.

Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses with a strap, water, cash for food and refreshments, shoes, waterproof camera, and an extra shirt. Please make sure you use sunscreen before you get into your boat. Water bottle refills will be available at the Covington Half Way Celebration and at the Finish Line Festival at Gilday Riverside Park.

No alcohol and drugs, weapons, valuables you cannot afford to lose in the Ohio River!

Gilday Riverside Park (3540 Southside Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45204)

9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Shuttle buses back to Schmidt run from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

FREE admission and parking for paddlers and non-paddlers alike
After your paddle, relax and enjoy live music, craft beer, tasty food from our local food trucks and exhibits from vendors and our non-profit partner organizations. Then take the shuttle back to your vehicle at the Schmidt Recreation Complex and return to pick up your boat - or just get on with the rest of the day!

The Ohio River Paddlefest will benefit Outdoor Adventure Clubs of Greater Cincinnati, a non-profit volunteer-led organization connecting urban teens to nature and the outdoors year round. Paddlefest proceeds will support the work of OACGC in 20 area high schools in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. For more information about Outdoor Adventure Clubs of Greater Cincinnati, go to www.outdooradventureclubs.org or visit us on Facebook

Interested in volunteering? Please contact our volunteer coordinator at paddlefest@oacgc.org.

For event-related questions, please email info@ohioriverpaddlefest.org or click the *Contact the Organizers* button on the left-hand side of this page.