Blazing Paddles serves as a recreational tourism celebration of how Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River has risen like a phoenix since the 1969 fire ignited the global environmental movement. 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 breakfast pizza, morning coffee & doughnuts. (Non-registered paddlers can purchase items for a nominal price (bring CASH!)

  • Carbboom! Energy Gels

  • 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 every Blazing Paddles Paddlefest paddler.

YAKPort kayak launches at blazing Paddles

  • On Friday from 5 pm - 8:00 pm (early check-in, registration & boat drop-off) and again from 5:30 am - 8:30 am Saturday morning (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.

  • 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 Saturday 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 so please plan accordingly. We will are sensitive to accessibility needs and we will provide limited parking for our paddlers who need that accommodation. Volunteers and Pre-Paddle and After-Paddle Expo partners with a Blazing Paddles Parking Pass will have parking privileges.

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 (3.2, 6.8 or 9.8 miles) 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!

Registration for the Recreational Paddle is now OPEN!

Blazing Paddles 3.2, 6.8 & 14.4-mile Races (registration via Paddle Guru)

iamge courtesy of brett fisher

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.

The 3.2-mile Carl Stokes Memorial Course will take paddlers past downtown Cleveland’s skyline and near the turnaround at the old Eagle Avenue Lift Bridge, you will pass under a rainbow of water arcing overhead, pumped from the very same boat, the Anthony J. Celebrezze, that doused the flames of the 1969 Cuyahoga River fire.

The scenic, winding, and protected 6.8-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 - the site of the 1952 Cuyahoga River fire, the infamous image that's often used as a visual stand-in for the much smaller June 22, 1969 fire.

The 14.4-mile Rachel Carson Memorial Course takes paddlers up to the head of navigation where giant steel mills create high-quality steel from the fusion of iron ore, limestone, and fire. It is here that you reach Blazing Paddles’ other iconic turnaround point - the site of the June 22, 1969 fire that fueled the birth of the EPA, the Clean Water Act, and the Clean Air Act.

Registration Note: To ease the check-in flow Friday afternoon and Saturday morning we strongly recommend you register now for Blazing Paddles. We will NOT be offering same-day registration so we can streamline check-in operations to ensure we properly serve the needs of our 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 Friday and Saturday 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 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.

  • Our collaborative partnerships with maritime and industrial stakeholders to secure formal access for a dedicated annual paddling event on the 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.

  • 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

We will be announcing additional lodging partners shortly.

Located on the edge of Cleveland’s hopping neighborhood Ohio City, within walking distance of Blazing Paddles Paddlefest put-in locations!

Offering both private and shared rooms and top-notch amenities like a shared kitchen, roof deck, and free WiFi

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 (start at 8:35 a.m.)

9.8 mile course (the Dave Vasarhelyi Memorial Recreational Paddle & Float) will be buoyed for 3.2, 6.6 and 9.8 mile turnarounds. Paddlers may also choose their own turnaround.

Race Distances (flight starts at 8:20 and 8:25)

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

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

  • 14.4 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 - $30.00 (includes paddle and PFD)

  • Double - $50.00 (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).

Is your state missing from this years registrants? register today!

  • Friday, June 21,

    4:00 - 9:00 pm: Blazing Paddles Paddlefest early check-in, registration, boat & board drop off. Pre-Paddle Stakeholder Expo & Community Party at Rivergate Park.

    The check-in and registration venue for the Dave Vasarhelyi Memorial Recreational Paddle & Float is Cleveland Metroparks Merwin’s Wharf. 1785 Merwin Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113. get map

  • After receiving your items, recreational paddlers will store their boat/board at the Merwin’s Wharf secured grassy holding area.

  • Racers will store their boat/board at Rivergate Park.

  • Note: In order to prevent the spread of invasive species, all racers and recreational paddlers should inspect and disinfect their equipment BEFORE they travel to Cleveland. Thank you for being environmentally responsible!

  • Check in and registration for Blazing Paddles races is also at Rivergate Park.

    Packet pickup, early boat & board drop off at Rivergate Park. 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. NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO ON-SITE REGISTRATION! Gates will be locked at 9:30 pm and overnight security will be patrolling the site. Your boat & board will be safe overnight and ready for you to paddle Saturday.

    NOTE: If you are local PLEASE check-in & offload your vessel the afternoon/evening of Friday, June 21! Doing so will 1) be less stressful for you Saturday morning (you simply park offsite and walk in!) and 2) it will provide our army of volunteers some much-needed bandwidth during Saturday morning’s check-in to accommodate the surge of registrations we have been experiencing. After you check-in, you’re invited to the “Pre-Paddle” Expo and Community Party presented by Bedrock we’re hosting with live music, food, and beverage available for purchase.

  • Registration Setup (Friday & Saturday)

    • 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 YELLOW bib with a pre-assigned number and a wrist-band.

      • Noncompetitive athletes received 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.

      • 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

Saturday, June 22, 6th Annual Blazing Paddles Paddlefest check-in, boat & board drop off. Post-Paddle Stakeholder Expo. It is strongly suggested you arrive on-site by 6:45 a.m!

For registered paddlers, a free breakfast nosh will be provided by Sainatos with breakfast pizza, doughnuts, and coffee. (get map). (Non-registered paddlers can purchase items for a nominal price (bring CASH!)

5:30 - 7:30 am: On-site packet pickup & boat & board drop off. NOTE: There is NO SAME DAY registration. 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.

Blazing Paddles Festival 0054_Ken Busch.jpg

7:00 a.m. - Kayak rental pick-up at Rivergate Park.

7:30 am. Mandatory safety meeting FOR RACERS in front of the Merwin’s Wharf ramp.

8:00 am: Deadline to claim rental boats, Rental boats distribution by Burning River Adventures and Float the River will be located at Merwin’s Wharf.

  • 8:00 am: Blazing Paddles racers and recreational paddlers begin entering the water.

  • Racers will put in at Cleveland Metroparks 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 Get staging map.

  • 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 at Superior Bend 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.

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

    • .6 mile u-turn buoy at Superior Bend by Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica

    • 3.2 mile race buoy at Collision Bend, near the Anthony J. Celebrezze fireboat

    • The u-turn buoy at Marathon Bend. (for 14.4 mile race)

    • The turn buoy just past Jefferson Ave.

    • The U-turn buoy at the head of navigation/Cleveland-Cliffs.

  • 8:20 a.m: Blazing Paddles race divisions will depart in flights ahead of the recreation paddle (there will NOT be a mass start as there was in 2019). Racers and recreational paddlers will be e-mailed a complete set of race and rec paddle instructions on Thursday night (July 20) by 10:00 p.m.

  • 8:25 a.m. - Start for high performance kayak, fast sea kayak, solo canoe (includes outrigger), tandem kayak, and tandem canoe (includes OC-2)

    8:30 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 Superior Bend u-turn.

  • 8:45 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 9.8 mile course or turnaround at one of two suggested locations (3.2 and 6.8 mile race buoys). Paddlers can also choose to turnaround anywhere that suits their tastes.

  • 10:00 am: Put-in closes

  • 10 am - 2 p.m. - “After Paddle” Expo begins with Cleveland waterfront and greenspace stakeholders at Rivergate Park with live music, food and beverage available for purchase at Merwin’s Wharf.

  • 11:00 am: Presentation of race awards.

  • 1:30 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 1:15 pm. Paddlers may still use the Cuyahoga River but be mindful after 1:15 p.m. you will be sharing the river with other recreational boaters. Late that night, come out for the 13th Annual Whiskey Island Boat Club Parade of Lights!

  • 2 pm - Blazing Paddles Paddlefest wraps for the day. Please visit our Blazing Paddles “bib partners” to receive a discount on food and beverage.

Our “Pre-Paddle Expo“, Community Party and “After Paddle” presented by Bedrock

During Friday’s early check-in & boat drop-off we will host a free and family friendly Pre-Paddle Expo and Community Party presented by Bedrock with LIVE MUSIC. Food and beverage will be available for purchase at Merwin’s Wharf on Friday afternoon/evening from 5 - 9 p.m. and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

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

During the Pre-Paddle and After-Paddle 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 a quality of life economic development driver for Greater Cleveland!

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

Cleveland Metroparks Outdoor Recreation

Course Maps (Recreational Paddle and Three Race Distances))

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.

lake erie water trail

lake erie water trail

segment 5 of the cuyahoga river water trail

segment 5 of the cuyahoga river 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 will be allowed to park at Merwin’s Wharf.
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)

Blazing Paddles is a big lift for Cleveland's waterfront brand and it requires the help of volunteers to host an event that makes paddlers who travel to Cleveland come away thinking “Cleveland! I LOVE that city!” Help us provide a fun and memorable morning for our participants by clicking the “register to volunteer” button!

“When you participate in Blazing Paddles on Cleveland’s vibrant, scenic, and historic Cuyahoga River, you’re a reminder of the positive catalytic effects recreational tourism has on local and regional economies.”

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 June 19! 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

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Our Model for Blazing Paddles?

The Epic Ohio River Paddlefest

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