Kayaking on the LA River on Memorial Day

Riding along on the Los Angeles river bike path - my favorite place to bike in the city - I'm always fascinated by the views of nature integrated into the urban landscape. The river was made into a concrete flood channel in the 1930's but efforts to restore it to it's natural state started in the 1980's.

Thanks to the work of organizations like Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) and the LA River Revitalization Corp (LA River Corp), the river is slowly regaining it's natural characteristics. In 2010 it was declared a navigable waterway by the EPA and this Memorial Day a pilot recreation zone was opened to the public. Now that the river is officially open for business, these organizations are working to turn this underutilized resource into a thriving public and recreational space. 

The LA River Corp just launched the LA River Regatta Club - an event-based sustaining members group. "We're trying to activate the river as a fun, civic space with events like Friday night cocktail parties and Sunday picnics," said Community & Events Coordinator, Miranda Rodriguez. "We're working with local businesses along the river to get people to use and enjoy the river space." 

Their Maiden Voyage sets sail this Friday, May 31st, at Nomad - a print studio and gallery that's been in Elysian Park for over a decade. There will be a DJ, dancing, and Berlin style ping pong, a version of the game that's played in larger groups. A $20 ticket includes open bar with locally distilled spirits and brewed beer. 

A stretch of the LA River in Elysian Park

This event kicks off a lineup of curated monthly events like tours of the GreenBar Distillery, kayak trips through the Glendale Narrows, scavenger hunts, and shows at the Bike-In Movie Theater, an outdoor cinema with a river view that opens this summer.  

The LA River Corp is launching the River Regatta Club website and their new main website on NationBuilder. "We're using NationBuilder to list our events, collect monthly membership fees and to launch a cleaner, more attractive website for the LA River Corp," said Rodriguez. 

To support the revitalization of the river, visit the LA River Regatta Club website and sign up to become a sustaining member; or attend their event this Friday. We'll see you there!

For more on what it's like to kayak on the river including lots of pictures, check out this blog post from writer and friend of NationBuilder, Alissa Walker.