Final preparations for the 27th Whitewater Festival were being made Friday morning as Coosa River Paddling Club founder Lonnie Carden and current president Michael Strickland — and a host of volunteers — were busy erecting scaffolding that will serve as the viewing stand for Saturday’s event.
“We are going to have 80-100 people competing and at least a thousand people on the river over the weekend,” said Carden, who also owns Southern Trails/The Coosa Outdoor Center.
Carden, and Chris Carter, owner of Coosa River Adventures, are also offering specials to encourage paddlers to join the two-day celebration.
The highlights of the festival — playboating through Moccasin Gap and the revival of the Big Air Ramp — are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday respectively.
“It’s a bit of a rush,” said Joe Miller of Wetumpka after taking his second ride down the ramp. “I’m just having fun. The ramp is fun, it launches you pretty far.”
Aside from the two most prominent events, others are scattered throughout the weekend.
Kayaker-X, a sit-on-top race around Moccasin Gap, and the first Watermelon Crawl are two of the events that highlight Saturday’s festivities.
A fun float is scheduled for Sunday.
For additional information or a schedule of the weekend’s events, visit www.coosariverwhitewaterfestival.com