River Action hosts Floatzilla at Sunset Park -- August 21.
Saturday, August 21
Sunset Park, 18th Avenue & Sunset Road, Rock Island IL
An eagerly awaited day of outdoor fun culminating in an attempt to break a pair of Guinness World Records is set for August 21, when River Action hosts the 12th-annual celebration of paddle sports Floatzilla, with participants and spectators gathering at Rock Island's Sunset Park to see if the Quad Cities can boast the world's “Largest Raft of Canoes and Kayaks” and “Largest Simultaneous Kayak Launch.”
The current “Largest Raft of Canoes and Kayaks” record was achieved by One Square Mile of Hope (USA) in Inlet, New York, in 2014, with 3,150 attached crafts, and the “Largest Simultaneous Kayak Launch” record – also set in 2014 – is attributed to the New Hampshire Lakes Association for its launch of 396 crafts. Floatzilla registrants will attempt to top both watermarks when they convene for a group photo at Sunset Park's Lake Potter at 2:30 p.m., taking part in the largest paddle-sports festival on the Mississippi River. The day also boasts live music by Subatlantic, Chrash, and Condor & Jaybird, vendors, and food trucks, with registration $30 in advance and $35 on the day of the event.
Paddlers can launch their canoes and kayaks directly from Sunset Park's Lake Potter or from one of five additional sites along the Mississippi River. Launches from Moline's Bass Street YMCA and Bettendorf's Leach Park take place from 7 to 11 a.m., with voyages of roughly six-and-a-half miles. The launch from Davenport's Lindsay Park Yacht Club (8 a.m. to noon) will begin at Mound Street Landing and include a five-mile paddle. The launch from Davenport's Marquette Street Landing (9 – 11:30 a.m.) will feature a two-mile route with an estimated paddle time of one hour, with river crossing required. And the launch from Davenport's Credit Island (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) boasts a half-mile route with a paddle time of roughly 30 minutes, with river crossing also required. River Action works with the U.S. Coast Guard to close the river and have a team of safety boats on the water to make sure everyone makes it to Lake Potter safely, and after the group photo is taken, shuttles are provided back to the launch sites.
In a new perk this year, anyone who is signed up for Floatzilla can participate in a kayak fishing tournament. The tournament will take place during packet pick up at Credit Island, and participants will take to the Pelican Island Slough between Credit Island and the Crescent Bridge. Yardsticks will be given to each participant to measure each of their catches, with the top two catches receiving a tackle box as a prize. All participants must have an Iowa or Illinois fishing license, and entry is free with a Floatzilla registration.
For more information on the August 21 Floatzilla event, call (563)322-2969 and visit RiverAction.org/floatzilla.
