The Cuyahoga Falls Fest is an event for whitewater paddling athletes to gather and experience what Ohio has to offer. Our focus is the Cuyahoga River Upper Gorge and the primary vendors are the Downtown Cuyahoga Falls businesses, restaurants, bars, and breweries.

Cuyahoga Falls Fest is a "fun for all" event for spectators and paddlers. Whether paddling or spectating, beautiful Downtown Cuyahoga Falls can be explored by everyone. Paddlers are encouraged to focus on whitewater within their skill level, form their own groups, gear, safety plans, and shuttle logistics as necessary.

Primary Paddle Location:
Cuyahoga River Upper Gorge (Sheraton Section) - Class IV-V+ (water flow dependent)
Secondary Locations:
Tinker's Creek - Class IV-V+
East/West Falls Black River - Class V
Cuyahoga River Lower Gorge - Class II-III
Cuyahoga River Water Trail - various Class I-III

https://www.cfallsfest.com/

Hosted on the fourth Saturday of April, Celebrate Trails Day (formerly Opening Day for Trails) is an annual spring celebration of America’s trails. Started by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in 2013, the celebration encourages people across the country to get outside and enjoy the nation’s exceptional trails and trail systems.

Trails make getting outdoors and around by foot, bike and wheelchair more accessible for everyone. These essential outdoor spaces give us the space to swap car trips for bike trips, reducing emissions and helping the environment; bring  powerful economic opportunity to communities big, small and in between; and deliver health and happiness for so many people. This year, in a time when trails are more in demand than ever, we hope you’ll join us in celebrating these special places. Let’s get out and make more trail moments!

For more information visit https://www.railstotrails.org/experience-trails/celebrate-trails/

Blazing Paddles Paddlefest. returns to the comeback Cuyahoga River on July 24, 2021!

You’ll have two options as a paddler: You can race or you can float! Details at http://sharetheriver.com/blazing-paddles

Challenge yourself with a 2-mile, 6-mile, youth, or kids’ stand up paddleboard or kayak race during the 7th annual Whiskey Island Paddlefest! The course is perfect for both beginners and advanced racers. This year’s award ceremony will include the official designation of the Lake Erie Water Trail by ODNR, Division of Parks and Watercraft.

Members of the Cuyahoga River Safety Task Force, law enforcement representatives, maritime & recreational stakeholders, and Cleveland waterfront businesses will participate in a press conference and media mixer convened by Share the River at Collision Bend Brewing Co. (1250 Old River Rd. Cleveland, OH 44113) on Wednesday, May 26 at 11:30 a.m.

Questions? Please e-mail Share the River

Get your Earth Day on with an Earth Day Happy Hour we're hosting at the Duck Island Club. We'll have Earth Day and Cuyahoga River trivia, music from 1970, a special cocktail named after the 2nd Annual Blazing Paddles Paddleboard, Kayak & Canoe Paddlefest (happening exactly two months later on June 22) and we'll have a big announcement on Share the River becoming an organizational advocate for fishable, swimmable, drinkable and playable water! But at its most basic, all we wanna do is toast the earth with like-minded friends 49 years after the first Earth Day!

Consider sharing the Facebook event to your page and invite your friends! https://www.facebook.com/events/592104031310301/

Join us for a spring celebration along the Cuyahoga River on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail & Cleveland Foundation Centennial Lake Link Trail!

Stop by to enjoy a bike ride or hike, snacks and refreshments from Cleveland Metroparks' Merwins Wharf, fun, freebies—and to learn more about the great pathways in northeast Ohio and around the state! Support northeast Ohio’s expanding network of urban trails by USING them! Share the Facebook event to your page and invite your friends! https://www.facebook.com/events/2261805754075887/

What's happening:
▪️ Program begins at noon.
▪️ Tours: Depart at 12:30 p.m. and again at 2 p.m.

👟 Future Redline Greenway Tours (12:30 p.m. & 2 p.m.): Guided hike to the future site of the Redline Greenway Trail. Please wear footwear needed for a rugged hike.

🚲 Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail Bike Ride Tours (12:30 p.m. & 2 p.m.): Explore the not-yet-opened-to-the-public section of the Towpath. This will be a bike ride from Merwins Wharf to Steelyard Commons.

For the last six years, thousands of trail users across the country—long-timers and newbies alike—have joined Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in celebrating America's exceptional trails and trail systems on Opening Day for Trails. And to make the Opening Day for Trails - 2019 a real home run, you’ll even get a swing at winning some awesome trail gear courtesy of our sponsors and partners at Wheel & Sprocket, KEEN, Adidas, Hydro Flask Patagonia and Topo Designs. Learn more: railstotrails.org/openingday.

We hope you’ll join us on the trail to make this year’s Opening Day one of the best yet! Start spreading the word with your friends and family now using #RTCOpeningDay.

Western Reserve Rowing Association’s 2019 Meet & Greet will be held Wednesday, March 13, 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. upstairs at the Flat Iron Cafe (1114 Center Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44113).

Whether you’re interested in trying rowing for the first time or getting back into rowing after some time away, this is a great opportunity to get information, ask questions, and to mingle with current rowers and coaches. If you’ve always thought about what it would like to row on the Cuyahoga River, is there a better summer to do it than the one that’s also the 50th anniversary of the 1969 fire?

Food, drinks and some lively entertainment will be provided. Bring friends, family, co-workers, etc. The more the merrier!

You're invited to the 2nd Annual Share the River Ramble, a 3.3-mile connect-the-dots, run/walk of the Cuyahoga River riverfront trail segments  Rivers and trails are the arteries that connect people and communities to their natural resources. The Ramble physically connects people to the evolving transformation of Cleveland's riverfront that in some ways is unrecognizable from that June 22 day in 1969. 

We're grateful to our supporting sponsors who have helped make the Expanded Ramble and Blazing Paddles a possibility:

• Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District: "‘Given our role in helping to improve the health of the Cuyahoga River, we’re excited to be part of this celebration. Plus, we’re happy to support an event that connects people to our water resources."
• Fat Head's Brewery is our official brewery partner.
• Canalway Partners: "We're pleased the Share the River Ramble is serving as one of the kick-off events for the inaugural Cleveland History Days, "10 Days and 20 Ways to Experience Cleveland’s History". More information is at http://canalwaypartners.com/events/clevelandhistorydays/
• Ohio City Inc.: "Ohio City Incorporated is working with partners to tie together a growing network of trails and connecting people to the riverfront through Irishtown Bend, and we are thrilled to support the Share the River Ramble which celebrates one of our regions greatest assets, the Cuyahoga River."

We're also partnering again with North Coast Mutli Sports Inc. to stage the Ramble.  Our charity partner is St. Malachi Parish. Cleveland Rowing Foundation (CRF) is our site partner.

You made the 1st Annual Ramble such a success that we're adding a music and beer event at CRF/Rivergate Park where participants can connect with Share the River partner organizations, Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie stakeholders. Fat Head's Brewery is the Ramble's brewery partner and they are excited to support an event that celebrates an important turning point in Cleveland history. We're also teaming up with Nalu Standup Paddle & Surf to host Blazing Paddles, a stand-up paddleboard race on Saturday, June 23.

Stay tuned for more details. The Ramble's intent is to encourage the public to enjoy their natural resources, parks, and paths but it's also intended to provide a focus on several themes central to Share the River's "branding Cleveland as a waterfront city" mission:

• the importance and demonstrable impact of common sense environmental regulations
• the value of public investments in clean water infrastructure (like NEORSD's Project Clean Lake).
• the positive impact of engaged, long-term recreational use of the Cuyahoga River
• the benefit the above three have on Cleveland's appeal 1) as a city where people want to work, live and play in and 2) as a tourism destination.

Save the date, register, and invite your friends! Click on the below link and register for the Share the River Ramble now! Would you like to be part of the team that's making this year's Ramble an event to remember? Register to be a volunteer or serve on one of our committees!

And if you are a business, organization, foundation or individual who sees the branding value of the Ramble, we are in the process of securing sponsors! We are a full-blown experiential marketing event with an engaged social media presence and following. Please e-mail us at sharetheriver3@gmail.com. 

If you're on Facebook, click on this link to let your friends know you're going and then invite your friends to the Cuyahoga River Party!

Inaugural Ramble Media Links

• Plain Dealer (Steve Litt) - First standup paddle race on Cuyahoga, Blazing Paddles, to showcase shipping and recreation sharing river
• WKYC (Dawn Kendrick) - Exploring Cleveland's "Rails to Trails"
• Plain Dealer (Steve Litt) - Share the River plans "Burning River Ramble" Thursday to mark 48th anniversary of Cuyahoga fire (photos, video)
• WCPN/Sound of Ideas (Mike McIntyre) - Burning River Ramble Commemorates 48th Anniversary Of Fire
• Plain Dealer (Joshua Gunter) - Inaugural Burning River Ramble brings runners to Cuyahoga River (photo essay)
• Plain Dealer (Zach Lewis) - Fresh glimpses of city reward effort in inaugural 'Burning River Ramble' (photos): Stretching Out
• WCPN/Sound of Ideas (Mike McIntyre) - Learning to Fail (Burning River Ramble portion comes up at 28:10 in the show)

The Race event kicks off at 1 pm on Saturday, April 28th. 

Expert whitewater kayak competitors and spectators will be gathering in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio for a time trial race through the most difficult section of rapids on the Cuyahoga River. Expert kayakers, get ready to experience a race like no other. A half-mile stretch of rapids, with just over 60 feet of elevation drop, completely surrounded by an urban setting. At the end of the race you'll find yourself at the bottom of a 100-foot canyon. At the top of the canyon walls, on river left, is State Route 8, which has an estimated 90,000 travelers per day. On the opposing side, river right, is downtown Cuyahoga Falls. Just seconds away from this Class V run are all your urban amenities including multiple restaurants and bars, a brewery, hotel, apartments, and cafe. The race is unique because it's short enough that shuttling or portaging for multiple laps is easy, and it's surrounded by everything you could possibly need.

Like, Follow, & Share the Cuyahoga Falls Kayak Race main Page!
Head over to www.cfkayakrace.com for more details!

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/175820746358589/

Here's what they have so far:
•NEW Cuyahoga Falls Riverfront renovation!
•Great spectator viewing and experience
•Spectacular Community support
•Official Website
•Boater Registration (9am-11am)
•Consecutive Class III-V Rapids
•Bus Shuttle provided for racers
•Dam controlled water releases from Lake Rockwell Reservoir (Akron) on Saturday, April 28th and Sunday, April 29th for out-of-town travelers and locals to enjoy multiple days of race level boating.
•WATERFALLS
•Freestyle kayakers (maybe a contest)

Cleveland Rowing Foundation & Rivergate Park will serve as the Cleveland gathering point for northeast Ohio citizens to kick off the spring trail season by hitting their favorite trails for a walk, run, ride or special event. Bike Cleveland, Cuyahoga County Planning, Canalway Partners and Share the River are teaming up with other local groups and organizations to provide a number of FREE and fun events that the general public can participate in. Stay tuned for additional details.

Saturday, April 7: Join us, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and trail users nationwide in kicking off the spring trail season by celebrating the 2018 Opening Day for Trails!

 For the last five years, thousands of trail users—veterans and newbies alike—have celebrated America's exceptional trails and trail systems by participating in Opening Day. And to make this year’s Opening Day a real home run, you’ll even get a swing at winning some awesome trail gear courtesy of our partners at Fuji Bikes, Performance Bicycle, KEEN, Topo Designs and Patagonia. Simply pledge to participate in Opening Day and be entered to win ➤ railstotrails.org/sweepstakes!

 We hope you’ll join us on the trail to make this year’s Opening Day one of the best yet! Start spreading the word with your friends and family now using #RTCOpeningDay. Happy trails!

National Rails to Trails Opening Day website: https://www.railstotrails.org/experience-trails/opening-day-for-trails/

Suggested Routes for Walks, Runs, and Rides

The Red Line Greenway is an active project to create a 3 mile elevated linear park in the heart of downtown Cleveland, Ohio. This meeting hosted by Cleveland Metroparks at Hoopples Restaurant & Bar (1930 Columbus Rd, Cleveland, OH 44113) will provide insight to community members on proposed development concepts. http://www.ohiocity.org/event/redline-greenway-community-meeting

Recent Stories on the Red Line Greenway

Cleveland Metroparks completes funding for Red Line Greenway with $500k state grant. http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2017/10/cleveland_metroparks_completes.html

Red Line Greenway gets a boost from volunteers. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/04/red_line_greenway_gets_a_boost.html

Big dreams start to become reality for three miles of elevated urban trail. http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/devnews/RLGupdate083016.aspx

Red Line Greenway advocates plan 'unveiling' of visionary concept at Wednesday meeting. http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2015/05/red_line_greenway_advocates_pl.html

Just a Reminder that the Cool Red Line Greenway Project is Still a Long Way Off. https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2015/06/01/just-a-reminder-that-the-cool-red-line-greenway-project-is-still-a-long-way-off

Our first annual Burning River Ramble is a fun, no fee, 4.8 mile running/walking tour of Cleveland's evolving waterfront on the June 22 anniversary of the 1969 Cuyahoga River fire. The route (still in progress) is designed to connect property segments that have either recently changed to a park/paved path or are being considered for such (Irishtown Bend). Our hope for the Ramble's iconic route is to physically connect people to the great things happening along Cleveland's Cuyahoga River.

The Burning River Ramble will start near the Columbus Road Bridge and finish between the Cleveland Foundation Boathouse and Cleveland Metropark's Merwin's Wharf. Ramble participants can then enjoy food/drinks at Merwin's Wharf, Hoopples, Sainato's Pizza/Rivergate Tavern or Brick & Barrel Brewing (the Ramble's official post-Ramble hydration location!). We're pleased to be partnering with Run Wild CLE on the Burning River Ramble and we look forward to seeing you on June 22! Invite your friends as the more the merrier! Here's the Facebook Invite https://www.facebook.com/events/214919659018963/. 

Due to rising interest in the Ramble we encourage participants to ride RTA, bikes (maybe rent a UH Bikes) or take an Uber in so we can minimize the impact of parking on the neighborhood. Questions? E-mail us at sharetheriver3@gmail.com

Ramble Route Note: Our addition of the north segment of the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Lake Link Trail adds about a mile to the Ramble route. Ramble participants looking to shorten their effort can simply cut that segment out of their route!

Still on the fence? Here's a POV look at the Burning River Ramble route!

Burning River Ramble Route

A week before the Ramble some friends did a dry run of the route to help us spot potential gaps in our signage/volunteer coverage. By all accounts they had a fun time (even if they got a little wet) and several said "That's a fun course! We had no idea some of this was out here!"

Western Reserve Rowing Association's season ending championship regatta for Summer Rowing League is Saturday, August 22nd, from 8 am - 3pm at Cleveland Rowing Foundation. After you've checked out the fun you can wander over to Cleveland Metroparks' Merwin's Wharf for a bite and a drink on the Cuyahoga River. Event details are at http://www.westernreserverowing.com/news/final-srl-regatta/