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Ohio River Way Paddlefest

in United States at Coney Island Park

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  • 8.2 Mile Float Trip

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  • 11 Mile Amateur Race

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  • 14 Mile Pro Race

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  • Kayak Fishing Tournament

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  • Paddlefest Volunteer - 8.2 Mile Float Trip

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Ohio River Way Paddlefest 2011

Join us for the 10th anniversary of Paddlefest from June 23-25, 2011!
The Ohio River Way Paddlefest is the largest canoe and kayak paddling event in the Midwest. The weekend events feature ACA safety clinics, outdoor gear market, bid n buy silent auction, exhibitors, fishing tournament, climbing wall, Kid's Expo and the paddle down the Ohio River on Saturday.

Event Schedule

Schedule at a Glance
Please go to www.ohioriverway.org/paddlefest website to download a copy of the complete weekend schedule.

Thursday, June 23
Kids Outdoor Adventure Expo
9:30 am - 4:30 pm, Free Admission
Two sessions - 9:30-12:30 pm & 1:30 - 4:30 pm
Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45230
Largest water safety & nature education event for kids in the Midwest presented by Hamilton County Park District & RiverWorks Discovery with support from General Electric, Duke Energy, Nippert Foundation, My Y & Cincy After Schools.

Friday, June 24
Ohio River Music & Outdoor Festival
9:00 am - Midnight, Free Admission ($3.00 per vehicle for parking)
Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45230
Live music, food, beer, vendors, Team River Runner on Lake Como, Kayak fishing tournament presented by Northern Kentucky Fly Fishers, ACA Smart Start Kayak Clinics, Hamilton County Park District Climbing Wall, Paddlefest Outdoor Market & Vendor Fair presented by Mountain Khaki's, silent auction, Gear Swap & Flea Market, Paddler Workshops, Cardboard boat races & more.

Saturday, June 25
10th Anniversary of "Paddle the Ohio"
Start at Coney Island (Races begin at 7:40 am, Float Trip departs at 8:45 am)
Gold Star Chili Finish Line Festival
Yeatman's Cove (next to the Cincinnati Public Landing)
10:30 am - 2:30 pm
801 East Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Live music, food, beer, vendors, raffle drawings, racer and poker run awards.

Early Registration & Boat Drop Off

Early registration & boat drop off begins on Friday, June 24 from 10:00 am- 9 pm.
Day of event registration begins at 6:30 am on Saturday.

Registration opens at 10 am on Friday and ends at 9 pm. At this time you may check in and get your wristband, boat tags, goody bag, and t-shirt if you ordered one. If you have not registered or need to sign your waiver you can do this at this time. If you pre-registered online and filled out the waiver online you will NOT need to sign a waiver at registration. Registration re-opens on Saturday at 6:30 am and closes at 9 am.

Directions

From Dayton, Ohio
Merge onto I-75 South. Take the exit on the left toward I-71 North/US-50 East. Keep right at the fork, follow the signs for I-471 South/I-71 North/US-50 East/Downtown and merge onto I-71 North/US-50 East. Continue to follow US-50 East. Take a slight right at Bains Street. Take a slight left at Eastern Avenue. Continue onto Kellogg Avenue to Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Avenue on your right. Enter through Gate 1.

From Columbus, Ohio
Take I-70 West/I-71 South ramp to Dayton/Cincinnati. Merge onto OH-315 South. Continue on I-71 South. Take exit 9 for Red Bank Rd. toward Fairfax. Merge onto Red Bank Expressway. Continue on Red Bank Road. Turn left onto the US-50 West ramp to Cincinnati; merge onto Columbia Parkway/US 50. Exit on Eastern Avenue/US 50 TRUCK toward OH-32/OH-125/OH-561. Turn left at Carrel Street. Turn left at Kellogg Avenue and continue to Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Avenue on your right. Enter through Gate 1.

From Indianapolis, Indiana
Take Old US-421 South; continue on I-74 East (entering Ohio). Take the exit onto I-75 South/US 52 East toward Lexington; continue to follow I-75 South. Take the exit on the left toward I-71 North/US-50 East. Keep right at the fork; follow signs for I-471 South/I-71 North/US-50 East/Downtown and merge onto I-71 North/US-50 east continue to follow US-50 east. Take a slight right at Bains Street, take a slight left at Eastern Avenue and continue onto Kellogg Avenue to Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Avenue on your right. Enter through Gate 1.

From Louisville, Kentucky
Take 1-64 East to exit 6 to merge onto 1-71 North toward Cincinnati. Take the exit onto I-71 North toward Cincinnati; take the exit onto I-71 North/I-75 North. Take exit 185 to merge onto I-275 East (entering Ohio). Take exit 72 for Kellogg Avenue/US-52 west. Turn left at Kellogg Avenue/US-52. Follow to to Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Avenue on your right. Enter through Gate 1.

From Lexington, Kentucky
Take I-64 West/I-75 North via the ramp to Louisville/Cincinnati. Take the exit onto I-75 North toward Georgetown/Cincinnati. Take exit 185 to merge onto I-275 East (entering Ohio). Take exit 72 for Kellogg Avenue/US 52. Follow to to Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Avenue on your right. Enter through Gate 1.

Directions from Coney Island to the Public Landing in Cincinnati
Head northwest on Kellogg Avenue toward Anchorage Road, take a slight left at Eastern Avenue. Continue on East Pete Rose Way. Turn left at East Mehring Way. Turn left at Public Landing. Parking is available in the East Garage and at Sawyer Point for around $5.00.

Parking (Coney Island & Sawyer Point Shuttle)

Parking at Coney Island this year is $3.00 per vehicle - or $5.00 for a parking pass for both Friday AND Saturday. This is for anyone who attends any part of the event on Friday or Saturday.

New this year…If you would like to pre position your vehicle near the take-out downtown, the Cincinnati Recreation Commission will open their Sawyer Point parking lot for paddlers to park their vehicles early Saturday morning. A shuttle (yellow bus) provided courtesy of Paddlefest will transport you (no boats) to Coney Island in time to begin the 8.2 mile paddle on the river. You can catch the shuttle (free) on Pete Rose Way by the front entrance to the Sawyer Point parking lot from 6:45 am-8:00 am ONLY. Parking is $3.00 per vehicle. If you have a boat, you must drop it off on Friday or early Saturday morning at Coney before parking your vehicle at the Sawyer Point parking lot.

Shuttle Buses

Shuttle buses (10) will take you from the Public Landing back to your vehicle at Coney Island beginning at 10:30 am. The last bus will leave from the Public Landing at 2:45 pm. Buses will board on Mehring Way by the entrance to the Public Landing and will depart when full. Once you return from Coney Island with your vehicle, you will pick up your boat on the Public Landing.

Boat Take Out & Boat Pick Up

Volunteers will assist you as you get out of your boat and help you move it to the "Boat Security" area on the Public Landing. When you return with your vehicle to pick up your boat, a volunteer will check your boat tag on your wrist with the boat tag on your boat to make sure you have the correct boat. If you need help volunteers are there to assist and to help you load your boat onto your vehicle. Please follow the parking crew & police officers instructions when exiting through the Broadway Tunnel (under the Paddlewheel Monument).

Paddler Safety

All paddlers MUST wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket (PFD) at all times while on the water. Paddlers who do not comply violate of the terms of our insurance and could jeopardize our ability to continue the event. It is highly recommended that each paddler have a whistle on or in your life jacket in the case of an emergency. A limited number of whistles will be available at registration and are free to anyone who needs one.

There will be numerous safety boats and safety paddlers on the river. Some of these paddlers will be in yellow vests with numbers on their backs and some will have signs on their boats. If you are in need of help please look for one of these boaters. All power boats along the route can communicate with each other and with medical personnel. Please feel free to stop along the way at any of the local marinas if you feel you cannot make it. Make sure you have a telephone number to call so someone can come to get you.

The Ohio River will be closed to barge and power boat traffic from 8:00 am till 12 noon during our paddle.

Canoe & Kayak Rental

If you have reserved a rental canoe or kayak, you may pick up your boat claim tag when you check in. (All kayaks are single person kayaks and canoes can hold two adults and two children.)You will be given a colored boat tag with the name of the livery you will be renting from on the tag. Take the tag to the livery and pick up your boat, life jacket and paddle. When you finish the paddle you will leave your boat, paddles & life jackets at the Public Landing Rental Take Out area behind the ShowBoat Majestic.

2nd Annual Paddlefest Poker Run

If you registered for the Poker Run, you may pick up your Paddlefest Poker Run Score Card, instructions and map at registration. You will pick up your first card at registration along with other registration materials. If you did not register in advance for this fun new activity, you can do so when you complete your registration on Friday or Saturday morning ($10.00 per hand) Please note that you must be registered for the 8.2 Mile Paddlefest Float Trip in order to participate in the Paddlefest Poker Run.

Here is how the Poker Run works. As you paddle down stream, you will stop at three separate locations. At each location a Paddlefest volunteer will hand you a playing card. After handing you the card the volunteer they will stamp your Official Paddlefest Poker Run score card with the card you have received. You will complete this step at each stop. The stops include: ( #2 Ohio River Launch Club, #3 Schmidt Field & #4 Manhattan Harbor). Make sure you look for the numbered Poker Run signs to help identify your stops. The final stop is at the #5 Paddlefest Poker Run Check in booth located in the Gold Star Chili Finish Line Festival. There you will receive your last card and turn in your hand(s). You may also purchase up to three new cards per hand at this time. Additional cards are $1.00 each. All Poker Run hand(s) must be turned into the Poker Run Check in booth located in the Ohio River Way between 11:00 am to 12:30 pm to be considered for any prizes.

What to Bring and What NOT to Bring

What to Bring:
Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses with strap, water, cash for food and refreshment, shoes, waterproof camera, shirt, etc. Please make sure you are well prepared with your sunscreen on before you leave and plenty of water.

What NOT to Bring:
Alcohol, drugs, weapons, valuables you can't afford to loose in the Ohio

Restrooms & Water

Port-o-lets will be located at the Coney Island put-in and at the top of the Public Landing and in Yeatman's Cove. One stop along the way will be the Schmidt Field Pit Stop where they will also have restrooms for paddlers to use. This is also a Poker Run stop as well. The Howard House Band will play from 9:30 am to 11:30 am at the Schmidt Field Pit Stop to welcome paddlers as they stop to use the facilities and fill water bottles. Cincinnati Water Works tap water will be available at all three locations to refill your water bottle.

Boat Take Out & Boat Pick Up

Volunteers will assist you as you get out of your boat and help you move it to the "Boat Security" area on the Public Landing. When you return with your vehicle to pick up your boat, a volunteer will check your boat tag on your wrist with the boat tag on your boat to make sure you have the correct boat. If you need help volunteers are there to assist and to help you load your boat onto your vehicle. Please follow the parking crew & police officers instructions when exiting through the Broadway Tunnel (under the Paddlewheel Monument).

Paddlefest Raffle

* C.F. Payne framed original artwork for 2011 Paddlefest 10th anniversary poster - mixed media piece
* Bike donated from Reser Bicycle Outfitters
* Paddling trip donated from Thaxton's Southfork Canoe Trails-

Drawing to be held at 12:30 pm at the Gold Star Chili Finish Line Festival. (Need not be present to win.)

Tickets cost $3.00 each or 4/$10.00.

ACA Smart Start Clinics at Paddlefest

Friday, June 24 only

Sponsored by the Hamilton County Park District

Join the Hamilton County Park District's A.C.A. kayak instructors for a one-hour paddle skill training course on Lake Como at Coney Island with a certified American Canoe Association instructor. All paddlers will learn boat maneuvering and basic paddle strokes during the session and receive an instructional book from the US Sail & Power Squadron about safe paddling. This is an excellent opportunity to learn the correct way to paddle before the big event on Saturday. Sessions are limited to 10 paddlers per class.
Session times are as follows:

10:00 - Adult session
11:30 am - *Kid's session
1:00 pm - *Kid's session
2:30 pm - Adult session
4:00 pm - Adult session

All equipment will be provided and cost is only $10.00 per paddler.

*The 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. clinics are for kids ages 11 to 15; they must be accompanied by an adult who will remain on shore during the clinic.

Gold Star Chili Finish Line Festival

(10:30 am - 2:30 pm on Yeatman's Cove)
Enjoy food, refreshments, vendors and live music as you rest from your paddle down the Ohio. Check out the vendors, award & raffle winners and watch the rest of the paddlers make their way downstream. This is also a perfect opportunity to take a few photos to enter into the Paddlefest Photo Contest.

The presentation of Racer Awards will begin at 11:15 am. The raffle winners will be drawn at 12:15 pm and the Poker Run winner will be announced at about 12:30 pm by Flag pole #1 near the band.

Benefiting

All proceeds from the Ohio River Way Paddlefest events benefit the planning of the Kid's Outdoor Adventure Expo, Ohio River Trail and the Ohio River Water Trail Guide.

Volunteers

Paddlefest is always in need of volunteers. Please go to the Volunteer tab at www.ohioriverway.org/paddlefest/ and click on it and fill out our online volunteer form. Please check what you are interested in doing for the event and someone will get back with you.

Questions?

Paddlefest Hotline: 513-588-6936
Email: info@ohioriverway.org
Web: www.ohioriverway.org/paddlefest


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