Pride Day on the River (with Camping)

Let’s get proud!! Pride Day on the River (POTR) is a volunteer-led, annual gathering “dedicated to LGBTQIA2S+ participation and visibility” held on the Deerfield River in Charlemont, MA. As if river days weren’t fun enough already! And this event is historic—started in 2019 by the iconic Ann Gillard, it was the nation’s first very first whitewater pride. River-blazing, am I right?

ALL paddlers and even aspiring paddlers are welcome to this weekend of community- and skill-building. There will be rafting, there will be beginner clinics, there will be food, and there will hopefully be you!

A general schedule of events may be found at https://www.pridedayontheriver.org/ But, in short, we’ll plan on paddling Fifebrook and going to the Saturday dinner + party (though, hey, no pressure to party for the early birds among us!).  Sunday features a Fifebrook and **Dryway release (see the note below about each river section and corresponding skill level).

CAMPING: KCCNY has reserved a fairly giant group campsite at Savoy State Park , 30 mins from Zoar Gap. This is a nice, spacious site with bathrooms but, unfortunately, with limited parking. Word on the street is that there is more parking at the ranger station (a short walk) and plenty of parking about a 10-minute walk away (in the beach overflow parking). This will all also be reiterated in a future group message and/or email. Like all state parks, alcohol is officially prohibited and we will expect discretion. Campground coordinates: 42.647025, -73.047607

FOOD: TBD in group message and/or email. But likely Friday potlock. Likely individual Saturday breakfast with some group fruits (enter fruity joke); BYOLunch on the river; Saturday night there will be food at the afterparty. Sunday morning TBD.

CARPOOL: Is possible and encouraged! This can be coordinated in the future group message and/or email.

RIVER NOTES:

Fifebrook is a 5-mile Class II/III section of the Deerfield River. It is scenic, has great rapids, and culminates in a super fun crux right at the end called the Zoar Gap. It is possible to lap the Gap. https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/682/main

**The Dryway (Class IV) releases Sunday only, so we’ve got a separate Dryway group. More details and registration for Sunday Dryway only at https://kccny.org/events/pride-weekend-dryway-2/