45th Annual Yampa River Festival
Thursday, May 29 – Sunday, June 1, 2025
The flagship event of Friends of the Yampa, the Yampa River Festival, is a true hometown celebration of our friend the Yampa River. This year, our 45th annual, we are carefully watching the water levels to host a safe and fun event that celebrates the Yampa!
It is with great thanks to all the passionate and dedicated river enthusiasts, partners, and supporters that this event continues to be the gem that it is today. While following all the latest safety guidelines, we hope that our river friends will join us to celebrate this year’s Yampa River Festival between May 29 to June 1, 2025. The main event is on Saturday, May 31.
Festival Details
- All event registration will be in person this year! Please make sure to show up to the event with enough time to fill out your registration form. See the schedule above for timing. Event participation will cost $15 for one event or $25 for unlimited events. Cash, card, & check accepted. See below for event descriptions.
- You will be required to follow all City, County and State regulations concerning COVID-19.
- BEER and COCKTAILS: Beer and cocktails will be for purchase by token only. Tokens will be sold at tents around the event. No money will be exchanged at the beer tents. Beer will be offered on the library AND Black Sulphur Spring side.
- In 2025, we are trying to reduce waste. We encourage everyone to bring their own 12-16 oz. cup for beer and/or purchase a I Heart the Yampa Kleen Kanteen at the Friends of the Yampa booth for $10. If you bring your own cup beer fills will be $6 if you do not beers will be $7. Help us reduce waste and make this a great event!
- Please email questions to info@friendsoftheyampa.com
Put-ins and takeouts: Due to limited parking, Friends of the Yampa encourages getting picked up and dropped off at the put-ins and takeouts for all events.
Event parking: The city of Steamboat Springs has a free bus system. FOTY highly recommends taking the bus to the bus stop right outside of the Bud Werner Memorial Library on 13th Street. There is parking at the following locations:
- Fetcher Pond
- Little Toots Park
- Downtown Steamboat Springs along Yampa Street and adjacent streets.
- The Depot Art Center
- Stockbridge Transit Center
- West Lincoln Park parking lot
Walking and biking: Steamboat Springs has a trail that leads users directly to Yampa River Festival. Take the Yampa River Core Trail to events.
Whatever you do, don’t drink and drive!
Event Schedule
| Date | Time | Event | Start Location | Event Sponsor | Arrival Time |
| 5/29/25 | Doors 6:00 PM, Start 6:30 | State of the Yampa Address | Library Hall | 6 PM | |
| 5/30/25 | 12-6 PM | Gear Swap | Backdoor Sports | ||
| 5/30/25 | 6 PM | Adam Mayo Memorial Fish Creek Race | Mt. Werner Water | Mayo Family | 5 PM (Hard start at 6pm) |
| 5/31/25 | 10 AM | Open Class Downriver Kayak Race | Fetcher Park | 9:30 AM | |
| 5/31/25 | 10:30 AM |
Pack Raft Race |
Charlie’s Hole | 10 AM | |
| 5/31/25 | 11 AM | Fly Fishing Downriver Race | Rich Weiss Park | Fishpond | 10:30 AM |
| 5/31/25 | Noon | SUP Downriver Race | Fetcher Park | Hala Gear | 11:30 AM |
| 5/31/25 | 1 PM | Drew Hyde Raft Race | Fetcher Park | Drew Hyde Memorial Fund | 12:15 PM |
| 5/31/25 | 2 PM | Raft Rodeo | Charlie’s Hole | show up to C-Hole after race | |
| 5/31/25 | 2:30 PM | SUP Cross | Charlie’s Hole | Hala Gear | 2 PM |
| 5/31/25 | 3:30 PM | Kayak Cross (heats of 3) | Charlie’s Hole | 3 PM | |
| 5/31/25 | 4:00 PM | Crazy River Dog | D Hole | 3:30 PM | |
| 5/31/25 | 4:30 PM | Tube Rodeo | Charlie’s Hole | Be ready at start | |
| 5/31/254 | 5:30 PM | Kayak Rodeo | Charlie’s Hole | Be ready at start | |
| 5/31/25 | 6:30 PM | AWARDS; Beer Service Ends | Charlie’s Hole | ||
| 5/31/25 | 7 PM | Event Breakdown | Charlie’s Hole | ||
| 6/1/25 | 10-1 PM | Kayak Slalom | Rich Weiss Park | GrassSticks | 10 AM |
- All event registration will be in person this year! Please make sure to show up to the event with enough time to fill out your registration form. See the schedule above for timing. Event participation will cost $15 for one event or $25 for unlimited events. Cash, card, & check accepted. See below for event descriptions.
- You will be required to follow all City, County and State regulations concerning COVID-19.
- BEER and COCKTAILS: Beer and cocktails will be for purchase by token only. Tokens will be sold at tents around the event. No money will be exchanged at the beer tents. Beer will be offered on the library AND Black Sulphur Spring side.
- In 2025, we are trying to reduce waste. We encourage everyone to bring their own 12-16 oz. cup for beer and/or purchase a I Heart the Yampa Kleen Kanteen at the Friends of the Yampa booth for $10. If you bring your own cup beer fills will be $6 if you do not beers will be $7. Help us reduce waste and make this a great event!
- Please email questions to info@friendsoftheyampa.com
Volunteers
We need your help! Help us make this event possible by volunteering for the River Fest. Volunteer duties range from beer tent, registration tent, capacity counter, event set up and take down, a misc. other duties. All volunteers will receive a volunteer shirt. If you have a shirt from a past event, please consider using that one to help us ensure all volunteers get a shirt. Be sure to sign up for our volunteer system THEN pick your shift!
Sponsors
Are you interested in being a sponsor for the Yampa River Fest? You can find the application at the button below. Please reach out to rebecca@friendsoftheyampa.com with any questions.
Thank you to this year’s sponsors
Event Sponsors
Race Sponsors
Vendors
If you or your organization is interested in vending on Saturday, May 31, for the main event, please fill ou this form! Deadline is Aprill 11. This event is a Level 4 Zero Waste event with the City of Steamboat Springs so all vendors must work within those rules.