SAN MARCOS, Texas -- Float Fest, an annual river floating and music festival near San Marcos, announced Tuesday that it is partnering with local businesses to keep the river clean before, during and after its fifth annual event.
Float Fest will be joining forces with Don's Fish Camp, Texas State Tubes and The Eyes of the San Marcos River to encourage ways for guests to float responsibly and assist with trash pick up, as well as do a deep river cleanup.
Float Fest said that each year, the festival organizes a river cleanup project called Keep the River Clean through partnerships with local businesses, employees and volunteers. Activities implemented through the project include:
- Mesh, biodegradable trash bags available for free with tubes for floating
- River Wranglers on canoes to help take trash bags
- Trash receptacles available after tubing at shuttle pick-up stations
- Float Fest crew cleaning up the river before, during, and after the festival with divers and boats to ensure a safe and clean zone
“The San Marcos River is a sacred gem to us and is essential to our community,” said Marcus Federman, founder of Float Fest. “Floating the beautiful river is a Texas tradition, yet we want to keep the river alive and clean. We’re thrilled to continue to host fans regionally and nationally, but doing so in a way that is the most effective and sustainable. Thank you to our partners for their efforts in continuously supporting the cause.”
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This year, additional cleanup efforts will include:
- Cooler Checks at the tubing shuttle pick-up tent. No glass or styrofoam is allowed on the river.
- Float Fest Staff will be at the river entrance to assist tubers into the river with their coolers, bags and additional items.
- Float Fest staff at the river exit taking tubers mesh bags and disposing in trash receptacles and providing assistance with tubers as they exit the river.
- Two river cleanup stations will be set up along the float with 40 staff members to take trash from tubers as they float by. There will also be lifeguards at these stations.
- A "Human Net" just beyond the river exit consisting of 4 people will collect any remaining floating debris that might make it past the exit point.
- Top water clean ups via kayaks and canoes will assist on Saturday morning and evening, Sunday morning and evening, and Monday morning and evening -- before, during and after the event.
- Kayak and canoe Team will make regular trips all day Saturday and Sunday during the festival times into the evening on the river cleaning up trash and helping tubers as needed.
- Divers will do a river bottom cleanup on Tuesday following the festival. They will focus on any remaining debris and anything that sunk to the river floor that might have been left behind.
“Through our partnership with Float Fest, we are striving to keep the river litter free as much as possible. Through our coordinated efforts, we will create an atmosphere that is enjoyable for everyone and clean for everyone,” said Craig Coleman of Don’s Fish Camp.
For more information on the Keep the River Clean project, click here.
