Staff Report
WATERBURY CENTER — The Vermont Paddleboard Festival is coming to Waterbury Center State Park at 177 Reservoir Road on June 24, where more than 50 models of paddleboards from 12 manufacturers will be available to test. There will be clinics on everything from how to choose a paddleboard to paddleboard repairs; and a paddleboard yoga demonstration and races. Beginners to experts are welcome.
“Stand up paddleboarding has grown in Vermont since it arrived here about three years ago,” said organizer John Bauer of the blog Vermont Paddling. “This festival is designed to allow people to try it for the first time and to give experienced paddlers a chance to try different boards.”
Stand up paddleboarding is a combination of surfing and paddling that allows you to stand up and glide over water on a specially designed surfboard. The festival begins at 11 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. Attendees will need to pay a $3 day use fee unless they have a state park pass; the festival is asking for a $5 entry fee, which will be donated to Friends of the Winooski.
The Waterbury Center State Park is expected to fill quickly. Attendees with canoes, kayaks and paddleboards are encouraged to park at the boat launches at Cottonbrook, Blush Hill and the Waterbury dam and paddle to the state park. Launch locations and more information may be found at www.vtpaddlefest.com.