Every year, Bend’s most dedicated paddling enthusiasts dress up their canoes and kayaks in holiday garb and paddle around the Deschutes River for a few hours. This is one of those events that gets the whole town in the spirit and feels very authentic to Bend this Friday December 7.

This year, festive kayakers should meet on the back lawn of Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe at 3:30pm with decorated kayaks and canoes. After the crowd assembles, the group will depart from the dock behind the shop at 4:15 pm and paddle upstream up to the Columbia Bridge (near Red Robin). On the way back down, the lighted boats will assemble in formation under the Old Mill’s Flag Bridge. This will give family and friends the opportunity to take photographs of the decorated boats.

In past years, the paddler’s of Bend have gone all out decorating their boats with lights, trees, wreaths and garlands. Bring some holiday cheer to your paddling experience and be a part of this longstanding Bend tradition.

http://www.tumalocreek.com/demo-festival/annual-christmas-kayak-at-the-old-mill-e770-m12-y2012.html