Parkersburg Paddlefest

113 Ann Street,Parkersburg WV 26101

18 September, 2021

Description

Parkersburg Paddlefest is a fun-filled three-day festival dedicated to people-powered watercraft Paddlefest weekend starts off on Friday night (Sept. 17th) at 8 p.m. with a lighted paddle up the Little Kanawha River from Point Park. Electric lights and glow sticks illuminate the group on this opening night event. The main event on Saturday (Sept. 18th) 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., provides a unique opportunity to paddle a three-mile stretch of the Ohio River, from Point Park downriver to Blennerhassett Island and back, while commercial traffic is restricted on the Ohio River. No worries about being run over by barges. Safety watercraft will be on hand to slow private motorized craft passing through. On Blennerhassett Island, the staff and volunteers at Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park will be welcoming Paddlefest participants to tours of the Blennerhassett Mansion, horse-drawn wagon rides, and special events and activities. (an additional fee) Sunday (Sept 19th),11 a.m. - Before heading back home, the festival offers a farewell lake paddling excursion on North Bend State Park Lake. The lake, located about 40 minutes east of Parkersburg in beautiful North Bend State Park, is only 17 years old and still has lots of standing trees in the water which have become habitat for what is arguably the largest congregation of Red-headed woodpeckers in the United States. It offers a scenic and serene final paddling trip with which to end a wonderfully wet weekend!