Whitewater festival makes safety a priority

Hundreds of kayakers, rafters and paddle boarders took to the Arkansas River in Canon City this weekend.

The annual Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival gave people a chance to spend some time out on the river.

There were many different events, including a whitewater adventure race and tubing races.

But with three water rescues so far this season, festival organizers say safety is their number one priority.

“The one thing to remember with the whitewater festival is, we’re in one of the safest stretches of river you can find on the Arkansas. In this area, there is one drop that we’re dealing with right now and that is at the play park,” said Kyle Horne, the co-chairman of the festival.

All of the proceeds from the festival stay in the community and are used for river and trail rehab projects.