Apalachicola Riverkeeper to host second annual Riverpalooza
Apalachicola Riverkeeper will host Riverpalooza, a celebratory day of service and festivity, on Saturday, May 17, in the heart of Apalachicola.
“We’re excited to welcome the community back for our second Riverpalooza,” said Apalachicola Riverkeeper Cameron Baxley. “It’s a day to roll up our sleeves, celebrate the river and bay, and raise vital funds to protect this incredible natural treasure. This brings the community together in support of clean water, healthy ecosystems, and the protection of the beloved Apalachicola River and Bay.”
The day kicks off with a Community Coastal Cleanup between 8 a.m. and noon ET at the Apalachicola Yacht Club, inviting volunteers to join Riverkeeper staff in removing trash from the river, bay, and surrounding areas — by boat, bike, or on foot.
This hands-on effort reflects the organization’s mission to protect and restore the Apalachicola River system. All participants will receive a raffle ticket to win an all-Kevlar kayak and trailer.
Participants and supporters are invited to the Yacht Club at noon for an afternoon celebration featuring live music from local favorites Tommy Cooper, The Ukulilies, Funky Taters, Clayton Mathis, and Chris Matechik; fresh oysters from Water is Life Oysters and guest speaker Josh McLawhorn, director of the award-winning documentary “Unfiltered: The Truth about Oysters.”
A raffle drawing will be for a Kevlar Seda Tango tandem kayak and trailer, a high-performance boat perfect for paddling adventures. Tickets are $10, with clean-up volunteers receiving free raffle tickets. Tickets are available now — and participants do not need to be present to win.
A $10 suggested donation at the door will support the Riverkeeper’s ongoing conservation work, to protect one of the most important and biodiverse river systems in the United States.
For more information, to volunteer, or to donate, visit apalachicolariverkeeper.org/riverpalooza.
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.