POWER OF PLACE: Conservation, Kayaking, and Culture

Attention all kayakers, families, and adventure enthusiasts! Join us on Saturday, July 13th, from 8 am to 5 pm for an unforgettable day celebrating the Power of Place and the beautiful waters of Cat Point Creek in Virginia's Northern Neck.

Be Part of Something Extraordinary

There is no other event like this in the region. Join us at Menokin for our inaugural kayak race and festival to celebrate the Power of Place (our beautiful Northern Neck) Saturday, July 13th, 11 am - 5 pm (8 am for kayak racing; 11 am onward for festival activities).

This first-time event offers recreational activities for the whole family, including kayaking, hiking, live music, food, film, tours and fun for the whole family. Come celebrate the Northern Neck’s beautiful natural resources and rich historic cultural heritage while we raise awareness of the value of conservation and the beauty of our water, land and historic resources. 

What to Expect:

• Enjoy live music, short films and delicious offerings from food and drink vendors.

• Engage with environmental advocates and learn about the importance of conservation in the Chesapeake Bay region.

• Embark on special pontoon excursions across Menokin Bay to explore the newly opened Cat Point Creek Wildlife Refuge, featuring children's hiking trails.

• Delve into the history of Menokin, a National Historic Landmark, with guided tours of the Menokin grounds throughout the day.

• Walk our trails and look for installed fairy houses along the way.

FOOD & DRINK VENDORS:

If you are interested in participating in this event, please fill out the registration form or email Alice French at afrench@menokin.org for details.

Event Schedule

Subject to updates; check back regularly for time and event confirmations and additions

7 AM - 11 AM: KAYAK RACES

• 7:00 am - Kayak Race Registration

  • Registration at Menokin's Overflow Parking lot

• 7:30 am - Launch kayak on the creek

  • Kayakers launch and line up at Start

• 8:00 am - Kayak Race begins!

  • Race down Cat Point Creek to Rappahannock River at Naylor’s Beach Campground

11 AM - 5 PM: POWER OF PLACE FESTIVAL 

• 8am - 2 pm - Hike Wild in the Woods

  • Hike the trails at Cat Point Creek Wildlife Refuge during the kayak race: take the FREE shuttle by land or boat across Menokin Bay!

• 11:00 am - 4:00 pm - Menokin Tours on the Hour

  • Learn about Menokin's Cultural Preservation work. Meet at Visitor Center

• 11:00 am - 5:00 pm - Visit Festival vendors

  • Learn and explore Conservation: Demos and educational enrichment

• 11:00 am - 5:00 pm - Hike and Seek Fairy Houses

  • Hike the trails at Menokin and admire the Fairy Houses installed along our paths

• 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

  • View the VMFA Exhibit Cultivating History: Food, Crops, and Art inside the Menokin Visitor Center

• 12:00 pm - Kayak Race Awards

  • Awards given from the Stage

• 12 pm - 5 pm - Live Music on Stage

  • Bands and DJ all afternoon; play Oyster Jeopardy with TOGA emcee

• 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Hourly film screenings of local documentaries at the Visitor Center.

  • Growing Up Osprey (approx 14 minutes)

  • Conserving Carter's Creek: A Tides Inn Shoreline Restoration (approx 5 minutes)

• 11 am - 5:00 pm - Food and Drink

  • Enjoy food and drink all day from our vendors!

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE FOLLOWING SUPPORT

This event is made possible with funding from:

Northern Neck Planning Commission, Virginia Tourism Corporation, and the
American Canoe Association (ACA) 

We also celebrate and thank our partners for this event:

 Town of Warsaw, for safety and travel
Naylor’s Beach Campground, for kayak landing
Rappahannock Wildlife Refuge Friends
Friends of the Rappahannock
Tidewater Oyster Gardeners Association (TOGA)
Rappahannock Tribe
Northern Neck Soil & Water Conservation District
Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School
Rappahannock Adventures, LLC
Just Harvest