Spirit of the Sun festival takes place July 7 in downtown Rome
The inaugural Spirit of the Sun Festival comes to downtown Rome on July 7.
The kick off activity will be a fishing tournament, the Kingfisher Classic, starting at 8 a.m.
The highlight of the event will be the Chieftain’s Challenge paddle race starting at 1 p.m. on Rome’s rivers. Friendly to both kayaks and stand up paddleboards, this race will go along all three rivers and will begin at Heritage Park.
Novices and elites both have the opportunity to race for cash and prizes. The 1- and 3-mile novice-friendly open races are designed for adult recreational paddlers of all abilities. The elite 6-mile race is geared for adult experienced paddlers and those training for the season’s sanctioned races. These races will be open to stand up paddle boards and non-SUP vessels.
The Roman Holiday will serve as the Sweetwater Barge and will be docked and boarding at Heritage Park and then travel to the river confluence to watch the races. They will have beer tastings available as well as food from Moe’s Original BBQ. There will be two sessions, one from 1:15-2:45 p.m. and one from 3:15-4:45 p.m.
Tickets are $50 and you must show up at your scheduled time to be able to board.
Registration will be available for all three of these events on the Paddleguru race website. www.paddleguru.com/races/ChieftainsChallenge.
The festival will feature live music, fun activities, yoga and SUP demos, and the opportunity to enjoy food, drinks, and craft beer from downtown businesses all day.
The race after-party at Bridge Point Plaza will begin at 5 p.m. with awards and a free concert with summer vibes from Mario Davis. There will be no coolers allowed; Moe’s Original BBQ and River Dog will have armbands available for those over 21.
Race entry fees include a T-shirt with proceeds going to local river protectors, the Coosa River Basin Initiative, located in Downtown Rome.
For more information, visit online at www.spiritofthesunromega.com, check out Downtown Rome’s social media @DowntownRomeGA or call the Office of Downtown Development at 706-236-4520 or email mtreglown@ romega.us.