Ohio River Way Paddlefest

Join us for the 11th anniversary of Paddlefest from June 21-23, 2012!
The Ohio River Way Paddlefest is the largest canoe and kayak paddling event in America and Cincinnati IS the Paddling Capital of the USA. Join us as the weekend kicks off with mini dragon boat sprint races, tree climbing adventures, the "Roots on the River" Music Festival, cardboard boat races, SUP clinics, kayak paddling safety clinics, outdoor gear market and vendor fair, boat demos, gear swap & flea market, adaptive paddling clinic, bid n buy silent auction, exhibitors, kayak fishing tournament, climbing wall, Kids Expo and the Paddle the Ohio River float trip and races on Saturday.

• Free entry to Roots on the River Music Festival Friday, June 22, 2012
  
• Registration entry for Paddle the Ohio events
  
[*]Goody bag (while supplies last)

Schedule at a Glance
To download a copy of the Schedule of Events for Paddlefest 2012, go to www.ohioriverway.org/paddlefest.

Thursday, June 21, 2012
Kid's Outdoor Adventure Expo at Coney Island
9:30 am - 4:30 pm - Free Admission
6201 Kellogg Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45230
Enjoy the largest water safety & outdoor education event for kids in the Midwest. In 2011, the Kids Outdoor Adventure Expo received the first place award from the Ohio Parks and Recreation (OPRA) for Excellence in Environmental Programs. This event is presented by the Hamilton County Parks District, RiverWorks Discovery & AEP River Operations. Kids learn everything from how to catch a fish, life on the river on a tow boat tour, sustainable energy, how to plant a garden, wear a lifejacket, paddle in a raft and much more.

Friday, June 22, 2012
Ohio River Music & Outdoor Festival at Coney Island
9:00 am - 11:30 pm
6201 Kellogg Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45230
Registered paddlers get into "Roots on River" Music Festival is free as part of the registration fee. Enjoy live entertainment, exhibits, boat demos, auction, climbing wall, gear swap & flea market, dragon boat races, kayak fishing tournament, paddling clinics and more.
"Roots on the River" Festival - $5.00 cover charge payable at door for all non-paddlers

2012 "Roots on the River" Band Line Up
Magnolia Mountain
Jake Speed & the Freddies
Tex Schramm & the Radio King Cowboys
The Lewis Brothers
Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band

Saturday, June 23, 2012
Paddle the Ohio & Finish Line Festival
6:30 am - 2:30 pm
The event begins at Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio and ends at the Public Landing in downtown Cincinnati. Paddle or race in the 11th Annual Paddle the Ohio event. Afterwards, enjoy live music by local band Lagniappe, great food and exhibits on Yeatman's Cove at the Finish Line Festival.

Early registration & boat drop off begins on Friday, June 22 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.

• 14 Mile Pro Race
  
• 11 Mile Amateur Race
  
[*]5 Mile Stand Up Paddleboard Race

Race packets may be picked up on Friday evening or Saturday morning before races begin. There is NO DAY OF EVENT RACER REGISTRATION.

All racers must attend a mandatory racer meeting before the races on Saturday, June 23. The meeting will take place at 7:10 am in a designated area near put in area at Coney Island.

Race awards will be given out at 11:15 am in front of the band tent on Yeatman's Cove.

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 at Coney Island is $3.00 on Saturday only and is collected at the gate from Coney Island. If you are planning to drop your boat off to paddle on Friday evening boat drop off is from 10 am - 9 pm. Traffic may be heavy due to RiverBend concert in the evening, so if you can drop off earlier in the day you may avoid heavy traffic.

Finish Line Festival parking is available in the Sawyer Point Lot and in the Sagamore Parking lots located along Mehring Way. Costs are $5.00 and up.

For paddlers who would like to leave their vehicles near the take-out downtown, the Cincinnati Parks Board will open the Sawyer Point parking lot for paddlers to park their vehicles. Five shuttle buses will be located along Mehring Way just outside the Sawyer Point lot take paddlers to Coney Island in time for the paddle. Parking is $5.00 per vehicle payable to parking attendant as you arrive. Please make sure you look for the yellow bus. Buses run from 6:00 am to 8 am ONLY and will shuttle back and forth, so please be patient. The ride to Coney Island is approximately twenty minutes, so please plan accordingly. All parking spaces are on a first come first serve basis.

Fifteen shuttle buses will be parked at the top of the Public Landing on Mehring Way to shuttle paddlers back to their vehicles at Coney Island. Buses run from 10:30 am until 2:45 pm. As buses fill they leave to go to Coney Island. Paddlers will be dropped off in the Coney Island Gate 1 Lot where paddler cars are parked.

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).

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.

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

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. 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.

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).

(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.

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.

For complete details about Paddlefest 2012, please visit the www.ohioriverway.org/paddlefest website.

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.

Email: info@ohioriverway.org
Web: www.ohioriverway.org/paddlefest

All rental boats must be picked up by 8:00 am. Boats will be released after 8:15 am to waiting list paddlers. All boats must be returned to Public Landing 11:30 am.

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.