A paddling Fest for the love of it.

While spring indicates an ever-nearing disappointing end to a somber ski season on the West Coast, in the Southeast it means the start of whitewater festival season. These festivals are often tied to particular river releases, creating a congregation around the short glimpses of life breathed into dormant rivers. But a small gathering halfway through February in Northern Alabama was far from a conclave. Instead, NAWfest is entirely about the love of the game, focusing on bringing together those dedicated to getting on the water, regardless of the time of year or weather. 

Facilitated by a group of local whitewater paddlers, including Caleb Jones, a raft guide and video producer. While NAWfest hosts the classic fair of whitewater revelry, all set in the remote Buck’s Pocket State Park, what makes it unique is the festival's charge all weekend competition. Utilizing Strava or any other GPX mapping and tracking software to foster a competition to see who can paddle the miles in the fest’s three-day period. The thing that makes this format unique is that it allows paddlers to take on any river in the southeast and have it count towards their total, effectively spotlighting the range and quality of the region while staying accessible to all skill levels. 

Ultimately, while the event crowned two paddlers who tackled the most miles, the NAWfest GOAT, the fest acted as a catalyst for a spectacular Southeast weekend with a Cheoha release and hundreds gathering for the iconic Bowling Ally Race on North Chiquamigan Creek north of Chattanooga.