Willamette Riverfest Letter of Intent - DRAFT

Scheduled for Labor Day weekend of 2008, the purpose of Willamette Riverfest is to celebrate the major waterway running through the heart of Portland, and to inspire the residents of its watersheds to deepen their connection to, and understanding of, this working river.

Forging a unique set of partnerships between multiple City bureau’s, environmental conservation organizations, outdoor recreation and tourism associations, and regional businesses, Riverfest will invite Portland’s citizens to enjoy a weekend of river-specific recreation activities, education, and entertainment.

The expectation is that this event will, over the course of several years, grow to become a core event for the city and its residents. It is likely that it will draw regional and even national attention for its success at garnering high levels of citizen engagement in both urban and rural communities - upstream and downstream. It is also likely that the event has capacity to actively improve river ecosystems and watershed health while encouraging increased economic activity in both recreation and tourist-related industries.

In order to differentiate the event further from the many established celebrations occurring throughout the year at McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, the possibility of multiple venues along the waterfront is being evaluated. Event logistics, formal media and outreach, and corporate and other sponsorship coordination will be conducted by a hired event organizing staff.

The initial organizing group, which to date consists of participants from the entities listed below, will act in a collaborative fashion to guide the event’s overall framework and activities.

Convening Organizations:

•  River Renaissance

•  City of Portland Parks and Recreation

•  Oregon Trout

•  Salmon-Safe

•  Willamette Riverkeeper

•  Portland Oregon Visitor’s Association

•  Oregon Community Foundation

•  City of Portland Triathlon

•  Ecotrust