The Reno River Festival is back, but it looks a lot different without the kayak white water competition. The event took place Saturday and Sunday, May 7-8, at Wingfield Park.
Organizers of the event explained the format change on the event website:
“A survey of local kayakers and professional whitewater athletes says change in baseflows, predicted low CFS, and the overall deterioration of the Truckee River Whitewater Park has made it unsuitable for whitewater competitions. The Reno River Festival has brought these concerns to the attention of the City of Reno. The city tells us that due to increasing costs and staff restraints, there is no definitive timeline to address the maintenance issues at the whitewater park.”
The event instead focused on live music and this year offered a special Mother’s Day package that included food, entry and professional photos of mom at the event.
The River Festival has a $10 entry fee, some of which goes to support Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, the Nevada Humane Society and the High Fives Foundation.
While the river may not have been the focus as it has been at past events, attendance remained high.
