Water sports enthusiasts, competitors, and Montrose community are invited to enjoy the Eighth Annual FUNC Fest (Fun on the UNCompahgre River Festival) at the Montrose Water Sports Park in Riverbottom Park on Saturday, Aug. 12 and Sunday, Aug. 13.

FUNC Fest is one of the City of Montrose’s premier summer events designed to showcase and celebrate the WSP, one of the largest whitewater parks in the American West.

The event, hosted by the City of Montrose Office of Business and Tourism (OBT), will feature a full lineup of river and land events from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and  9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Each day will feature water competitions, kid’s activities, vendor booths, a food and beer garden, and live music.

“FUNC Fest is one of the city’s largest summer events where we plan for a large community celebration and this year will be no different,” said Kathryn Schroer, City of Montrose Pavilion and community events manager. “We are planning two full days of fun in Riverbottom Park and on the Uncompahgre River, and we are excited to bring back a Prince tribute band to perform Saturday night in Cerise Park.”

Open to all levels, water competitions will include a downriver sprint for kayakers, stand-up paddle boarders and recreational crafts. The boatercross event targets kayakers and SUPers. Boatercross is a blend of downriver racing and roller derby and is available to all levels of paddlers.

In between competitions, the community is invited to jump in the river and enjoy the cool Colorado runoff through the park. Personal flotation devices, or life jackets, are required.

After the water competitions conclude at 5 p.m. Saturday afternoon, the party transitions to the Rotary Amphitheater where food and beer vendors will be ready to provide food and libations for two sets of live music beginning at 6 p.m.

At 7:30 p.m. headliner Phillip Lamar & Paizley Park, a Prince tribute band, will perform. Phillip Lamar & Paizley Park performed at the 2019 FUNC Fest and are returning following public demand to bring the group back to Montrose.

On Sunday the water competitions resume along with vendor booths, kid’s activities, and live music taking place in Riverbottom Park. The music and event conclude at 6 p.m. Sunday evening.

The WSP, located on the Uncompahgre River in Riverbottom Park in the heart of Montrose’s premier Baldridge Regional Park complex, was completed in 2015.

Consisting of 1,000 feet of river channel, the park is one of the largest in the state of Colorado and one of the few in the U.S. to be fully accessible by ADA standards. The park has been designed with all citizens in mind, from ankle waders to expert kayakers, and is complemented by a terraced spectator and beach areas, allowing excellent viewing from a safe space right on the river.

Sustained irrigation flows on the Uncompahgre River make the park an enticing destination through late summer/early fall, long after other parks have lost their luster.

FUNC Fest Schedule

Saturday, August 12: Riverbottom Park

9 a.m. – Check-in & Event Registration

10 a.m. – Vendor Village Opens

11 a.m. – Riverbottom Downriver Race

Noon – Kids Activities Open

Noon – Food Truck Village & Beer Garden Open

12:30 p.m. – Start Here & Paddle Everywhere Community Floating Parade

1 p.m. – Live Music Begins

2 p.m. – Mighty Unc SUP and Kayak Cross prelims

3:30 p.m. – Mighty Unc SUP and Kayak Cross finals

Saturday, August 12: Rotary Amphitheater 

5 p.m. – Awards Ceremony: Food Village & Beer Garden

6 p.m. – Opening Band: Dave’s Fault

7:20 p.m. – Welcome Speech

7:30 p.m. – Headlining Band: Philip Lamar & Paizley Park

8 p.m. – Beer Garden Last Call

9 p.m. – Concert Concludes

Sunday, August 13: Riverbottom Park

9 a.m. – Check-in & Event Registration

10:30 a.m. – FUNCy Kayak Rodeo prelims

11 a.m. – Vender Village opens

11:30 a.m. – Western Slope River Surf Competition prelims

Noon – Food Village & Beer Garden

Noon – Kids Activities

1 p.m. – Live Music

1:30 p.m. – FUNCy Kayak Rodeo finals

2:30 p.m. – Western Slope River Surf Competition finals

4 p.m. – Awards Ceremony

4:30 p.m. – Closing Band

5:30 p.m. – Last Call

6 p.m. – Event Concludes

Info in this article is from a City of Montrose press release.