Whitewater festival returns
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Cliff Williams / The Herald A kayaker lines up his drop into Moccasin Gap on the Coosa River. The unofficial Coosa River Whitewater Festival featured paddle boarders and kayakers in a friendly competition. It is the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic organizers have organized the event.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have stolen two years of Coosa River Whitewater Festival, which finally returned to the Coosa River and Moccasin Gap in 2023. 

“We went a little underground with it this year,” longtime Coosa River advocate and kayaker Lonnie Carden said. “COVID took away some of the sponsorships but we want to try and build it back up again. We said we were going to make this the gathering of paddle buddies.