Volunteers needed for 2022 celebration of the Uncompahgre River
Face painting, solar oven cookie baking, rubber ducky capturing, and river race filming are some of the most creative volunteer needs of the annual Ridgway RiverFest. At least 12 people are needed just for those four volunteer assignments, and an additional 30 to 40 volunteers are required to produce the free community festival, scheduled for Saturday, June 25, noon to 5 p.m., at Rollans Park in Ridgway.
The nonprofit Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership (UWP) is bringing back RiverFest for its 14th year, and is seeking volunteers to work three and four-hour shifts. By producing the festival mostly with volunteers, UWP is able to both raise more funds to support watershed preservation activities and keep the event free to festivalgoers. The afternoon’s activities include watershed education, river races, live music, a Ute cultural presentation, and a silent auction. Plus food trucks, a beer and margarita stand, and a snow cone maker sell refreshments.
“The Ridgway RiverFest is all about community. We invite the community to come out and enjoy the summer festivities around the Uncompahgre River. At the same time, we need community members from far and wide to help make the event happen,” said UWP Communications Director Tanya Ishikawa.
“Probably two-thirds of our volunteers who come back year after year are from around Ouray County and Montrose, so this is a reminder that they need to sign up over the next few weeks. The other third of our volunteers are campers and other visitors looking for a fun way to give back to the watershed they enjoy while on vacation, as well as new residents looking for a way to get to know their neighbors and contribute to their new community,” Ishikawa added.
Other volunteer assignments include watershed education, race and volunteer registration, beer and margarita sales, silent auction monitoring, photography, and booth setup and takedown. Volunteers from 14 to 104 years old are welcome. Each volunteer receives a festival shirt and drink ticket as a thank you. People can sign up online at https://signup.com/go/JWuzqjP, or send questions to tanya@uncompahgrewatershed.org.
More information about UWP is at https://www.uncompahgrewatershed.org/, and the festival is at https://ridgwayriverfest.org/. A few more sponsorships are available until May 27, and those interested can email pamela@uncompahgrewatershed.org.
