Policies & FAQs
Registration POLICies
No refunds are permitted.
Participants may switch paddling distance. To change your registration, contact info@ohioriverpaddlefest.org.
Participants may transfer their registration to someone else by contacting info@ohioriverpaddlefest.org by the first Friday in July. Any payment, reimbursement, or exchange of funds associated with a transferred entry must take place between the two individuals involved. Paddlefest does not facilitate the payment between two parties.
Deferrals are not offered for Paddlefest.
We offer four packet pick-up events. Participants unable to pick up their own race packet may have someone else pick up their packet for them.
FAQS
General
-
Paddlefest races start at 7:00 am. Recreational paddlers follow, with the put-in closing at 8:30 am.
-
The river opens to motorized traffic at 12:30 pm. We ask that all paddlers be off the river by noon.
-
We offer two paddling distance — 9 miles or 4.5 miles.
-
Dogs are welcome to participate in Paddlefest. However, your dog should only attend the event if it is well-behaved, comfortable in crowds and calm in transit.
Registration & Rentals
-
If rental boats aren’t showing in the online registration system, they are sold out. Starting on the Wednesday before Paddlefest, remaining rental boats can only be reserved in person.
-
No. We no longer provide a giveaway shirt at Paddlefest. Shirts can be purchased during registration or at the merch tent.
-
Please find details about packet pickup options here.
-
Please do! We donate to the high school teams to help haul boats, but extra donations are always appreciated.
Parking & Shuttles
-
Yes. Early bird parkers can catch a pre-paddle shuttle from the nine-mile finish at Gilday Riverside Park, 6:00-7:30 am.
Pre-paddle shuttles from Public Landing for 4.5-mile course participants start at 7:00 am until 8:15 am. -
Yes, we provide free shuttles from both take out location to the start of Paddlefest and Schmidt Recreation Complex.
-
No, parking space is limited and available on a first come, first served basis for pre-paddle shuttles.
-
We welcome paddlers to camp at Schmidt Recreation Complex on Friday night. You can reserve your camp permit as a part of registration.
Please do not park you car at the take out locations over Friday night. Especially at Gilday Riverside Park, cars parked in advance can disrupt parking/boat pick up plans for Saturday.
-
All parking lots at Paddlefest are free except at the Public Landing where parking costs $5.
Food & Drink
-
Please remember to bring a water bottle with you to the river. There will be filling stations at the put-in and both take outs.
-
Our friends at Lookout Joe’s provide free coffee each year at Paddlefest. Find them at the top of the boat ramp.
-
On Friday, there are two beer booths at the Expo. One is near the food trucks, while the other is close to the stage.
On Saturday, paddlers can enjoy a cold brew when they exit the river at our 9-mile finish. There is no beer at the 4.5-mile finish. Alcohol is not permitted on the river.