Amherst, Massachusetts
Sunday May 2nd, from 12pm-2pm
Come support critical river conservation efforts by attending the free festivities on May 2. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy Tom Neilson and Laura Meyer live in concert at Groff Park in Amherst. Children's activities will include live fish displays, environmental booths, face painting, and our Buck-a-Duck Race!
The Fort River Guided Canoe Trip begins at 10am from Kiwanas Park and arrives at Groff Park in time for the concert. You must preregister to paddle with us. All activities are free, though a donation for canoe use is greatly appreciated. For more information go to http://www.fortriverfestival.com/ or contact us directly at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Brought to you by Rushing Rivers Institute, the Hitchcock Center, Morse Hill Outdoor Education Center, and BK Riverfish LLC.
Paddle and Picnic at the Third Annual Fort River Festival
Press Release: AMHERST, Mass., April 16, 2010 – Bring your family and friends to a celebration of the longest free-flowing tributary of the Connecticut River in Massachusetts: The Fort River. The Rushing Rivers Institute, along with several cosponsors, is proud to present the Third Annual Fort River Festival on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010.
A guided canoe trip down the Fort River will kick off the event at 10 am. The tour will wind its way from Kiwanis Park (Stanley St.) to Groff Park in Amherst, arriving in time for the afternnoon festivities. Canoes will be provided by Morse Hill Outdoor Education Center; however, bringing your own canoe or kayak is encouraged. Preregistration is required for all, at http://www.fortriverfestival.com/ . While this tour is free, any donation is appreciated, and will be used to defray Festival costs.
At noon, a free concert in Groff Park sets the stage for educational demonstrations and hands-on fun; kids can get up close with common river species such as lamprey eels, mussels, and bugs. All are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch. Water and snacks will be provided.
Local folk singer, Tom Neilson: “The Jon Stewart of folk music,” will take the stage at noon. Later, listeners can enjoy Laura Meyer’s powerful folk-rock ballads at 1:15. In addition to the free concerts, we will also be holding various activities throughout the festival, including face painting, wildlife demonstrations, and the ever popular Rubber Ducky Derby. For “A-Buck-A-Duck,” children can try their luck racing rubber duckies on the Fort River.
All events are free to the public.
Did you know approximately one third of all freshwater fish species are extinct or on the verge of extinction? The Fort River Festival is an annual event sponsored by the Rushing Rivers Institute in Amherst. Its goal is to promote community awareness about river habitats and educate the public in a fun and engaging way. The festival dovetails with the Rushing Rivers Institute’s work protecting rivers globally, with direct research and innovative software design.
Event co-sponsors include The Ocean River Institute, The Hitchcock Center, BK Riverfish, The Morse Hill Outdoor Education Center, WMUA and the Valley Advocate. Families and individuals of all ages are welcome to join Rushing Rivers on their quest to celebrate the invaluable resource that is the Fort River.
Rushing Rivers’ mission is to prevent further destruction of our beautiful riverscapes by raising public awareness and delivering leading edge, cost effective, and ecologically sound technology to conservationists and resource managers. The Rushing Rivers Institute is a clearing house for river science, with a mission to help secure water resources for environmental integrity and future human use. For more details including directions and maps, please visit http://www.fortriverfestival.com/or email Christine Chung at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Press Release by Christine Chung
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