The Missisquoi Paddle-Pedal and Richford River Fest is a celebration of community and recreation along both the Missisquoi River and the adjacent rail trail. The event has become one of the largest, ongoing recreational and river-centric event along the Missisquoi River, drawing upwards of 100 participants and volunteers. This is a community effort facilitated by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, along with partners such as the Richford Conservation Commission, the Northern Tier Center For Health, the Missiquoi Rail Trail Commission, and Rise VT. This year the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild and Scenic Committee (UMATR) contributed a $1,200 grant towards this event. Read on to see our River Community Grants Program at work!
 

What is the Missisquoi Paddle-Pedal?

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As summer gears up (typically the 3rd or 4th Saturday in June),

family, friends, and community members gather together to

paddle 6.5 miles from Richford to East Berkshire, and then cycle

 4.5 miles back to Davis Park for the Richford River Fest, which

hosts fun and educational activities for families. Since 2015, this 

event has served to raise awareness of the Missisquoi River as a

recreational destination, encourage healthy and active lifestyles,

and provide educational opportunities to learn about the

watershed.

 

UMATR’s River Community Grants Program awarded funds to the Northern Forest Canoe Trail to help organize this great event, which helped to cover the costs of staff time, supplies, food, signs, prizes, and more. The 2018 event took place on Saturday, June 23rd and included a slightly extended route so that participants both started and finished at Davis Park in Richford, where the River Fest activities were located.

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Event Summary

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64 paddlers - a combination of new and returning participants - took part in the paddling and cycling, while local residents and visitors cheered them on and enjoy the activities at Richford River Fest. Staff and volunteers from partner organizations that included the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, RiseVT, Northern Tier Center for Health, the Jay Cloud Cyclery, the Richford Conservation Commission, the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail, the VT Fish and Wildlife Department, the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers Wild & Scenic Committee, the Missisquoi River Basin Association, and Lake Champlain Sea Grant administered the event and provided a wide array of activities, games, food, music and more for locals, event participants, and visitors to enjoy. 

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This annual event does a great job of connecting people all across the region with the river and the community along the Missisquoi; the Wild & Scenic Committee is thrilled to fund events like this, and looks forward to our next round of grant applications.