Yonkers Paddling & Rowing Club (YPRC) presents the 19th annual Paddling Film Festival at Yonkers Riverfront Library on Sunday, April 21, at 2:00 pm. Doors open at 1:30 pm. The festival is free; sign up at yprc.org
“We are excited to bring the Paddling Film Festival to Yonkers,” said Lee Wordsman, commodore of YPRC. “We want people to know that Yonkers is a Hudson River city with a vibrant paddling community. Last year, our club put more than 1,000 people on the water.”
The Paddling Film Festival is an international adventure film tour with stops in more than 120 cities and towns across the United States and around the world. Each location offers a custom mix of short and longer films.
It’s no surprise that YPRC selected exciting films that empower viewers. “The people in these films love what they do, and it’s infectious to watch,” said Mike McHugh, vice commodore and member of YPRC’s film selection team.
Yonkers stop on the Paddling Film Festival tour features a video peek inside YPRC’s historic Hudson River boathouse and a boatload of raffle prizes from local organizations as well as two hours of award-winning films including:
Bring the Salmon Home –People’s Choice Award, 2024
Travel to the Klamath River in northern California, where indigenous youth learn to whitewater kayak and reclaim their heritage.
Surface: A Norwegian Ski Rafting Adventure—People’s Choice Award, 2024
Three friends explore the northern reaches of Norway on their skis. This Arctic adventure culminates in a four-island traverse, testing their resolves with brutal storms, rough seas and ever-present avalanche danger.
There’s Good in Everything: Winner of Best Whitewater Film 2024
Join whitewater legend Aniol Serrasolses while he kayaks the rivers of Chile and see how mindset on the river sets paddlers apart and allows us to find the good in everything.
The Paddling Film Festival World Tour is produced by Rapid Media,
Yonkers Paddling & Rowing Club (YPRC) is a vibrant and diverse community on the Hudson River in Yonkers that is dedicated to providing all people an opportunity to kayak and experience the Hudson River. YPRC offers membership and boat storage. Its program Hudson River Riders offers free public kayaking as well as a supportive outdoor leadership path for local young people.
YPRC is the 2023 recipient of the J. Henry Rushton for Organizational Excellence by the American Canoe Association (ACA). The award recognizes outstanding achievements in advancing paddlesport and the mission of the ACA.
Grants and additional support for YPRC come, in part, from the City of Yonkers, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Westchester County and REI, as well as Domino Sugar, the American Canoe Association, Werner Paddles, Level Six and Astral.
