Glenwood Springs RiverFest promotes environmental stewardship and community connection

The Glenwood Springs River Commission hosts its annual RiverFest to clean up the Roaring Fork and Colorado rivers in Glenwood Springs.

The main event is a clean-up along the two rivers. People can pick up litter on the riverbanks on foot, or in the rivers themselves, by raft, tube or stand-up paddleboard. Companies can also register for a group of employees to participate in the clean-up together.

Chip Fisher, vice-chair of the city’s all-volunteer River Commission, said they’re always so excited to see how excited people are about the event.

“Some years we pick up a lot of big trash, you know, toilets and bathtubs and all sorts of crazy stuff,” he said. “Other years it’s just a bunch of bottles and cans and some random scrap metal and stuff. But there’s always a fair amount of trash, which is definitely the goal.”

He said the number of participants in the event has increased over the past five or six years.

River Commissioner Erin Riccio said the two rivers are the lifeblood of the Glenwood Springs community.

“The major rivers in this part of the state … contribute a lot to our way of life and economy,” she said. “And I think our community is very invested in ensuring their protection. And this is just an opportunity for (the) community to come together and build around that concept.”

Fisher agreed.

“Everyone gets a chance to connect with the ecosystem, with the river, with each other and to give back to the community and the river, which is so important to our entire region, not just the city of Glenwood,” he said.

The two also said it’s a great way for residents to get to know the River Commission and its work better.

Some of their projects include shoreline stabilization and beach access at the confluence of the Roaring Fork River and Three Mile Creek, multiple shoreline planting projects around the city, and making recommendations to city officials. They have written statements in support of the Shoshone purchase and they make recommendations for the city’s municipal codes, such as how far a parcel of land should be set back from a river or stream.

The cleanup will last from 9 a.m. to noon, followed by a party from noon to 3 p.m. in Two Rivers Park.

There will be live music from Whiskey Stomp and refreshments from Taco Express, Kaleidascoops and the Glenwood Canyon Brewpub.

RiverFest is free and registration is available online.