April 12-13, 2008
Hidalgo Falls on the Brazos River
Near Navasota, Texas
The seventh annual Hidalgo Falls River Festival will be held April
12-13, 2008 at the TRPA Hidalgo Falls property on the Brazos River near
Navasota. The festival, which is the year's major fund-raising event to
maintain and improve paddlers' access to the rapid, typically attracts
more than 200 paddlers and spectators. Dealer reps and outfitters will
have boats and gear available for demos on moving water. Based on
past years, many boaters will come as early as Friday to enjoy the nice
play levels on the river and to camp in the upstream and downstream
campgrounds. For a map of the property, click on the Hidalgo Falls website.
Saturday's events will include a 28-mile
downriver race from Koppe Bridge Landing south of College Station to
Hidalgo, a whitewater rodeo, movie presentations by whitewater
expedition kayaker Sam Drevo, and musical performances by Conroe singer Brock Rodarte and Austin paddler and songwriter Danny Schmidt (whose "Adios to Tejasito" you're listening to now).
World-class kayaker Dan Gavere will join Drevo for paddling clinics
throughout the festival. On Sunday there will be a leisurely 3.5-mile
float trip from Hidalgo to Hwy 105, a
whitewater giant slalom race through the islands in the Falls, a head-to-head Boatercross race (depending on water levels), and an auction of paddling related items.
During the downriver race on Saturday, festival goers can demo
different kinds of boats, watch paddling videos, play in the rapids, or attend one of Drevo's clinics.
The festival admission fee is $25 for the entire weekend, $15 for
Sunday only; children under 14 are admitted free (with parent). Registration for the
TCRA downriver race on Saturday ($25) includes admission to the festival site, camping, opportunities to try out different boats and gear, and admission to the Whitewater Movie Festival and music performances on Saturday night by Brock Rodarte and Danny Schmidt. Volunteers who provide at least eight hours of help at the festival are admitted free (contact Patti Carothers patti@paddlesports.com).
You can prepay your admission and race registration fee at the TRPA PayPal website. In the optional "Message to seller" box, be sure to specify "HF and the number of persons over 14 yrs." Be sure to print your confirmation and bring it to the event.
American Canoe Association members should bring their ACA number for a special gift.
Drevo clinics are $25 each. Contact Patti Carothers patti@paddlesports.com) to register for them.
Limited toilet and water facilities are available in the camping areas
at the TRPA property. Motel rooms in Navasota or College Station are hard to get because of Parents Weekend at Texas A&M.
8:30 Drevo clinic on working with adaptive paddlers
10:00 Float trip from Hidalgo to SH 105 (3.5 miles)
10:30 Drevo clinic on river play
12:00 Giant slalom race
[2:00 Boatercross elimination race (depending on water levels)]
4:00 Rodeo/slalom/boatercross awards ceremony
4:30 Auction
Here are some pictures (courtesy: Scott Coultas) of the 2007 slalom
race and whitewater rodeo, and photos of the festival grounds
(courtesy: Andrew Stone and Skip Morris) from the 2006 festival:
Lower
(Main) Campground
Lower
Campground
Slalom Race through
Islands
Whitewater Rodeo
The rodeo gradually
yields to communal surfs
. . . which builds
slowly until . . .
it's time to flood
the zone.
All proceeds benefit the Hidalgo Falls Improvements Fund.
Sponsors:
Texas Rivers Protection Association
SouthWest PaddleSports
Texas Canoe Racing Association
American Canoe Association, Red River Division
liquidlogic Kayaks
Kokatat
Hobie Kayaks
Werner Paddles
Clif Bar
WRSI Helmets
Shred Ready Helmets
Paddler Magazine
Special thanks: Riverfest logo by Ben McCue
For pictures of the first festival in 2001, click here.
