The Ridgway RiverFest is a family-friendly celebration of the Uncompahgre River, our watershed and river recreation with all-age river races, live music, local food and drink, kids’ activities, watershed educational and cultural programs. The highlight of the day is the infamous “Junk of the Unc” race in which boaters maneuver their craft, constructed from scrap materials not intended for river travel, through whitewater rapids and others’ junk, trying to keep it all intact for the 0.5 mile finish line.
RiverFest is produced by the Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership, a Ouray County nonprofit watershed group dedicated to helping protect the economic, natural, and scenic values of the Upper Uncompahgre River Watershed.
2019 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
(2020 Schedule coming in early June 2020)
9-10:30 a.m. River race registration
10:00 a.m. Silent Auction bidding begins
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Watershed Education demonstrations including River Bug Science, Renewable Energy display, Fly Fishing instruction, etc.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Kids Eddy activities: snow cones by Voyager Youth Program, face painting, solar oven cookies, and more
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Food by The Ice Box and Ouray Cafe & Steakhouse
Beer by Colorado Boy & Margaritas by Glenda the Blenda
10:30 a.m. River race safety briefing
11:00 a.m. Safety Rope Bag toss contest
11:30 a.m. River races: SUPS, Kayaks and Rafts (please no inner tubes this year due to high flows)
12:30-1:30 p.m. Ute cultural presentation by Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk
2 p.m. Junk of the Unc homemade river-craft race
2:30 p.m. Rubber Ducky Hunt (due to high river flows, we are having a hunt for ducks in the grove with a Grand Prize of a One-Day Jeep Rental with Rockin’ K Jeep Rentals
3-6 p.m. Live Music by Sugar & the Mint
4:30 p.m. River Race Awards Ceremony
5:00 p.m. Silent Auction bidding closes & winners pick up items
6:00 p.m. Music and Festival end
