Willamette River Festival: Paddle Parade

Event Basics:

We will be kicking off the 2026 Willamette River Festival with a Paddle Parade from Alton Baker Park to the River House Beach. The parade route is a straightforward two-mile float on moving water with some very minor rapids, and beginner paddlers are absolutely welcome to join. We encourage participants to decorate their boats, dress up in costume, and embrace the spirit of river joy!

When and Where:

Participants should arrive at the Alton Baker Park Boat Ramp between 9:10am and 9:30am to set up their boats. After unloading boats and necessary gear, participants will drive to the School District 4J rear lot (next to the festival headquarters at River House Beach) to park their vehicles. See the maps below for specific details.

Shuttle buses provided by Eugene Rec will be looping between the festival parking lot and the boat ramp to transport drivers back to the start of the parade, beginning at 10am. We will launch the Paddle Parade at 11:00am, and participants will land at the River House Beach at roughly 12:00pm.

Boat dropoff location at Alton Baker Park

Parking and shuttle location near the River House

What to Bring:

• Any human-powered watercraft suitable for river travel – inner tubers are also welcome to join!
• A suitable PFD / life jacket. We strongly recommend a Class III PFD approved by USCG for paddling (see this guide on how to read your PFD label).
• A small dry bag or other way to keep your car keys safe and dry.
• As little or as much flair as you would like! No one is required to dress up or decorate their watercraft, but we encourage folks to use their imagination and bring spirit to this float. Feel free to bring flair celebrating your local organization, nonprofit, or business and make it known that your group supports thriving rivers in our community!

Additional Details:

• All participants will by required to sign a Eugene Rec event liability waiver upon arrival at Alton Baker Boat Ramp.
• To reduce parking overflow and simplify the shuttle process, we encourage participants to carpool as much as possible.
• All participants will receive a raffle ticket entering them in a drawing for a plethora of prizes donated by boating companies and local businesses! Raffle drawings will take place at the festival main stage at 6pm.

Questions? Reach out to event coordinator Luke Stuntz at lukestuntz@willametteriverkeeper.org.