The annual Animas River Days event will take place Saturday and include whitewater slalom, freestyle kayaking, boater-cross, surf competitions, raft sprint, river parade and retro rodeo.
River Days began in 1985 when Nancy Wiley organized the first “whitewater rodeo,” and it grew over the years to attract river-lovers from all over the world. Whitewater Park at Santa Rita has since hosted a long list of events, including national team trials for freestyle, slalom and wild-water, national championships in slalom and open-canoe slalom and the Champion International Whitewater Slalom Series.
The new Whitewater Park opened in 2014, with 12 rapid features, such as Smelter, Corner Pocket and Ponderosa. In 2016, construction to the water-treatment plant created a new entrance to Whitewater Park upstream of Smelter Rapid, which is expected to make this year’s competitions extra wild.
Teams from Jackson Kayak, Badfish, Liquid Logic, Red Bull, Pyranha, Hala and SOL will compete at the pro level during the 2017 Animas River Days.
Animas River Days, all-day event, Animas River, Whitewater Park, Santa Rita Park, 149 South Camino del Rio, www.animasriverdays.com.
10th-annual “Tear It Up 4 Tyler” skateboard competition, all-day event, $10, Schneider Skate Park, 950 Roosa Ave., 375-7323, 946-7799.
Durango Gun Violence Awareness Day “Wear Orange” event, 4 p.m., Buckley Park, 1200 Main Ave., www.wearorange.org.
Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering Barn Dance and Picnic, 5 p.m., $15, River Bend Ranch, 27846 U.S. Highway 550, (512) 517-5619.
