The Cuyahoga River stands as one of the great comeback stories in the United States. The industrial river in Cleveland, Ohio became a symbol of the environmental movement and the push for the Clean Water Act. In 1969, images of the river catching fire gained widespread media attention. The Cuyahoga has improved significantly in the 50 years since the Clean Water Act. So much so that today it is a celebrated place of recreation in Cleveland.
On July 21-22, 2023 local organization Share the River, hosted the fifth annual Blazing Paddles Paddlefest. The event included races on the Cuyahoga as well as a recreational float. According to this video published by Cleveland.com, this year’s Blazing Paddles festival drew 715 paddlers on the waters of downtown Cleveland. It’s believed to be the most on the water at once in Cleveland’s history.
