River Fest this weekend

The Gull River Festival


For More Information on Minden Wildwater Preserve

info link: http://www.theriverfest.ca/
date: Friday, June 27, 2008 to Sunday, June 29, 2008
type: other,play,race
difficulty: novice
accommodation: camp

Riverfest 2008 is Haliburton County’s most popular music, arts and kayaking festival. The event is held annually over the Canada Day weekend in the Minden Wildwater Preserve on the Gull River in Minden, Ontario, Canada. Riverfest 2008 promotes FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!

Make plans now to attend Riverfest 2008, June 27-29, 2008. Book your campsite today. New acts, vendors and attractions will be added to the website as they are confirmed.

Check back with us regularly for new information!

Minden Wild Water Preserve
The Town of Minden is about 2.5 hrs. north east of Toronto on highway 35. The Preserve is located approximately 7 kilometers north east of Minden on the Gull River via Country Rd. 20 (Horseshoe Lake Rd.) Turn South onto Bethelchurch Road and cross the single lane stone bridge.
The Minden Wild Water Preserve is privately owned and operated by Whitewater Ontario for the use of its members.
The Preserves 100 acres include:

• Well drained campsites with picnic tables
• Large and small picnic shelters
• Indoor and outdoor washroom facilities
• Hot and cold running water
• Campers room with clothes dryer
• Trails for hiking, biking or cross country skiing

Parking is available on the south side of County Road #20. There is a large parking lot on the north side of County Rd #20 and at the Training Centre. Do not park on shoulder of County Rd.#20 or on Horseshoe Lake Road.

Whitewater Ontario
Paddlers of course will be familiar with the following events, for the non paddling music fans make sure to get down to the river and see at least one of these events, you’ll be amazed at the entertainment value and the advanced skills of the paddlers participating. If you are really daring bring some water clothing and we’ll do our best to get you into a boat in the nearby lake area.

On Saturday morning the annual Andrew Westlake Memorial Slalom Race will be held. This is a traditional slalom race using the entire run of the river. An excellent spectator event and a top quality race with many of the current Canadian team racers and Olympic hopefuls.

Saturday afternoon on the upper section of the Gull river Boatwerks will host the Boatercross Downriver Race. This is open to all festival participants. Think motocross on the water, head to head kayakers racing from start to finish in heats until only one is left. Elimination racing, side by side in Class 4 whitewater, very exciting to watch, even more exciting if you are in one of the boats.

Sunday all day there will be workshops and clinics for beginning to advanced paddlers. Festival goers are encouraged to join one of these sessions to learn first strokes or improve existing skills. Whitewater Ontario will make our fleet of kayaks and gear available for a first time experience to folks who don’t own gear. On the other end of the spectrum, if you want to buff up some serious creeking or river running skills the Gull and these sessions could be the place.

Sunday Afternoon Mountain Surf Paddling Gear will host a freestyle / rodeo event. As yet the details aren’t confirmed but typically this is a surf based competition held at Earl’s wave in the upper river area. This event is often referred to the Average Joe and Jane Rodeo, in other words no pros. Maybe if enough of them are present we’ll see a Pro class. We’ll see what turns up this is always a fun event with some of the most impressive kayak skills being demonstrated.

Whitewater Ontario will also provide a food concession during the day Saturday consisting of barbecue foods, there will be a few healthy and vegetarian choices also.

Saturday though out the day and early evening there will be commemorative events and race results.

This is the Twenty Eighth year of operation of this amazing whitewater facility and we’re planning to honour the folks who started the thing and have kept it going over those years.

We are currently working on more activities for RiverFest ‘08. Please check back for more details as we confirm them.