2nd Annual Pomperaug River Festival
Come Celebrate Our Beautiful River!
On Saturday August 18 from 10 AM to 2PM, join us at Settlers’ Park in Southbury for a day of FUN FESTIVITIES both in and along the Pomperaug River!
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An astonishing 200-plus miles of streams and smaller rivers flow into the Pomperaug River from Bethlehem, Morris, Watertown, Roxbury, Washington, Middlebury, Woodbury, and Southbury. Carol Haskins, Outreach Director of the Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition said: “Local residents should know what a treasure they have in this river! It not only offers miles of recreation and scenic beauty, it’s also connected to our vital source of clean drinking water. That’s why PRWC will be celebrating with our 2nd Annual Pomperaug River Festival!”
On Saturday August 18th, everyone is invited to come down to Settlers’ Park in Southbury between 10 A.M. and 2 P.M. to join in the celebration. The River Festival – sponsored by TD Bank, Connecticut Community Foundation, Dr. Jack Zazzaro of Southbury, and the Southbury Women’s Club – will feature a variety of activities for young and old, including a live trout demonstration, relay races, a mini-boat float, arts and crafts, games, exhibits, and much more.
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Haskins noted, “The live trout demonstration we offered last year was such a huge hit that we just had to include it this year. It’s not every day you get to see a live, trophy-sized trout up close and in person. There’s something simply magical about meeting and adopting your own trout, then releasing it into the river.” Rowledge Pond Aquaculture of Newtown will deliver live fish during the Festival and talk about the differences between the three species of trout before they are released into the mperaug River.
Festival goers can learn more about fish that live in the river at the arts and crafts area, where they can stamp their T-shirt with an imprint of a fish, and play the “Fish of the Pomperaug” Match Game. For those looking for a slightly bigger challenge, participants can try their hand at fly-casting and fly-tying with guidance from members of the Naugatuck-Pomperaug Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
There will also be opportunities to wade into the river and get wet. As a guided experience, people will wade into the river to learn about the tiny, spineless creatures (“river bugs”) that live there and, from them, learn how clean the water is. Folks are also invited to make a mini-sailboat to race down the river during the Festival. And teams of four can register and compete in a Water Conservation Relay Race that challenges each team to be the fastest at hauling the amount of water used by a single person every day.
Directions for making a mini-boat, along with a place to Adopt a Trout, and information about registering a team for the Relay Race can be found on the Coalition’s website: http://www.pomperaug.org/river_fest2012.html
The Festival will also feature a variety of vendors and exhibitors including CT Outdoors of Oakville, which will have canoes and kayaks on display; Audubon at Bent of the River; Southbury Land Trust; and the University of Connecticut, whose scientists and staff will share information on their research related to drugs in the water as well as invasive plants. River Glen Health Care of Southbury will also be on hand to register walkers for its upcoming Walk-a-Thon, set for October 6th in memory of Dr. Marc Taylor, founder of PRWC. Proceeds from the walk will be split between PRWC and Southbury Land Trust.
“All in all - it’ll be a great family day,” said Haskins. “The Festival is an opportunity to learn a lot more about the many facets of this treasure in our midst. Most of all, it’s a great way for kids to learn about our local rivers.”
Admission is free. For more information or for updates on scheduled activities, call PRWC at 203-263-0076 or visit www.pomperaug.org.
