Festival Schedule

The 2021 Ridgway RiverFest has been postponed from June to its new date:

Saturday, August 28!

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.

River Races – Change due to August Flows!

Everyone who comes to the Ridgway RiverFest has a chance to get WET and enjoy the river. You can wade in the eddy and along the riverbanks or play on your watercraft in the middle of the river. For those who are more competitive, we have a few river races you can join. The Ridgway RiverFest features:

• Junk of the Unc homemade boat competition
• Rubber Ducky Race (or Rubber Ducky Hunt during extremely high flows)
• Boating races – keep an eye out for more information; this year’s boating events will be modified for the low late-summer flows.

Learn more on our River Races Page.

2019 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

(2021 Schedule coming by July 4, 2021)

ROLLANS PARK | RIDGWAY, CO

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 (boats/floatable crafts vary yearly depending on 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 Race or Hunt

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