The popular Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival was set to take place on July 17 and 18 this year, but that will no longer be the case. While one might be quick to assume that lower water flows amid a dry year could be behind the move to cancel, that’s not the case.

According to a July 6 announcement, the reason behind the event’s cancellation was related to recent wildfires in the region.

“With multiple wildfires threatening communities throughout our region, many of our volunteers, board members, friends, and neighbors are facing tremendous uncertainty,” read the cancellation announcement. “Some have already been evacuated, others are under mandatory evacuation orders, and many are preparing for the possibility of losing their homes.”

The announcement continues to read, “under these circumstances, we cannot ask our volunteers to take on the additional responsibility and stress of organizing and staffing the festival. Their safety, their families, their homes, and their well-being must come first.”

The announcement noted that the festival’s efforts and resources are being redirected to support the community at this time by assisting those impacted by the fires. The festival thanked everyone that has been involved in the event up to this point, including sponsors, participants, vendors, volunteers, first responders, and those who regularly attend.

No information was released related to whether or not the festival will take place next year, though it presumably will. It’s a hugely popular summer event in the Cañon City area.

The Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival was set to feature numerous events on the water including kayak races, rafting races, surf competitions, standup paddleboarding races, play wave demos, a ‘build-your-own-boat’ competition, and raft rodeos. It was also planned to have plenty of live music, vendors, and land-based events, including mountain bike races, running, yoga, and a wiener dog race.

The festival is known for not only highlighting the beauty of the Royal Gorge and the Arkansas River, but also the fantastic trail system of the Cañon City area.

It’s also worth noting that while Colorado’s rivers might be running a bit lower this year, rafting companies are still open and have adjusted operations to accommodate lower flows. Pick a river town and give a rafting company a call – they’ll be happy to have you and you’ll be supporting the local community during your trip. The Colorado River Outfitters Association website is a great place to start planning a trip, letting you pick the river and find numerous companies that run it.

Find more information about the event and start looking forward to next year here.

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