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2011 Bailey Fest Report / Thanks

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3K views 17 replies 17 participants last post by  adgeiser 
#1 ·
The 2nd Annual Bailey Fest was awesome! Thanks so much all who came out to make Bailey Fest into a huge summer party! I haven't had that much fun since... last Bailey Fest! We probably had around 200 folks at the campground.

We got a great fest camp spot 2/3 of the way down the bailey paddle in. The camp spot was a beautiful meadow right on the river, away from the road, away from houses... so we could have all the fun we wanted and not bother anyone.

Flows were a fun filled 420 cfs all weekend which was mellow enough for first timers and good clean fun for veterans.

The weather was great with a full moon and some meteors friday night and a beautiful lightning storm that threatened rain, but never got us wet on saturday night.

To take the party up a notch we had a huge tarp movie screen and a sound system that provided great entertainment all weekend.

Big thanks to Bart Berger for letting us camp on his land! The camp spot is key to taking Bailey Fest to the next level. Our efforts to clean the camp up earned us an invite back for next year. Know that we are very lucky to have Bart's support. He told me that he is very choosy in allowing these events on to his land, and he will only consider it with the right organizers and the right group. He knows that Bailey kayakers are seasoned river folks who value the resource and will work to protect it.

Huge thanks to the sponsors: AW, Jackson Kayak, Confluence Kayaks, Whitewater Tube Co. and Oscar Blues Brewing. The fantastic support of the sponsors makes the cost of bailey fest 1/2 of what it would be otherwise. The sponsors are great folks with great companies that are a great asset to our boating community. Thanks again guys! You rule!

Bailey Fest was the premier of the Bailey Fest Boatercross Bonanza Foamie-cross race. 30 folks entered, and the victor walked away with a Jackson Villain Creekboat. Kevin from Durango won the villain, and he seemed to be just about the happiest guy at the fest after that. My prototype whitewater course was built in one night, mostly after midnight, and under the supervision of a 12 pack of beer. I've got plans to make a new foamie course thats bigger and badder next year... stay tuned!

The Pyrahnna crew showed up and brought cold beer and some fresh videos, which provided great entertainment. Thanks guys! Hope to see you next year.

I'd also like to thank the tons of folks who helped out with the event. You know who you are. I couldn't have done it without you. The help with set up, break down, clean up, the BBQ, the sound system, the videos and pictures, the foamie race, massage table, camp registration, waivers, stickers, t-shirts was a huge help. Thank you all.

I also want to throw out a HUGE thanks to my good buddy Steve who let me borrow his truck for Bailey Fest. You rule buddy!

So many people offered help, ideas, and support over the weekend. Its great to see the community come together. I'll do my best to get a wider group from the boating community involved for next year.

Be mindful that I have no contracts or formal agreements with Denver Water or Bart Berger, both of who are critical to making this event happen. Both of these deals are gentlemen's agreements that were sealed over a handshake. My mission is to keep these going, but I want the community to know that this isn't set in stone. Please post your thanks to Bart Berger for allowing us to camp on his land, and I will send him the link for him to review. Also, please send your thanks to Dave Bennett at Denver Water to let him know you appreciate the event. David.Bennett@denverwater.org

Looking forward to next year... when its time again to...

Turn on the Tunnel!
 
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#3 ·
Best Fest yet. Weather was great, 420 flow was great, location was great, partying was great, great vibe. Really hope I can make it back in 2012 and make it coincide with Big South Fest, a brother can dream. Thanks again, Ian(and everyone else that chipped in). Cheers!
 
#5 ·
Thank you to to everyone that made it happen, including Burt, Denver Water, Jackson etc, they all deserve it.

Ian, as usual you don't give yourself credit. I for one would like to call you out as being the brains and motivation behind this event. I know it can't be easy and at some times a thankless job. Huge props to Ian.
 
#6 ·
Thank you all for a truly incredible time! Thanks to Bart we had a beautiful campsite, to oskar Blues we had brew, to Denver water for gorgeous water, JK we had a super stoked boater with a free boat, and to confluence and the wastewater tube co for being awesome, and to Ian we had Bailey Fest!
 
#9 ·
Bart thanks for making the Bailey Fest even better with the use of your land for camping. Great setting and ideal location for an incredible event!

Ian, again you killed it. All your coordinating pays off huge! Thanks to you, the sponsors, the helpers, the landowners, Denver Water and the community for dialing in such an incredible kayaking weekend.
 
#11 ·
This was the best weekend I've had in a long, long time! 3 Bailey runs in 3 days...perfect. Thanks to all that supported the massage table action! It was a hit and will certainly make an appearance next year.

Great weekend with 200 great people! Awesome!

Ian, YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!

Beth
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the feedback guys. Chad is the Oskar Blues Contact we worked with out of the 3 emails that Russ linked.

Matt's mentioned that it could be a thankless job, but thats not the case here. I got more thank yous, high fives, hand shakes, nice works, well dones, and great jobs in one weekend that probably the sum total of the previous decade. The thanks and positive feedback were phenomenal.

To me the real reward of putting on bailey fest is the deep satisfaction of figuring it out and getting it done. Its like running a huge drop for the first time, nailing it, and it feels so good.
 
#15 ·
Such an awesome weekend. A big thanks to Ian for tireless coordination, Bart for generous use of his land, Jeff Co for a great takeout park, Oskar Blues for so much good beer, Jackson for the boats, Confluence, et. al. for financial support, the various Bailey landowners for tolerating our scouting and Denver for "turning on the tunnel!"
 
#18 ·
Bart, thank you so much for the gracious use of your land.

OB, "your support" of this event was greatly, greatly appreciated.

DENVER WATER, big thanks to you guys.

Confluence, you are already my go to shop.... and will continue to be. Thanks john.

Ian, you truely are Da Man!!!!
 
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