Northeast Ohio Outdoors

Venture Outdoors Festival May 16th, 2009

By Lou Yuhasz on May 12th, 2009

(Pittsburgh, PA – May 1, 2009) The Ninth Annual Venture Outdoors Festival, the region’s premier outdoor recreation event, will be held Saturday, May 16, 2009, rain or shine at Pittsburgh’s Point State Park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This year, the Venture Outdoors Festival will kick off the organization’s new Family and Community Programs initiative.

“The Venture Outdoors Festival itself brings together the numerous outdoor recreation groups of the region,” said Sean Brady, Assistant Executive Director of Venture Outdoors. “This year we are putting special emphasis on growing the diversity of the outdoors community to include even more people from urban neighborhoods through our Family and Community Programs initiative.”

The Venture Outdoors Festival, sponsored by UPMC Health Plan, is a free event where individuals and families can sample the many outdoor activities available in our region. The event features kayaking, biking, dragon boating, rock climbing, fishing and more. Participants can hone their skills or try these activities for the first time — with experienced instructors to provide guidance — and learn where to enjoy these activities all season long.

There will be over 100 different clubs and organizations with exhibits and information about outdoor recreational opportunities in the region. Local outdoor shops will also be on hand displaying the latest gear. In addition to the physical activities, there will be tours of the new RiverQuest vessel, Explorer, a variety of food vendors and a youth obstacle course, provided by REI and Grass Roots Racing.

FREE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
Kayaking
Try paddling on the Allegheny River with boats and instructors provided by Kayak Pittsburgh. Also, demo the latest kayaks from Rocky Mountain Kayak.

Fishing
Catch a big fish at the Point. No fishing license is required, courtesy of the PA Fish and Boat Commission and Venture Outdoors.

Biking
Bike the bridges of Downtown or the North Side, South Side or Eliza Furnace Trails. Bring your own bike or try one of the ones available. PORC and Golden Triangle Bike and Blade will guide these tours. A bike valet will be provided by Bike Pittsburgh.

Climbing
Reach the top of the climbing wall provided by Climb Pittsburgh, a project of Venture Outdoors.

Family Programming
Find out what is in store for the entire family at the Family and Community Programs area.

HOW TO GET THERE:
Bike
Use the South Side, North Side, and Eliza Furnace trails. A bike valet will be provided all day by Bike Pittsburgh. For more information on biking safely in Pittsburgh, please visit www.bike-pgh.org.

Bus
There are several routes that travel through Downtown. For routes that serve downtown visit www.ridegold.com.

Car
The Mon Wharf parking lot, which is usually closed on Saturdays, will be open and parking is available at $5.00 for the entire day. From the lot it is just a short walk up the stairs to Stanwix Street and a few blocks to the entrance of Point State Park.

The Venture Outdoors Festival is a Signature Event of Great Outdoors Week (May 15– May 24). Discover more outdoor adventures during Great Outdoors Week by visiting www.wallsarebad.com

What: Venture Outdoors Festival
Where: Point State Park
When: Saturday, May 16, 2009, 11 AM – 6 PM (rain or shine)
Who: Anyone interested in learning more about outdoor recreation in the region
Format: Day-long festival with tons of exciting activities for the whole family with kayaking, fishing, biking, climbing and more
Sponsors: UPMC Health Plan, Walls Are Bad, DCNR, Exkursion Outfitters, Wilderness Voyagers, WYEP 91.3 FM, Schneider Downs & Co., Agent Pittsburgh
Information: Visit our website at www.ventureoutdoors.org or call 412.255.0564 (M-F, 9-5)

Venture Outdoors, a non-profit organization, seeks to transform the Pittsburgh region into a place where the outdoors is an integral part of our culture, identity and lifestyle. VO does this by increasing participation in outdoor recreational activity. This in turn creates a sense of community among participants, an increased awareness of the region’s excellent quality of life, and a better understanding of and deeper appreciation for the environment and wilderness among the residents of and visitors to western Pennsylvania. For more information, visit www.ventureoutdoors.org or call 412.255.0564.

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