It’s a good time to be the L.A. River right now. After years of being regarded as nothing but a concrete ditch or open sewer, our little river is now finally starting to get the respect it deserves.

We’ve had idyllic kayaking journeys , documentary films , city-approved Master Revitalization Plans , and we recently got full public access to the river during the summer … when people used to get arrested for even being near it. And now, the L.A. River is getting its very own boat race.

On August 30th, the team at L.A. River Expeditions is hosting the L.A. River Boat Race – in which 100 kayakers, canoers, and stand-up paddleboarders will take to the Glendale Narrows in a race for glory, prizes, and fun. The races will be timed (not everyone’s gonna fit in that river all at once!) and there are a variety of different prizes for age groups and other categories like speed, strength, endurance, and control … and if you don’t happen to own a vessel of your own, you can also rent a kayak for the day .

I went kayaking in the River last year and had an absolute blast. Gliding through the water surrounded by greenery really does a number on your perception of the River and the city itself – even if you already knew we had great wilderness out here.

Sign up and buy your tickets in advance right now, and if you still need more inspiration, here’s an awesome video showing off some of the obstacles you’ll be navigating … as well as your inevitable tumbles into the water itself:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YISiPKNQjQ?rel=0&w=640&h=360]

Photo courtesy of Team SoCal