It’s a fest fest

The deviants line up at Squirt Fest

 It seems like festival season has been upon us recently in the UK, and I’m not talking about a bunch of crusty hippies and students having lost weekends in fields (the NSR isn’t until March).   The past month or so has seen a sucession of gatherings of paddlers getting together to padde together, talk about paddling, catch up after summer travels, and generally have a bit of a party. 

The Magic Roundabout full to capacity

 For squirt Fest in Nottingham, some forty squirt boaters gathered for a relaxed bank holiday weekend of sinking, socialising, and comparing glitter jobs.  Dan used his hand paddles to maximum effect to win the King of the Concrete title from Pete and Dave Savage unveiled the new Wisper, which looks like it will be the weapon of choice for folk with gills next season.

Paul Smith on the Tarrell, South Wales

There was a Festival of Freestyle at Nottingham that by all accounts went off well, but it rained so I skipped out on that and headed to South Wales for some Spate fun on Usk tributaries.  Next up was the Wet West Paddle Fest, in Scotland, there’s been plenty said about that already, so I won’t go on and on again about what a great event it is and how fantastic a river the Morriston is etc… Far better would be to point you torwards Stuart’s stunningly edited video from the weekend. I’m looking forward to next year’s event already.

Fun times on the Morriston (Photo: Bex Pipe)

Last weekend was the big one, Pyranha Fest at the Tryweren.  With coaching workshops, clinics, outfitting classes, boater cross, freestyle, and of course a great big party, it was always going to be a good weekend. Thankfully the sun came out and everyone seeemed to be having a great time.  I was running a photography clinic on the the Saturday and a boofing and flaring class on Sunday.  There was a nice relaxed feel to the event, with loads going on up and down the course, but without feeling hectic.  Plenty of folk were out in the demo boats, the new Z:one and Knarli both being especially popular.  

Andy Phillips points the way in the Whitewater Warriors Masterclass at Pyranha Fest

The Party on Saturday was one to remember, although I think there may be one or two that will struggle with that.  The Fat Cats Greenland video and Whitewater Warriors Arrunchal Pradesh talk got everyone in the room planning fantasy trips to far flung places for a couple of hours before dancing and nakedness took over and carried on late into the night.

Looking for interesting angles in the photography clinic

There are already plans to make Pyranha Fest bigger, better, and sunnier next year, so it looks like the 2009 festival season should be even more entertaining.