2026 River Safety Fair
Date: Sunday, April 26, 2026
Time: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Location: Sacred Waters Brewing
Get River Ready This Spring
Join Montana Kayak Academy and Flathead Rivers Alliance to brush the cobwebs off your river skills this spring—or learn something new about responsible recreation on and around our rivers.
River and resource specialists will lead interactive, hands-on learning stations designed to build confidence, improve safety, and prepare you for the season ahead.
What to Expect
Explore a series of engaging stations tailored to all types of river users—rafters, paddleboarders, kayakers, packrafters, and everyone in between.
🌀 Reading Water
Learn how to identify river features and hazards and choose a safe line.
Key concepts include eddies, laminar and helical flow, S.H.A.P.E. (Strainers, Hydraulics, Abilities, Pillows, Egress), and recognizing hazards like strainers, undercuts, and sieves.
🛶 Rig to Flip
Understand how to rig your boat assuming it will flip.
Focus on secure rigging, tight straps, even load distribution, eliminating entrapment hazards, and building redundancy into your setup.
♻️ Pack It In / Pack It Out
Learn river ethics and how to minimize your impact.
Covering human waste systems, microtrash, and respecting access points and private land.
🧰 Raft Repair Skills
Get hands-on experience with basic inflatable boat repair.
Learn PVC vs. Hypalon basics, proper patching techniques, and essential repair kit components. Practice preparing a patch surface and walk through field repair steps.
🧥 Layering & Proper Gear
Dress for immersion and stay safe in cold water conditions.
Understand layering systems, drysuit vs. wetsuit, proper PFD fit, and essential safety gear. Remember: cotton kills.
🗺️ Trip Logistics
Plan safer, more effective river trips.
Learn how to check flows, match difficulty to skill level, plan shuttles, assign roles, and build contingency plans.
🪢 River Knots
Practice essential knots used in river safety.
Hands-on instruction for figure 8, bowline, water knot, and clove hitch. Learn how to properly dress and set knots.
🎒 Packrafting Fundamentals
Learn the basics of packrafting and how it differs from traditional boating.
Includes proper inflation, gear management, trim and balance, and safety considerations for self-rescue.
🐻 Bear-Aware River Camping
Stay safe while camping in bear country.
Learn clean camp practices, food storage techniques, campsite setup, and proper bear spray use.
Interactive Skill Building
Participants can take part in hands-on challenges throughout the event, including:
Throwing a rope to a target
Tying a figure 8 knot correctly
Identifying key river features (eddy, tongue, seam, etc.)
Demonstrating proper PFD fit
Explaining defensive vs. aggressive swimming
Showing a clean, properly rigged boat setup
Demonstrating a basic gear layering system
Complete multiple stations to deepen your skills and knowledge.
River Safety Fair Passport
Pick up your River Safety Fair Passport when you arrive and track your progress as you move through stations.
Complete stations and challenges to earn:
🎟️ Entry into a raffle
🧢 MKA / FRA stickers and merchandise
Confirmed Guest Instructors & Partners
406 Packraft
People and Carnivores
Great Northern Whitewater & Resort
Montana Kayak Academy
Flathead Raft Co
Vendors & Additional Support:
Wilderness First Responder Instructor
The Mountain Guides
Free & Open to All Ages
Thanks to generous funding support from Flathead Electric Cooperative Roundup for Safety, Whitefish Community Foundation Great Fish Community Challenge, and Flathead RAC, along with venue support from Sacred Waters Brewing, this event is free and open to the public of all ages.
Event Details
No registration required
Family-friendly environment
Food and beverages available for purchase from Sacred Waters Brewing
Join Us
Come learn, practice, and connect with the Flathead Valley river community. Build the skills you need for a safe, confident, and responsible season on the water.