MRWC: Events

Schedule of MRWC and other events of interest -

Summer 2010 - On-Going

UMass Lowell Kayaking & Rowing Summer 2010 Programs *details*

Spring-Summer-Autumn 2010 - On-Going

MRWC Paddling Trips - 35 FREE trips planned at various locations in the Merrimack River Watershed, and at various levels of expertise -- *details*

October 3rd - Lowell, MA

31st Annual Textile River Regatta

The Textile River Regatta is an extremely popular 6k head race held on the Merrimack River in the fall. The event is organized by the Merrimack River Rowing Association (MRRA) in coordination with the UMass-Lowell and Lowell High School Rowing programs.

In 2009, a record for participation was set with 520 boats and over 2,600 competitors from 79 clubs spread from Pennsylvania to Maine converging on the Merrimack River. 

A full range of sculling and sweeps events are included, with competition provided by large entries from many local and regional clubs and colleges. The event occurs a few weeks prior to the Head of the Charles and hence provides athletes with ideal competitive training on a great course with a convenient location. Details

August 28th & 29th - Haverhill, MA

Haverhill River Run 2010 -- Crescent Yacht Club Inc, 30 Ferry St., Haverhill, MA 01835 - (978) 374-9683

The Haverhill River Run 2010 is an American Power Boat Association nationally sanctioned event. Hydroplane and Runabouts will race on the Merrimack River in Haverhill, MA. The races are sponsored by the South Shore Outboard Association and the Crescent Yacht Club. The event take place just beyond the last navigation buoys upriver on the Merrimack River. Last year was the first time in fifty years races were held in Haverhill. Sixty five boats competed in twelve different classes - 24 races a day. More racers are expected this year with the event hosting the only Marathon Race in New England. Free.  [Note: Yacht Club web site mistakenly has last year's dates.]

August 27th - Lowell, MA

Free Canoe Program on the Merrimack River -- Lowell Heritage State Park -- 1– 4:00 p.m.

Come paddle on the Merrimack River at this Free Canoe Program offered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Leaders will instruct participants on the basics of canoe handling and water safety and lead a guided paddle up the Merrimack River and back down for approximately three hours.

Canoes are provided by DCR however, it is recommended that you bring sunscreen, insect repellent, water, a camera and your own life vest if you have one, otherwise one will be provided.

Limited space is available for each trip and pre-registration is mandatory.  Please email (preferred) Tim.Rayworth@state.ma.us or call at 339-221-2921with the number, ages, and contact information for the people in your party.  Registration will be first-come/first-served, so sign up soon!

Directions and further details will be sent upon registration confirmation.

July 24th - Newburyport, MA

Shorebirding By Kayak -- 9:00 am to 1:30 pm -- Merrimack River Estuary/Newburyport Harbor Area. Joppa Flats Education Center & Plum Island Kayak, Newburyport. Fee. *details*   Send inquiries to: joppaflats@massaudubon.org

July 10th - Lowell, MA

Fundraiser to Benefit CLEAN RIVER PROJECT -- 8am to 3pm - Lowell U-Mass Boat House.

Five boats and over 30 volunteers will do a major cleanup at that location. There will be food, face painting, psychic readings, balloons, and treats for the children and a safety officer with safety tips. For more information: 978-590-9374

July 7 - Lowell, MA

MRWC Kayak Social! Benefit Raffle Drawing - Wed., July 7th -- 5-7PM -- Lowell Beerworks, 201 Cabot St., Lowell, MA - 978-937-2337 -- Join in the fun as the final minutes tick-off before the drawing of the winner of a new Malibu Extreme Kayak -- WIN A KAYAK! *details*

June 12 - Groton, MA

World and Celebration of the documentary film, Marion Stoddart: The Work of 1000

Saturday, June 12, 2010 -- 6:15 Mingle | 7PM Film Premiere | 8PM Celebration Party  *details*

June 12 & 13 - Various Locations in the Region

River Fest 2010 - a weekend on and about the rivers with many varied activities --

sponsored by the The Concord, Assabet, & Sudbury Wild & Scenic River Stewardship Council  *details*

June 5 - Lowell, MA

Merrimack Valley Paddle & Outdoor Festival - Saturday, June 5th, 10:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. -- UMass Lowell Bellegarde Boathouse, 500 Pawtucket Blvd. Lowell, MA 01853 - Free to the public! *details*  *flyer PDF*

MRWC will have a booth at this event! Stop by and say 'hello'!

June 5 - Bradford, MA

Special Olympics - 32nd Annual Lou Marcel Memorial Canoe Race  - Crescent Yacht Club, 3 Ferry Street, Bradford, MA 01835 - (978) 374-9683 -- brochure and registration form (PDF)

May 22 - Westfield, MA

Kayak & Canoe Demo Day -- benefit the Westfield River Watershed Association - Saturday, May 22, 10AM to 4PM *details*

May 13 - Lowell, MA

MRWC Social! Appreciation and Bon Voyage for Christine Tabak - Thursday, May 13th, Beerworks Brewery *details*

April 28 - Newburyport, MA

Great Marsh Research Highlights - Plum Island Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research Site (PIE-LTER)

April 28, 2010, 7PM - Presentation by Anne Giblin, Senior Scientist at Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory

If you’re curious as to what a world renowned  group of scientists has been researching out in the Great Marsh for the past few decades, come see and hear what they have been up to… Free of charge!

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, 6 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport

April 24 - Various Locations in the Merrimack Valley

AAA Annual Great Battery Roundup - proceeds to benefit the MRWC and AAA Merrimack Mile Adoption

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at all AAA Merrimack Valley Offices. For more information on the Roundup please contact Ellen at AAA by calling 978-946-0307 or emailing her at ed’angelo@aaamv.com   [Volunteers Wanted....see press release]

April 23 & 24 - Nashua, NH

Eastern Mountain Sports Club Day Event - Club Day event at the Nashua Eastern Mountain Sports location. 

Eastern Mountain Sports will offer 20% off any full price items in the store to MRWC members. They are located at:

266 Daniel Webster Highway, Nashua, NH 03060-5727, (603) 891-1180

April 22 - Lawrence, MA

Annual Earth Day Program co-sponsored by MRWC and the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce

Breakfast and Program 7:30AM - 9AM  *details*

April - Varous Locations in the Region

Earth Day Observances in the Region - 2010 - see expanded listing.

March 27 - Westfield, MA

16th annual Westfield River Symposium - Scanlon Banquet Hall at Westfield State College

The theme for this years' event is "Green Energy in Our Watershed". The keynote speaker will be Alan Nogee of the Union of Concerned Scientists. The morning session will feature half a dozen speakers on various issues related to renewable energy, and lots of exhibitors including local companies that offer renewable energy products. More details will be posted as they become available. *details*

March 13 - Maynard, MA

Smart, Clean, Green: Innovative Water Systems Forum - Saturday, March 13, 11am-3pm at Clock Tower Place in Maynard. The forum is hosted by Senator Jamie Eldridge and co-sponsored by OAR, Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund. A light lunch will be provided. *details*

How can we move our communities towards sustainable water use? Local and national experts will discuss alternative wastewater systems, integrated water and energy management, and innovative stormwater solutions. The forum will kick off with a presentation by Jim Kreissl, US EPA’s principal expert on small community wastewater collection, treatment, and reuse systems, including on-site systems and community-based environmental processes for 37 years.

Please RSVP to oar@assabetriver.org or call us at (978) 369-3956. Updates will be posted at www.assabetriver.org.

February 27 - Worcester, MA

Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions -  Annual Environmental Conference - largest regular environmental conference in New England.Over 1000 Conservation Commissioners, other local officials, state and federal environmental officials, consultants, attorneys and others enjoy a full day of activities. *details*

February 25 - Springfield, MA

Ecological Landscaping Association - 16th Annual Conference & Eco-Marketplace, Expanding the Ecological Landscape: Maximize Biological Potential, Minimize Environmental Impact, and Love the Results! *details*

MRWC Valentine's Love-the-River Social! - 5-7PM

Join in with MRWC members, volunteers, friends and staff for an informal get-together. *details*

February 3 - Andover, MA

Dam Removal Presentation and Discussion - 6:30-8PM - Memorial Library

Dams block a river's flow and can harm public safety, clean water, fish and wildlife, and recreation opportunities.  Removing unwanted, aging dams is one of the best ways to restore river health and reduce threats to public safety. Join Division of Ecological Restoration staff Beth Lambert and Nick Wildman for a discussion of dam removal in Massachusetts, including how dams impact rivers, why dam owners choose to remove dams, and how the dam removal process works.
[Memorial Library - 2 North Main Street, Andover, MA 01810-3549, (978) 623-8400]

January 30 - Lowell, MA

Environmental lecture and slide show -- Brush Gallery - 256 Market St., Lowell, MA 01852 - 978-459-7819

Deborah Cramer, science writer and author of the books Great Waters: An Atlantic Passage (W.W. Norton 2001) and Smithsonian Ocean: Our Water Our World (2008), has lectured about her writing and the sea at science and maritime museums, at major environmental and teachers' organizations, and at undergraduate and graduate schools in oceanography and journalism.
Deborah is giving a lecture/slide show in support of an exhibition we're having called Extinct: Endangered Species and Habitats (Jan 17 - Feb 21). The Brush is collaborating with the School of the Museum of Fine Art, Boston to produce this exhibition of student and faculty artwork highlighting extinct species and shrinking habitats.

For additional information:  Eileen Byrne - eileenbyrne777@gmail.com

January 30 - Danvers, MA

Appalachian Mountain Club 2010 Annual Meeting -- Sheraton Ferncroft Resort in Danvers, MA  *general info*

The keynote speaker is Jonathan Waterman, an author, photographer, paddler, and adventurer who has written nine books, his latest entitled, Where Mountains are Nameless; Passion and Politics in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Since 1983, Jon has taken eighteen trips into the far North and has spent over two hundred days in and around the embattled Arctic Refuge. While paddling or trekking cross-country, Jon has encountered howling wolves, British petroleum workers, Inupiat hunters and the oil-ravaged Prince William Sound.

To register or obtain more information about this event, Jonathan Waterman, or the AMC, please go to: www.outdoors.org/annualmeeting.

January - Newburyport, MA

Learn About Organic Land Care -- Landscape professionals, horticulturalists, conservation staff, and anyone else interested in managing land using organic practices can enroll in the 9th annual Northeast Organic Farmers Association (NOFA) 5-day Accreditation Course in Organic Land Care. The course will be held Jan. 13, 14, 15, 19, and 20, 2010, at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor’s Center in Newburyport. Taught by land care professionals and scientists, this intensive 5-day course covers all aspects of organic landscaping including soil health, site analysis, rain gardens, soil amendments, composting, pest management, planting, wildlife management, wetlands, invasives, business management, and more. For registration information, visit: www.organiclandcare.net or call coordinator Kathy Litchfield at (413) 773-3830 or email her at Kathy@nofamass.org.

December - January

Midwinter Eagle Survey Scheduled -- Memo/Description  |  Instructions  |  Bald_Eagle_Survey-79-09  |  Survey Form

Eagle watchers are reminded to mark their calendars for the annual midwinter eagle survey on major rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and the coast. The survey period runs from December 30 , 2009 - January 13, 2010.  On January 8, 2010, Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) personnel, cooperators, and volunteers across the state will conduct a concentrated effort to count eagles. This event is part of the nationwide Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey held every year in early January. See web site for more information: Mass Wildlife

December 16 - Andover, MA

MRWC Holiday Social! -- Wed., Dec. 16th, Andover *details*

December 4 - Lowell, MA

An informational meeting will be held on Monday, December 7, 2009 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at the Elks Hall, 40 Old Ferry Road, Lowell, MA, concerning a report entitled “Pawtucket Dam Spillway Crest Control Alternatives Technical Assessment.”  The document was prepared for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission at their request by Boott Hydropower, Inc. It can be downloaded by visiting: http://www.enel.it/northamerica/Projectupdates.asp?project=\Company

November 7 - Newburyport, MA

MRWC Annual Meeting

12:30PM Dune’s Trail Refuge Walk & Talk  /  2PM Refreshments Plus  /  2:30PM Annual Meeting *Details*

October 4 - Lowell, MA

30th Annual Textile River Regatta - all day

On the Merrimack River and organized by the Merrimack River Rowing Association in coordination with the UMass-Lowell and Lowell High School Rowing programs.*Details*

Come by and say 'hi' at the MRWC tent.

October 2 & 3 - Nashua, NH

Club Day @ Eastern Mountain Sports - 12n to 5p

MRWC members can save 20% off any gear in the store.  Not a MRWC member yet? ...signup is *easy*

Come by and say 'hi' at the MRWC table.

August 29 - Concord, NH

Contoocook Kayak Day

Co-sponsored by the MRWC and Contoocook River Canoe & Kayak Company.

Learn about kayaking, kayaks, and related equipment. Kayaking on the river. Special equipment discounts.

MRWC members only. *Details*

August 26 - Lowell, MA

MRWC Social! - 5-7pm

Join in with MRWC members, volunteers, friends and staff for an informal get-together at the Lowell Beerworks - www.beerworks.net - 201 Cabot St, Lowell - 978-937-2337. Light appetizers, thoughts, ideas, conversation, laughs, and news provided.

August 15 - Andover, Lowell, Concord, MA

Third Annual River Day - 3 locations:

10AM - Shawsheen River Canoe Ride (near I-93 in Andover).

11:45 am - Southeast Asian Water Festival (Sampas Pavilion, Lowell).

1:00 pm- River Classroom (Thoreau School, Concord).

This event is sponsored by Congresswoman Niki Tsongas. For more information: email Eric.Slusher@mail.house.gov or call 978.459.0101 .

July 25 - Lowell

Merrimack River Cleanup and Scavenger Hunt

Organized and sponsored by Clean River Project. Postponed from an earlier date.

June 15 - August 15

MRWC Tee-Shirt Design Contest *Details*

June 1-11 - Online

Red Sox Tickets - MRWC Fundraiser Auction

Bid to win 4 tickets to the Sox vs. Marlins - *Details*

June 27 - Lowell, MA [rain date 6/28]

Green: More than a Color

BRUSH ART GALLERY & STUDIOS - Noon to 4:00 PM

In and around the Market Mills Courtyard in downtown Lowell. This special collaborative event among Lowell’s art galleries and eco-friendly organizations will provide the public with educational exhibitions and demonstrations.

Press Release  (PDF) - *Details*

April 25 - Newburyport, MA

Earth Day Celebration! 2009

Details - Press Release - Photos (PDF)

April through October - Watershed Region

Annual Canoe and Kayak Trips - Exploring Our Rivers

*Complete Schedule and Information*