Activities

Last year’s Riverkeeper Festival included events such as:

• Nature Walk
• Live Music by local and regional acts
• Be a Riverkeeper! Explore the river, learn about critters in the creek, and meet the Watauga Riverkeeper team
• A casting clinic by Foscoe Fishing
• A no-hands watermelon eating contest
• A raffle drawing with amazing prizes
• Shows by Mandy the Mayfly and the Stream Dr.
• A Passport Walk for kids featuring field games like a recycling relay, arts & crafts tent and a make your own costume booth
• Featured local foods
• Make-your-own trail mix
• And more!

Watauga River & Valle Crucis Park photos by Megan Naylor

The 2nd Annual Watauga Riverkeeper Festival
Saturday, June 4, 2011
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (rain or shine)
Valle Crucis Community Park

Sponsored by Appalachian Voices and the Upper Watauga Riverkeeper

About the Festival

The Appalachian Mountains are some of the oldest and most biodiverse in the world. Freshwater streams like our own Watauga River have more species of salamanders, crayfish, and freshwater mussels than anywhere else on the planet!

At Appalachian Voices, we are committed to protecting the land, air, and water of the central and southern Appalachians. This summer, we want to show people what a wonderful resource we have in our own community, and why we should protect it.

Through the Watauga Riverkeeper Festival, we want people to recognize the important link between outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship. The event will include games and activities for children and families, including nature walks, fly fishing demonstrations, relay races, field games, and (if the water level is adequate) a float down the Watauga River. The goal of the festival is to provide a place for people to come celebrate, have fun, and enjoy the outdoors.

Our Partners

We are excited to be partnering with the following businesses:

Celebrate the River’s Creatures!

Be sure to check out the cool river critters on the Front Porch Blog!

The Bog Turtle: A Shy Little Guy

Dragonfly Nymph: Nature’s Jet Ski

Hellbender: Sasquatch of the Salamanders