Cheat Fest is less than 1 week away, and things are kicking into high gear. Check out some of the ways Cheat Festarians are getting ready for festival weekend!
The river is up and the sun is out – there is potentially no better way to get your mind right for Cheat Fest than by getting on the water, especially if your planning to test your stuff against some of the speediest paddlers around.
Local paddler, Bily Brown has been training long and hard for the highly prestigious Cheat Canyon Down River Race, which is set to take off this Friday evening before the festival. This unique training style, dubbed the “Flight of the Phonenix” by paddling legend Jim Snyder, has proven to be transformative for those athletes committed to its rigorous and unorthodox methodology.
Love to compete but paddling isn’t your bag of beans? Join the many Cheat Festarians who wake up bright and not-that early Festival morning to run the Cheat Fest 5K. If the joy of trotting around for 3.1 miles isn’t enough to convince you, do it for the awards! Local artist Gail Anderson (Cheat Fest Art Market Coordinator) is at it once again making her highly prized hand made Medallions, stained with an iron oxide glaze made from Acid Mine Drainage.
Curious as to what keeps me, this year’s Festival Director, up at night? Nightmares about compost-recycling-trash cross contamination!! Do not judge. In an effort to sleep better, and reduce confusion from cans conspiculously labeled “TRASH RECYCLING”, we’ve been at it repainting & labeling all of the waste bins. How many paddlers does it take to decide which colors scheme will produce the best results come festival day? Exactly: 3. That said, do a girl a favor and take a second look before you throw your half-eaten hot dog in the plastic bottle bin.
Lydia Darrow, master paint mixer works along side Bily, who is once again practicing yet another strangely effective kayak racing technique.
Wondering who made that Thrillseaker you saw cruising class V the other day? It was probably Chris Jenkins. In addition to being the best inflatable maker this (and that) side of the Mississippi, it turns out he is also a wiz at doing everything else. Thanks Chris for processing the online pre-orders, fixing all of the walkie-talkies, walking up and down the FOC stairs 300 times with loads of Cheat Fest supplies, and always being available for a post-work narrows paddle.
Well, that’s what we’re up to. I hope YOU are ready for yet another fantastic festival weekend on the Cheat River. If you haven’t yet gotten your tickets, hop to it! Today is your last chance to save $5 on Cheat Fest Tickets and to pre-order your festival t-shirt. Click here to get your’s online now, or visit one of our satellite ticket sales locations below!
Tickets will continue to be on sale at these satellite businesses while supplies last!
Back Bear Burritos | Downtown Morgantown
Black Bear Burritos | Evansdale Campus, Morgantown
Morgantown Brewing Company | Morgantown
Little Sandy’s Truck Stop | Bruceton Mills
Waterstreet Cafe | Friendsville
Friends of the Cheat | Kingwood
Foxfire Cafe | Kingwood
Tickets are $20 at the gate; Kid’s under 12 enter for free!
Please note: tickets purchased online will be redeemable at the festival gates via will-call, listed by the purchaser’s name.
