The 2Rivers Festival kicks off this year on June 9 and runs until June 14. During these six days, the 2Rivers Festival will offer 11 different, free events that celebrate and showcase the Speed and Eramosa Rivers.
Starting the festival off this year is a Paddle on the Eramosa, hosted by the Waterloo Wellington Canoe and Kayak Club. This event is a festival favourite and is a great way to experience the Eramosa River. All paddlers are welcome and no experience is required.
Other festival favourites that are once again happening this year include two different river hikes, hosted by the Guelph Hiking Trail Club, a hands-on workshop at the Arboretum on the creatures, features and importance of creeks, riverside cycling with the Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation, a bioblitz hosted by Nature Guelph (this year at the site of the Old-Growth Forest Project at the Ignatius Jesuit Centre), as well as catching crayfish and other river critters on the Speed River, hosted by the Grand River Conservation Authority.
The 2Rivers Festival will also see the return of the ever-popular 2Rivers Celebration, hosted by Wellington Water Watchers. The Celebration will begin with a sonic parade from the City Hall splash pad down to the Boathouse, and will feature Gary Giggins and his portable band. Families are encouraged to join in, taking one of the many sound makers that will be available. The rest of the evening will feature circus performers, dancers, poetry, water games for kids, face painting, local food and drink, and DJ Eccodek’s Shivaboom dance party.
This year’s festival marks the 36th anniversary of the 2Rivers Cleanup (formerly The Speed River Cleanup). Hosted by OPIRG Guelph and Wellington Water Watchers, the 2Rivers Cleanup will be held this year on June 13 at the Eramosa River Park by Victoria Road. The Cleanup is a Guelph tradition that has helped to bring attention to its rivers and prompted many initiatives.
New to the festival this year is a town hall style event hosted by Wellington Water Watchers in partnership with the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance. Growing the Greenbelt – Guelph Town Hall will feature three keynote speakers and explore the benefits of Ontario’s Greenbelt, the threats to it, and how Guelph may be included in the expansion of it.
Also new to the festival is a heritage hike through the Speed River valley lands, hosted by the Heritage Speed River Valley Lands Working Group. This hike will explore historical features of the landscape, including the one lane Bailey Bridge.
Full festival details are available at www.2RiversFestival.org.
About the 2Rivers Festival
The Speed and Eramosa Rivers are the source of inspiration for the annual week of festival events.
The festival is the product of the collaborative initiative of many organizations working towards the common goals of:
– inspiring awareness, appreciation and restoration of the river system; and
– providing a means of increasing awareness and effectiveness of participating organizations and their activities in the community.
The festival offers diverse programming relevant to the river systems that is creative and accessible to a broad audience.
