Blazing Paddles Paddlefest

Blazing Paddles serves as a recreational tourism celebration of how Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River has risen like a phoenix since the 1969 fire sparked the global environmental movement and clean water protections. 2022 was the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act and the comeback Cuyahoga River now serves as an economic driver for the region as developers follow the bike and pedestrian trails and greenspaces spreading across the Cuyahoga River Valley, part of the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area.

Every Blazing Paddles Paddlefest registered participant will receive a:

• Collectible keepsake Blazing Paddles t-shirt (please register early as we have sold out our last two years)

• Blazing Paddles sticker

• Sainato’s morning coffee & baked goods. (Non-registered paddlers can purchase items for a nominal price (bring CASH!)

• We will also present the coveted Marco Polo Award to the paddler who comes from the longest distance to be part of the Blazing Paddles Paddlefest (Note: Our last two Marco Polo Award winners have come from Wales, UK and Ghana, Africa!). Click on the image to the right to view our Facebook live interview with the 2022 Blazing Paddles Paddlefest Marco Polo Award Winner!

• FAQ

In partnership with Argonaut, we are providing valet service for Blazing Paddles Paddlefest paddlers.

• On Sunday from 7:00 am, check-in, registration & boat drop-off). We will have helpers available to move your craft from the drive-up check-in/boat/board drop-off area to the holding area for your canoe, kayak, and paddleboard.

• You will then park your vehicle offsite. Note - there will be a limited number of on-site parking spaces at CRF.

• Our valets will also be available to help you move your craft from the holding area to the dock (put-in). And from the dock to the holding area (take-out).

• This service greatly helps increase throughput and safety for the put-in and take-out on Sunday morning.

• And yes, the Merwin’s Wharf docks will have the YAKPort kayak launches we introduced and tested last year. Our novice paddlers liked them so much, Cleveland Metroparks made them a permanent feature of their floating docks!

PLEASE NOTE there is no on-site parking for paddlers at Rivergate Park/Cleveland Metroparks’ Merwin’s Wharf before 11 am so please plan accordingly. We are sensitive to accessibility needs and we will provide limited parking for our paddlers who need that accommodation.

There will be a limited number of on-site parking spaces at Cleveland Rowing Foundation and Ohio City Bicycle Co-Op. Cleveland Rowing Foundation will charge $20/car and will retain 100% of the proceeds. To speed your Blazing Paddles Paddlefest check-in, a pre-sale option is now available via CRF.

Volunteers and Post Paddle Expo presented by Bedrock partners with a Blazing Paddles Paddlefest Parking Pass will have parking privileges at Cleveland Rowing Foundation.

Reading our Blazing Paddles Paddlefest parking blog post will help you find lots of FREE parking nearby.

Blazing Paddles Recreational Paddle/Float (registration via Race Roster)

The Dave Vasarhelyi Memorial is a leisurely 9.8 mile (up to) paddle up and down the scenic and historic Cuyahoga River as you pass under and by an incredible variety of bridges, greenspaces, and industrial sites. In the days leading up to Blazing Paddles we will provide you with a digital guide, allowing you to explore and experience Cleveland’s waterfront history and learn about current stakeholder operations. Choose one of three turnaround points (3.75, 6.2) to suit your needs! Or pick your own turnaround point! (Get Course Map).

If you want to be a part of Blazing Paddles Paddlefest but you don’t own a kayak, we’ve got you! We’ve partnered with Burning River Adventures and Float the River so you can rent a single or a tandem kayak (register using the discount code BP2 for a $5 discount) through the Blazing Paddles registration process at Race Roster!

Dave Vasarhelyi Memorial (6.1 or 12.2 mile paddle/float)

Blazing Paddles 3.75, 6.1 & 12.2-mile Races (registration via Paddle Guru)

Paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes will navigate one of three urban courses that flow past a unique mix of riverfront sites where iconic bridges and pyramids of sand and stone stand in contrast to paved paths and green-spaces. Check out the video from the 2019 Blazing Paddles to get a sense for the scope and scale of the paddle!

Blazing Paddles is part of 1) The Waterman Series. a collective effort of paddle sports enthusiasts, grassroots organizers, communities and sponsors who promote paddlesports racing as an inclusive activity and 2) the Midwest Paddle League.

• 3.75-mile Carl Stokes Memorial (learn about Carl Stokes). Get Map.

• 6.1-mile Ruth Patrick Memorial (learn about Dr. Patrick). Get Map.

• 12.2 mile Rachel Carson Memorial (fast canoe/kayak/surf ski only) (learn about Rachel Carson). Get Map.

The 3.75-mile Carl Stokes Memorial Course will take paddlers past downtown Cleveland’s skyline and near the Main Ave. Bridge turnaround you will pass under a rainbow of water arcing overhead, pumped from Cleveland Fire Dept.s Garrett A Morgan fireboat.

The scenic, winding, and protected 6.1-mile Ruth Patrick Memorial Course with sweeping views of downtown Cleveland will take you under 10 bridges spanning the river before you reach the race’s iconic turnaround point at Marathon Bend.

The 12.2-mile Rachel Carson Memorial Course takes paddlers under 10 bridges to the turnaround point at Marathon Bend.

Carl Stokes Memorial (3.75 mile race)

Carl Stokes Memorial (3.75 mile race)

Ruth Patrick Memorial (6.1 mile race)

Rachel Carson Memorial (12.2 mile race)

Registration Note: To ease the check-in flow Sunday morning we strongly recommend you register now for Blazing Paddles. We will be offering same-day registration so please arrive early to ensure we properly serve the needs of our pre-registered paddlers.

Our famous photo awards will be given to the top three finishers in each race category per The Waterman Series guidelines. Each podium winner will also be awarded a trucker cap or Ultralight Booney hat. Both are now available for purchase during your registration!

Blazing Paddles Paddlefest Volunteers

Blazing Paddles relies on a wonderful team of personable volunteers on Sunday to help deliver an enjoyable experience for our paddlers. If you’re not paddling with us, please consider volunteering, either as an individual or a corporate group! It’s rewarding, a lot of fun, you’ll receive a Blazing Paddles Paddlefest t-shirt, and we’ll feed you!

Your participation in Blazing Paddles Paddlefest goes far beyond your time on the river as your entry fee helps support:

• Share the River’s ongoing non-profit mission and motion on behalf of Cleveland's waterfront.

• Our advocacy for increased waterfront access, and paddling safety on and shared recreational use of the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie.

• Our collaborative partnerships with maritime and industrial stakeholders to secure formal access for a dedicated annual public paddling event on Cleveland’s hard-working Cuyahoga River.

• Delivering on our commitment to diversity and inclusion by providing historically marginalized communities the opportunity to safely recreate on the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie via our ongoing “We Paddle the City” efforts.

• Many urban kids can see the river or lake from their home but they've never been ON the river or lake! Your participation helps us bridge that divide and make Cleveland’s waterfront more vibrant and colorful. Thank you for supporting our efforts by being part of Blazing Paddles Paddlefest!

Lodging

Looking for another option? Here’s a Destination Cleveland listings of Cleveland hotels and accommodations

Take Share the River’s Blazing Paddles Paddlefest self-guided tour of Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River History! You can take the tour by boat (best), bike or walking! Click on the download button to download a PDF (with embedded links to historic citations).

Blazing Paddles Paddlefest Event & Venue Details

Venue: Rivergate Park - Cleveland Metroparks Merwin’s Wharf

Paddle & Float Distances

6.1/12.2 mile course (the Dave Vasarhelyi Memorial Recreational Paddle & Float) will be buoyed for 3.75, 6.2 and 12.2 mile turnarounds. Paddlers may also choose their own turnaround. Note: for safety coverage logistics we have modified our course to eliminate the industrial river section between Marathon Bend and Cleveland-Cliffs.

Race Distances

• 3.75 Miles (The Carl Stokes Memorial Recreational Paddle, all classes)

• 6.1 Miles (The Ruth Patrick Memorial short race & paddle, all classes)

• 12.2 miles (The Rachel Carson Memorial long race & paddle, high performance kayak, fast sea kayak)

  All paddlers must wear a PFD. All SUPs must wear a PFD and a leash.

Race Classes

• SUP 14’ & Under

• High Performance Kayak (18'1")

• Fast Sea Kayak (16'1" -18')

• Sea Kayak (14'-16')

• Kayak (Under 14)

• Solo Canoe (Includes Outrigger)

• Tandem Kayak

• Tandem Canoe (Includes OC-2)

Kayak Rental (while they last)

• Single - $55.00 (includes paddle and PFD)

• Double - $80.00 (includes paddles and PFDs)

Site Maps (Subject to Change)

STUFF YOU NEED TO READ AND KNOW FOR

A GREAT BLAZING PADDLES EXPERIENCE!

Preliminary Schedule (subject to change, during event week please check here daily and your e-mail for updates and event day instructions).

• Registration Setup (Sunday)

  • Boats to be left at vehicles during pick up process

  • 2 tables for pre-registered participants

  • 1 table for race day sign-ups

    • Tables labeled as such

  • 2 tents for tables

  • Athletes state last name.

    • Competitive athletes receive an orange “Run the Land” bib (with a timing chip) with a pre-assigned number and a wrist-band. NOTE: if you already picked up your packet on June 21-22, you will NOT use that bib.

    • Noncompetitive athletes receive RED bib with a pre-assigned number and a wrist-band.

    • All bibs must be worn on front, right side

    • A volunteer will call out shirt size for shirt runner to retrieve

  • Athletes take bib to Marker Volunteers to mark:

    • Right bicep (all)

    • Right side calf (SUP only)

      • Volunteer located away from table

  • Race Day Sign Ups will fill out registration form and be assigned a bib number. There will be a $30 convenience fee added to your race entry.

    • Shirts for race day sign-ups will be based upon inventory. If you do not get a shirt, we will arrange for an in-person pick-up after Blazing Paddles Paddlefest (please register EARLY!)

    • Race Day data will be given to the timing tent to be put into software and then posted on this website.

  • Payment collected via Credit Card Read, Cash/Check, and Venmo

Sunday, September 15, 6th Annual Blazing Paddles Paddlefest check-in, boat & board drop off. Post-Paddle Stakeholder Expo. It is strongly suggested you arrive on-site by 9:00 a.m!

For registered paddlers, a free breakfast nosh will be provided by our hospitality partner Sainatos starting at 6:30 a.m. with breakfast pizza, doughnuts, and coffee. (get map). (Non-registered paddlers may purchase items for a nominal price (bring CASH!).

7:00 a.m. Gates open. On-site packet pickup & boat & board drop off. Kayak rental pick-up at Rivergate Park/Cleveland Metroparks Merwin’s Wharf.. NOTE: You will drive in, be greeted at our check-in tents, get your shirt, sticker, and bib number. Our valets will help you offload your vessel and place it on-site. You will then park your car offsite and walk back to your boat/board. Please note there is no shuttle service available.

8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. - “Pre-Paddle and After Paddle Expo presented by Bedrock” begins with Cleveland waterfront and greenspace stakeholders at Cleveland Metroparks Merwin’s Wharf.

9:45 am: Deadline to claim rental boats, Rental boats distribution by Burning River Adventures will be located at Merwin’s Wharf.

9:50 a.m. safety meeting for recreational paddlers (in front of Merwin’s Wharf dock)

• 10:00 a.m. Mandatory safety meeting FOR RACERS (in front of the Merwin’s Wharf docks ramp).

• 10:30 a.m. Blazing Paddles racers and recreational paddlers begin entering the water. Racers warm-up downriver from Merwin’s Wharf. Recreational paddlers head upriver to Columbus Rd. Bridge area for staging

• Racers will put in at the Merwin’s Wharf dock. Racers will head upriver up to Columbus Rd. Bridge for warm-ups. Get staging map.

• Dave Vasarhely Memorial Recreational Paddle & Float participants will put in at Cleveland Metroparks Merwin’s Wharf dock and head upriver to the staging area between the Columbus Rd. Bridge & Merwin’s Wharf.

• Racers and recreational paddlers should respect the buffer zone between the two events. All racers and recreational paddlers need to stay “river right”, especially on the downstream leg of the paddle through the u-turn before the Main Ave. Bridge (where Cleveland Fire’s Garrett A. Morgan fireboat will be) and past Merwin’s Wharf. All paddlers should review & memorize the course map (print it out right NOW and review it for a couple of days) for your respective event. A safe and smooth day for everyone on the river depends upon you taking this simple precautionary step.

• Check out this “ten tips for kayaking in hot weather” blog post!. Bring at least two water bottles for your paddle!

• All paddlers need to pass river right of the buoys located at:

  • Stay right buoy at Superior Bend/Jacobs Pavilion

  • .76 mile u-turn buoy at Main Ave. Bridge

  • 3.75 mile stay right and turnaround race buoy at Collision Bend

  • The u-turn buoy at Marathon Bend. (for 6.1 mile, 12.2 mile race and for Dave Vasarhelyi Memorial)

• Blazing Paddles race divisions will depart in flights ahead of the recreation paddle (there will NOT be a mass start). Racers and recreational paddlers will be e-mailed a complete set of race and rec paddle instructions Thursday morning (September 12),

• 10:45 a.m. - Start for high performance kayak, fast sea kayak, solo canoe (includes outrigger), tandem kayak, and tandem canoe (includes OC-2)

  10:50 a.m. - Start for SUP 14' and under, kayak, and sea kayak.

  When finishing, racers should finish close to the edge of the Merwin’s Wharf dock, making it easier for spotters to identify you.

• Note: Recreational Paddlers (Dave Vasarhelyi Memorial) will hold their position between the Columbus Road Bridge and Merwin’s Wharf until the racers have passed on their upriver leg. Once the racers have passed, the Dave Vasarhelyi Memorial will start, heading downriver to the Main Ave. Bridge u-turn.

• X:XX a.m. Safety meeting for recreational paddlers (by the Merwin’s Wharf dock ramp). Greetings by officials and VIPs

• 11:00 a.m.: Dave Vasarhelyhi Memorial Recreational Paddle & Float departs. Paddlers will be called up from green staging area to the “start line” near Merwin’s Wharf. The paddle & float will be started with a megaphone/siren.

• Paddlers have the option to do the entire 6.1/12.2 mile course or turnaround at one of two suggested locations (3.75 and 6.1 mile race buoys). Paddlers can also choose to turnaround anywhere that suits their tastes.

• 11:45 am: Put-in closes

• TBD: Presentation of race awards (or as soon as results are available).

• 2:30 p.m.: Deadline for all Blazing Paddles Paddlefest/Dave Vasarhelyhi Memorial Recreational Paddle & Float participants to take out at Cleveland Metroparks’ Merwin’s Wharf dock. This is especially applicable to paddlers renting a kayak from one of our livery partners. Per our marine event permit with the U.S. Coast Guard, the safety zone will open up to motorized boat traffic at 3:-00 pm. Paddlers may still use the Cuyahoga River but be mindful after 3:00 p.m. you will be sharing the river with other recreational boaters (like a normal day on the river).

• 3:30 pm - Blazing Paddles Paddlefest wraps for the day.

Our Pre-Paddle and After Paddle Expo presented by Bedrock

During Sunday’s check-in & boat drop-off we will host a free and family friendly Pre-Paddle and After-Paddle Expo presented by Bedrock starting at 8 a.m.. Food and beverage will be available for purchase at Merwin’s Wharf on Sunday when they open at 11 a.m.

There is no public parking before 11 a.m. at Rivergate Park/Merwin’s Wharf. Volunteers, Pre-Paddle and After-Paddle Expo partners with a 2024 Blazing Paddles Paddlefest Parking Pass will be accommodated at Cleveland Rowing Foundation.

Parking will be available at Cleveland Rowing Foundation (CRF) and Ohio City Bicycle Co-Op. CRF will charge $20 per car and retain 100% of proceeds. A pre-sale option is available.

During the After-Paddle Expo meet with Cleveland waterfront and greenspace stakeholders to learn more about:

• how the river has evolved from a pipeline for industrial pollution into a conduit for tourism and recreation

• how Cleveland’s waterfront is evolving as an economic development and quality of life driver for Greater Cleveland!

Participating Stakeholders: (TBD: below are from 2023 event)

Cleveland Metroparks Outdoor Recreation

• Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District

• The Port of Cleveland

• Cuyahoga Valley National Park

• Ohio Department of Natural Resources

• Cuyahoga County Planning Commission

• Cuyahoga River Water Trail

• Cuyahoga River AOC (Area of Concern)

• Surfrider Foundation Northern Ohio

After your paddle, food and beverage will be available for purchase at Merwin’s Wharf or from our hospitality partners and nearby businesses.

• Collision Bend Brewing Co.

• Sainato’s

• Hoopples

• Flat Iron Cafe

• Brick & Barrel Brewing

The Blazing Paddles Paddlefest courses on the Cuyahoga River’s Federal Navigation Channel are sandwiched between the Cuyahoga River Water Trail (segment 5) and the Lake Erie Water Trail.

There is no on-site parking at Rivergate Park/Merwin's Wharf. Drivers with accessibility needs will be accommodated. Pre-Paddle & After-Paddle Expo partners and volunteers with a Blazing Paddles parking pass may park at Cleveland Rowing Foundation.
Unfamiliar with parking areas along the Columbus Rd. Peninsula within walking distance of Merwin’s Wharf? Click the photo for our primer on a BUNCH of free locations nearby (you do NOT need to pay $20 to park).

Other Events During the Day: (This section will be continuously updated, check here for updates)

Come for Blazing Paddles, but stay for the weekend!

Check out Destination Cleveland’s Things to Do page. Learn why Travel & Leisure magazine listed Cleveland #7 on its list of “10 best foodie cities in the United States”!

Cleveland offers a variety of authentic experiences on the weekend of September 13! Check out what’s nearby our event at the Destination Cleveland Blazing Paddles Paddlefest listing.
Reserve your place in our public recreational celebration on the comeback Cuyahoga River!

Burning the Cuyahoga River Narrative

Blazing Paddles is intended to provide a focus on several themes central to Share the River's mission

• the importance and demonstrable positive impact of common sense environmental regulations and the value of public investments in stormwater infrastructure (like NEORSD's Project Clean Lake).

• the positive impact of engaged, long-term recreational use and stewardship of our nations rivers and waterways.

• the benefit the above three have on waterfront cities' appeal 1) as a place where people want to work, live and play in and 2) as a tourism destination.

Blazing Paddles is the annual recreational celebration of the comeback Cuyahoga River. Check out this video to see what was done to revitalize the river from its low point in 1969. “As people from both sides of the river come down to know it, they start to love it. That is what we need going forward.”

Blazing Paddles Media Links

• Can Blazing Paddles race be rescheduled? Coast Guard permission requires 135 days notice, cleveland.com/Krouse - 6.21.24

• Blazing weather postpones Saturday’s Blazing Paddles fest in Cleveland, cleveland.com/Pinckard - 6.20.24

• Blazing Paddles Uses Cuyahoga River Fire Anniversary to Highlight Recovery: Ideastream/Torres - 6.17.24

• Blazing Paddles Paddlefest Returning to the Cuyahoga River: Cleveland.com/Nickoloff - 7.14.22

• What Cleveland’s Blazing Paddles Paddlefest Means for Environmental Recovery: Cleveland Magazine/Blake - 7.8.22

• Ten Things to Do in Summer: Ohio Magazine - 6.30.22

• Cleveland Comeback: Blazing Paddles Paddlefest: Cleveland 19 News - 7.6.21

• Float On: Record crowds expected for this year's Blazing Paddles in Cleveland: WEWS/Vandenberge - 7.22.21

• The annual Blazing Paddles Paddlefest is back on the Cuyahoga River this weekend: Ideastream Public Media/Jackson - 7.22.21

• Share the River's 3rd Annual Blazing Paddles Paddlefest Returns to Cleveland's Cuyahoga River on Saturday, July 24: PR Newswire - 7.22.21

• Rescued along the Cuyahoga River, Ralph the Rooster is capturing hearts on social media: WEWS/Hlavaty - July 7, 2021

• A generation in the making, the Cuyahoga River is now a crown jewel that will host the Blazing Paddles Paddlefest: WEWS/Ziemnick - July 2, 2021

• Blazing Paddles Paddlefest returning to Cuyahoga River in July: Cleveland.com/Nickoloff - June 30, 2021

• Kabir Bhatia (WKSU) - Paddlers Celebrate the Rebirth of the Cuyahoga, 50 Years After the River Burned.

• Bob Perkowski (FreshWater) - Blaze on, big river! The Blazing Paddles Cuyahoga50 race in photos

• Mike McIntyre (WCPN/Ideastream) - The Sound of Ideas Community Tour: Cuyahoga River 50 Years After the Fire

• David Williams (WKSU) - Second Annual Paddlefest Aims at Changing the Cuyahoga River's Image

• Erik Piepenburg (New York Times) - A Cleveland River Once Oozed and Burned: Now It’s a Hot Spot

• Sheehan Hannan (Cleveland Magazine) - Journeys On The Cuyahoga

• Dan Shingler (Crain’s Cleveland) - The Cuyahoga: A Phoenix Among Rivers

• American Rivers - 2019 River of the Year is the Cuyahoga River

• American Rivers - The Cuyahoga’s Comeback: Celebrating 50 Years Since a Burning River Sparked the Environmental Movement

• Laura Johnston (Cleveland.com) - Erie Series presents 6 stand-up paddleboard races from Kelleys Island to Erie, PA

• Mary Kilpatrick (Cleveland.com) - CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer tournament, lighted boat parade: Saturday June 22 should be a busy day in Cleveland.

• Steve Litt (Plain Dealer) - First standup paddle race on Cuyahoga, Blazing Paddles, to showcase shipping and recreation sharing river

• Laura Johnston (Cleveland.com) - Blazing Paddles race celebrates healthy Cuyahoga, 49 years after river fire

• Stephanie Jarvis (Ideastream) - Blazing Paddles Brings First Standup Paddleboard Race To Cuyahoga River

• Laura Morrison (Scene Magazine) - Cleveland History Days Kick Off Tonight With the Share the River Ramble

• John Petkovic (Plain Dealer) - Cuyahoga River enjoys revival 49 years after the fire: a visual tour

• Brian Duffy (Cleveland 19/WOIO) - Cuyahoga River brimming with recreation, wildlife 49 years after disastrous fire

• Kyle Lanzer (Plain Dealer) - Cuyahoga Blazing Paddles race celebrates a river without flames

• Annie Baxter (Brains On) - Burning Rivers of Fire