“The ninth annual Tour De Coal paddle event is set for June 22, 2013,” says Kris Radford, President of the Coal River Group. “Over 600 paddlers joined together to float down the lazy old Coal River in 2012 and this year we expect even more people and boats,” adds Radford.
To celebrate the state of West Virginia’s 150th birthday the CRG has expanded the Tour De Coal weekend. The events planned include a Friday night Pre-Registration Celebration at the Science and Education River Center located in the Kanawha County Parks and Recreation’s Meadowood Park in Tornado, WV. The Friday event will feature a meet and greet event, music and light food. The Tour de Coal event on Saturday will start at 9:30 am. Many welcome and dock-side parties are planned by residents who live in river front homes along the river trail route. On Sunday, June 23, 2013, the Coal River Group will sponsor its first Antique Boat and Car Show. The new event will provide the first ever opportunity for antique boat owners to showcase their wonderful antique canoes, motorized runabouts and other types of boats.
“We are calling the weekend the Rock, Paddle and Roll Show,” says Radford. All events will be held at the Coal River Group’s Science and Education Center and volunteers will be on hand to help out-of- town visitors with directions, reservations for camping and hotel rooms. Volunteers will be on hand for the entire three days at the River Center to guide people through the fantastic displays, history displays and provide tours of the many newly built trails and water amenities at the Kanawha County-owned Park.
The Coal River Group’s new Coal River Kayak and Canoe Rental service will be offering rental kayaks for the event on a first-come, first-serve basis. For reservations of rental kayaks call 304-722-0355 or check out www.coalriverkayak.com.
Interested volunteers and those wishing to participate in the Antique Boat and car show are asked to e-mail their interest to CRG at info@coalriver.com. Volunteers are needed for each event.
The CRG is asking anyone who knows of an antique boat owner who may want to participate in the show to contact those individuals and make them aware of the event. Anything that floats is the basic rules for entries. Boats including kayaks, canoes, row boats, and motorized boats of any type including even antique sail boats will be welcomed. Bill Currey, Co-Chair of the Antique Boat & Car Show who is responsible for the boat portion, points out that the history of the rivers is all about boats. The show is planned to provide an opportunity for folks from throughout the Southeast to bring their boats to the 90-acre park and show them off. Prizes and plaques will be awarded. The car show portion will be handled by Co-Chair Richard Milam and others. Plans are now underway for both the boat and car show. “Just call us with your ideas or suggestions” says Currey, “We look forward to making the Sunday show a major success.”
