For the past 37 years the Wild Mile of the Swan River has been the scene of the Bigfork Whitewater Festival, and while the river is the same, with its stretch of Class IV rapids perfect for kayakers and spectators, event organizer Jonathan Meyers said the spirit of the event is changing.

“We’ve been around for 38 years now, and we’re trying to spice it up a little and turn it into a viable event that not only showcases the ‘Wild Mile’ and Bigfork’s backyard, but also brings people into town and stimulates the local economy a little earlier.”

Meyers said in past years the festival might not have had the warmest welcome from local residents and business owners, in large part because of the unrestrained party atmosphere. Changing that atmosphere is one of the things Meyers and other organizers are working on for this year’s event.

“We’re trying to make it more family-oriented,” he said. “In the past it had a reputation for drinking and partying, but we’re searching for a higher caliber competitor. In the ‘90s this used to be one of the biggest races on the circuit.”

Meyers, himself a former professional kayaker who competed on the U.S. Kayaking Team in Switzerland for the world title, said one of the main reasons for the festival’s decline was a fundamental shift in what kayakers were looking for.

“Kayaking took on a sort of ‘street’ level and racing became less popular, but ‘extreme’ racing is coming back, and this is a perfect venue for it,” he said. “The Wild Mile is right in our back yard, and it’s a world-class section of river that doesn’t cost a dime to enjoy, and I think people are starting to realize that again. I grew up here and have been kayaking for more than half my life. The first time I saw a kayaker was at this festival.”

In addition to a returning interest in extreme kayak racing, Meyers said the other key to turning the festival around is offering prizes that will lure professional kayakers to compete.

“In the past there used to be no incentive to actually win,” he said. “You’d just get a T-shirt and people would try to ‘win’ the party rather than win the race, but we’re trying to change that.”

Thanks to sponsor donations, this year’s Bigfork Whitewater Festival will offer winners the chance at cash prizes, including a $2,000 first-place purse, $1,000 for second and $500 for third.

“It’s going to take cash to get professional kayakers to drive up here and compete,” Meyers said. “With this much at stake people will take it seriously. We’re trying to avoid the drinking and party scene, and professional athletes have an image to maintain if they want to keep their sponsorships. That means being good on the river, and behaving off of it. They are serious about competing, so they won’t be up all night partying, they’ll be getting rest the night before.”

Meyers said that while this year’s cash prizes are a good start, he would like to offer even larger prizes next year and draw more professionals.

“We’ll get more professional athletes this year, but it’s going to take more than just one year to change the festival,” Meyers said. “Next year we want to see $5,000 for first place. We’re planning for the future and want to make each year better. We’ve solicited sponsors for cash prizes and donations for a raffle and silent auction to raise funds for next year. We need local business support, and this event has had a bad rap in the past.”

In addition to kayak racing, Meyers said the festival is adding events in an effort to appeal to a wider audience, including a triathlon, paddleboard demonstrations in the bay and a raft race.

“We’re adding more events to draw a more diverse crowd of competitors and spectators alike,” Meyers said. “We’ve got a P.A. system with music and an announcer so people will be informed and entertained. We’ve got garbage cans set up everywhere so we can keep the trash down. We really want locals and visitors alike to be happy that we’re here.”

Meyers said he’s already thinking of plans for next year’s event, and would like to see the awards ceremony move out of the bar setting so more people can attend.

“This is a real community event, and we want everyone to know that,” he said. “The town supports the event, and the event supports the town. It brings in visitors who spend money and see what a great place this really is, but we can’t do it without local support.”

For anyone interested in helping with this or future events, a volunteer meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at the Whistling Andy Distillery. Meyers said the festival still needs general volunteers, gatekeepers, safety kayakers and media staff.

“We’re a loosely organized committee that meets once a week, and we’re all volunteers,” Meyers said. “In the future we’re hoping to add some structure and professionalism. Bigfork has it going on when it comes to events with things like the Spartan Race, Dragon Boat Festival and so on. We need that kind of involvement to make this event a success again. We have a real opportunity to put Bigfork on the map and on the Internet.”

For more information on the Bigfork Whitewater Festival, visit them online at www.bigforkwhitewaterfestival.com.