Gear up for the river
A day of gear swapping and an evening festival of eight whitewater boating films will make downtown Spokane the place to be on Saturday.
“We’re trying to fill a niche,” said Rick Eichstaedt, one of the Center for Justice organizers for the event.
“Gear swaps are popular in other places and so are paddling film festivals, but Spokane doesn’t have either one.”
Until now.
The Outdoor Gear Swap will run Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the new Community Warehouse Space, 17 W. Main (next to Merlyn’s comic book shop). New and used outdoor gear, books and clothing for all types of outdoors sports will be sold, including cycling, water sports, camping, climbing and more.
Individuals are encouraged to sell their gear on their own or to team with other friends to share the $10 table fee. Meantime, several outfitters are kick-starting the swap with good deals.
“The City of Spokane Outdoor Program is clearing out its stock of gear and Peter Grubb with River Odysseys West is bringing something like 10 rafts from their Clark Fork warehouse,” Eichstaedt said. Mountain Gear and Mountain Goat Outfitters also are bringing gear, he said.
The National Paddling Film Festival’s road show featuring eight top films from the annual fall event will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the new Magic Lantern Theatre in the Saranac Building at 25 W. Main. Tickets cost $8 in advance (available at the Center for Justice or at the gear swap) or $10 at the door.
For 25 years, the National Paddling Film Festival has convened a competition in Kentucky to find and celebrate the best in paddle sport videos and images. “These are some great films,” Eichstaedt said, noting that this will be the first time the film festival has traveled to Spokane.
The entire event seeks to bring outdoor community together while raising their awareness, and some funds, for the Center’s Spokane River Project.
“In the next month, we’re going to hear a lot about the discharge permits for the municipalities and industries that dump waste into the river,” said Eichstaedt, who leads many of the efforts to maintain and improve water quality in the Spokane River. “Water quality certification is coming from the Department of Ecology for Avista Dams.”
“We’re working with coalition of conservation and recreation groups on instream flow setting for the lower Spokane River,” he said, noting that these efforts are important to anglers and boaters as well as residents along the Spokane River.
Info: For details on selling or donating gear at the gear swap, call (509) 835-5211 or e-mail sdawson@cforjustice.org.