FUNC Festival, Montrose (7/22/2017)

FUNC (Fun On The Uncompahgre)

Montrose is fortunate to have the Uncompahgre River running through town and long ago built a large park next to it.  Several years ago, the river was modified to provide a white water course used for kayaks and Stand Up Paddleboards (SUPs). 

This has given rise to an annual festival that features river races and other family fun,  As you might expect, there was music and various vendor sites for food, drink and accessories related to river running.

On a hot summer day, kids and dogs always find interesting ways to keep cool.

Races were staged in several different classifications, with cash prizes for each class.  Negotiating the buoys marking the course was part of the fun, especially when multiple entrants arrived at the same time.  Survival was the name of the game.

Spectators had the "boulder bleachers" and the bridge to offer good views of the action, and cool off between races.

Even those not entered in the races had the opportunity to enjoy the cold water, which was snow in the mountains just a few hours earlier.

As I walked back to the parking lot, I passed the skateboard area and enjoyed watching some of the kids showing off their skills on various devices.