Gore Fest 2020 – Virtual Edition

As you've all seen by now, we are not hosting any of our four festivals this year. These events provide an opportunity to gather the boating community, celebrate and enjoy the rivers we work hard to protect, and build support for AW. New and renewing memberships are essential to these events and we had to get creative with ways to fill the gap not hosting them would leave.

Thanks to our industry partner, Down River Equipment, and top membership drawing sponsor, Rocky Mountain Rafts, we were able to give away a full overnight raft set up to new and renewing Gore Fest members. When we first began planning this virtual event, we set our membership goal at a modest 100 memberships. We exactly doubled that goal, with 200 new memberships and over half of those at Ender Club level or higher. Our membership drawing was also supported by the generous donations from Pyranha, Hala Gear, Kokatat, and Yakima.

The virtual event was much more that purely a membership drive. We talked to local heroes, Ben Luck, Tommy Hilleke and Claudia Quenelle about their accomplishments and racing tips and tricks. A photo contest sponsored by Kokatat included great submissions by festival attendees. We got to hear from Nouria Newman about some of her career's highest highs and lowest lows. And thanks to Strava, we got to hear about some fast times through the canyon from this summer. You can watch the recorded event here. Thanks to our sponsors, panelists and viewers. Hope to see you next year on the banks of the river!