SINK OR WIN! THE ROCK RIVER ANYTHING THAT FLOATS RACE IS BACK IN THE SADDLE ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2023!

ROCKFORD, IL – Ahoy, mateys! The Rock River Anything That Floats Race steering committee is pleased to announce that Sunday, August 20, 2023, we will once again paddle like it’s 1999!

Or, you could say we'll paddle like it's 2019. That was the last year we were able to hold the race. 2019 seems like a long time ago, doesn’t it? COVID years are like sea years … they pass slowly for sea-going, fun-loving raft racers. 

Now that the public health coast seems to be clear, we all have plenty of time to Get Our Ships Together.   

This year, we are thankful to have a handful of new committee members who have stepped up to help us make RRATFR float again. We are excited to search for 2023 sponsoring business and new and old race participants. Plan to join us, won’t you? Build a raft and race! Be a sponsor! And, bring your friends and family down to the good old Rock River on Race Day and enjoy the camaraderie and competition. 

Jim Horning of Alter Metal, RRATFR’s new sponsorship committee chair said, “at Alter, out team cannot wait to race in 2023. We’re already planning our raft and it’s going to be a fun one. I encourage all Rockford companies to come aboard and join the fun. Even if you don’t want to be a sponsor, consider racing. It’s a fun team building activity that really brings people together around a creative, competitive activity.” 

“At Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful we think the values of RRATFR align perfectly with our values,” said Pam Osborne. “That’s why we’re proud to sponsor the event and I am happy to lead our effort to recruit Race Day Volunteers. We love it when people enjoy our beautiful outdoors here in the Rockford Region - especially along the rolling Rock River.” 

As always, the Race Day Party along the river and at Prairie Street Brewing Co will include free music, food and drink, assorted community vendors, free Jenga, free bags and free Connect4 and the return of Release the Quackin in which contestants fire ducks from a slingshot toward a floating mid-river target to win valuable prizes.