newsminer.com

It’s a little bit later than usual, but the Nenana River Festival, the longest-running whitewater event in Alaska, is still afloat.

This year’s festival, which features a downriver race and a freestyle rodeo, will be held Aug. 9 on the Nenana River in Denali Park. It marks the 32nd annual running of the festival, which attracts paddlers from around the state.

The downriver race begins at noon, followed by the freestyle rodeo at 3 p.m. and a barbecue at Otto Lake at 6:30 p.m.

The festival typically is held in mid-July, but is later this year because of a change in leadership. Longtime organizer Kris Capps stepped down and local paddler Allan Warren took her place.

“I know how hard Kris and Bill ‘Buckwheat’ Overington (of Denali Outdoor Center) have worked over the years to keep it going; it just seemed like a shame to let it go,” Warren said. “I know how important it is to the paddling community.”

This year’s festival will be a charity event for Athletes With a Cause, which is sponsored by Warren’s Web site, www.lifemorenatural.com.

Proceeds from the festival will help purchase sports equipment to donate to an adaptive sports program for the disabled. Warren is hoping to raise about $500 through a silent auction at the post-race barbecue to purchase a sit-ski for skiers who don’t have the use of their legs.

Competitors can register for the festival online at denalioutdoorcenter.com or at their riverside office in Denali Park on the day of the event.

Sponsors for the event include: Denali Salmon Bake, Denali Outdoor Center, Denali Mountain Works, Silver Gulch brewery, Moose’s Tooth brewery, Beaver Sports, Mountain Sports, Nomadic Stars and www.lifemorenatural.com.