Untitled

In the following pages of this document, you will find a summary of the 2009 Riverfest On
Tour! Presented by Outdoor Source. Riverfest is an annual celebration of central Ohio‟s
rivers and waterways, educating the public about the vital role waterways play in our
environment. This year through collaboration with partner organizations and communities,
Riverfest expanded its reach by going „On Tour!’. A large kick-off event was featured
downtown and a variety of satellite events followed across central Ohio bringing people to
our waterways to have an experience with the environment. It is these intimate
experiences with our environment that creates a care and concern for our natural
resources and how we, as a community, can protect them.
For the third consecutive year, Outdoor Source has presented Riverfest as the title
sponsor. MORPC sincerely thanks Outdoor Source for their continued support. Many
opportunities to engage the community would not be possible without these socially
responsible private partners.
Lastly, a special thanks to the lead partners who came together to create the many
interworking parts of Riverfest On Tour! including: COSI, City of Columbus, Darby Creek
Association, Dawes Arboretum, Friends of Alum Creek and Tributaries, Friends of the Lower
Olentangy Watershed, Franklin Soil & Water Conservation District, Metro Parks, Ohio
Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio
Environmental Council, Outdoor Pursuits, and WaterFire.
May 29, 2009
Riverfest On Tour! kicked off with a partnership with COSI Family Friday Night offering a full
schedule of fun and educational activities:
A theatre full of guests were entertained by an educational trivia game and the Extreme
Screen Movie, Grand Canyon Adventure: Rivers at Risk.
Children were thrilled to meet Friends of the
Lower Olentangy Watershed‟s (FLOW) Robbie
the Rainbow Darter. Also compliments of
FLOW, each child received a memento, a small
plush darter fish, with an invitation to June
Riverfest On Tour! events attached.
Just outside of the Extreme Screen Theatre
awaited a variety of hands-on activity booths
provided by:







Darby Creek Association
Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District
Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed
MORPC
Ohio Environmental Education Fund, OEPA
Ohio Environmental Council
Outdoor Source
1,713 guests attended.
Partnering with WaterFire helped
Riverfest On Tour! to draw thousands of
people to the banks of the Scioto.
Executive Director of MORPC, Chester R.
Jourdan, Jr. welcomed the crowd and
providing an educational message to
the captive audience. Live music, food,
fire performers and perfect weather
kept people entertained late into the
evening.
June Events
Cross promoting the many events of partner
organizations as the unified festival, Riverfest on
Tour!, proved successful. Metro Parks, for example,
saw 105 attendees at their Passport to Fishing
event versus only 16 the year prior.
Griggs Reservoir Clean-up
Help make Griggs better for everyone with this morning litter clean-up. Presented by Columbus Department of Public
Utilities and the Scioto Boat Club.
Fishing Has No Boundaries
Fishing Has No Boundaries is a national organization providing fishing opportunities for all persons with disabilities.
Their annual event will be held at Hoover Reservoir.
Rain Garden Workshop
Learn how a rain garden can be a healthy and picturesque part of your landscaping. Presented by the Franklin Soil and
Water Conservation District (www.franklinswcd.org),
Explore Big Walnut Creek
We‟ll use nets, buckets, and scoops to uncover macro invertebrates and other critters in our creeks.
Passport to Fishing
Learn about fish habitat, knots, casting and fishing tips, doing the Division of Wildlife's Passport to Fishing program.
Complete all the stages to receive a fishing pole. Ages 7-12.
The Reel Paddling Film
View some of the year's best paddling films. Festival World Tour 2009 presents The Reel Paddling Film.
Adena Brook Clean-up
Help beautify the Adena Brook by picking up litter and removing invasive plants.
80 Kites Over The Dutch Fork Wetlands
Come to the Dutch Fork Wetlands at The Dawes Arboretum and learn how a wetland functions as you fly “your” kite
over the wetland ecosystem. Walk a meandering trail and pause along the way to engage in some supervised, fun,
hands-on activities using dip nets and collecting pans. Why 80 kites? The Dawes Arboretum is celebrating its 80th Anniversary in June, 2009.
Boating on the Hoover Reservoir (also held on June 20)
Bring a picnic, then enjoy a summer midday boat ride on Hoover Reservoir. Presented by the City of Columbus.
Pond Safari
Stop by to view underwater creatures and try your hand at catching them with nets. Meet at the fishing dock at the
Schrock Lake West Bulletin Board. For more information, call the Sharon Woods Naturalist Office at (614) 865-4507.
www.metroparks.net
Olentangy River Clean-up
Kick-start this summer Saturday by helping clean up litter and removing invasive plants in the Olentangy watershed.
Alum Creek Clean-up and Canoe Float
Float down Alum Creek in your own canoe or kayak and help clean litter from the creek.
Spring Creek Adventure
Start by meeting others at Apple Ridge Picnic Shelter. Hike 1/2-mile to the cool waters of Spring Creek and search for
aquatic life. Wear close-toed shoes.
Fishing at Schrock Lake
Bring your dad or grandpa and enjoy fishing at the lake. Poles and some bait provided. Ages 15 and younger or 60 and
older are permitted to fish in Schrock Lake. Meet at the fishing dock at the Schrock Lake West Bulletin Board. For
more information, call Metro Parks Naturalist Office 614-865-4507. For more information, call the Sharon Woods
Naturalist Office at (614) 865-4507. www.metroparks.net
Kayak Seminar
Learn everything thing you need to know to start kayaking. We will talk about the difference between kayaks, discuss
kayak gear, safety considerations and where to go. Then stay for the summer solstice paddle at noon to watch other
kayaks or bring your own kayak or canoe to join the fun.
Summer Solstice Paddle
To promote four season paddling, we invite everyone to join us for a warm paddle and cool drinks at Hoover Reservoir
this summer Solstice and Father's Day. Bring your own boat.
Jackson Pike Waste Water Treatment Plant Tour
Discover some of the sophisticated processes our waste water goes through. Closed shoes required.
Three Creeks Festival
Join us for a family fun day to celebrate recreation and watersheds at Three Creeks. Enjoy hands-on environmental
exhibits, crafts, guided hikes, bike safety checks, games, canoeing, creek critter catching, live animals from the Ohio
Wildlife Center, and more! www.metroparks.net
————————————————————————————————————————————
Additional water events with ODNR's Explore the Outdoors Program:
Family Fishing
Bring the whole family for a fun evening of fishing at Blendon Woods
Catch a Fish
Howe Pond Park (Canal Winchester)
Fishing Program
Bring the whole family for a fun afternoon of fishing at Slate Run.
Explore a Wetland
Walnut Creek Park
MORPC housed this master schedule of events at the website,
www.riverfestcolumbus.org. Highlighting one weekend event on the front page each
week.
It’s All About Water… Explore it!
MORPC invites your organization to pair
the phrase above with your water-related
educational messages throughout the
year to continue the proven success of a
unified approach to public education.
June 13 & 20, 2009
The City of Columbus, MORPC, Outdoor Source, and Outdoor Pursuits partnered to offer free
canoe, kayak and pontoon boat rides on Hoover Reservoir on June 13 and 20th. 166 people
attended and for many it was their first experience boating.
In the News
Articles covering the event were
featured in the This Week Community
News on April 15 and May 27.
Riverfest On Tour! was also promoted
through online media:
www.in-and-around-columbus.com
www.riverfestcolumbus.org
Printed in the May 27th SNP community papers: Westerville, New Albany, Clintonville,
Bexley, Grandview, Pickerington reaching a total of 78,833 homes.
Partnering with WaterFire allowed Riverfest
to receive coverage in both the Columbus
Dispatch and 10TV.
Riverfest was featured in The Bag and
Columbus Parent Magazine as part of the
Avitae energy water media campaign.
Thank you to everyone who worked to
make Riverfest On Tour! a success.
MORPC staff will be in touch soon to get
your input on planning for Riverfest
2010!