After weeks of rain, finally a rainbow. 

Last weekend, queer outdoor enthusiasts from across the Valley and beyond gathered on the Deerfield River for the ninth annual Pride Day on the River. The event, the nation’s first LGBTQ Pride whitewater event, welcomed close to 100 participants for a community pride paddle, and for a select lucky few, an opportunity to join Zoar Outdoor for a free whitewater rafting excursion. 

I was one of them, and it was a blast. 

The day started at Zoar Outdoor’s headquarters in Charlemont, where we had lunch and got to know the other rafters who would be joining us. In total, there were 24 of us, some local to Sunderland, Hadley, and Amherst, while others were traveling from as far as Boston. 

We also varied in rafting experience, and our crew included first-timers and well-seasoned rapid explorers. I’ve been rafting once before, coincidentally also at Zoar when I was a tween with my Girl Scout Troop, but I was excited to go again. 

While we all came from different places and had different levels of experience on the water, we all had two things in common: we’re all LGBTQ+ and were willing to hop in the boat and give the Deerfield River a try. 

After watching the instructional safety video and being outfitted with helmets, life jackets, and paddles, it was time to hit the river. 

Our pride paddle excursion was the Zoar Gap trip, a five-mile stretch in the Fife Brook section of the Deerfield River. The section held class one, two, and three rapids, as well as a few calm sections where we were allowed to jump out of the raft and enjoy a quick swim, which was much appreciated on the sunny day with temperatures in the mid-80s.

It was a day of developing and strengthening paddling skills, making new friends, and enjoying time with the LGBTQ+ community on the river. 

“I showed up by myself and everyone was super friendly and welcoming,” said rafter Laura Dowd of Sunderland.

We navigated the twists and turns of the river, dodged rocks, escaped currents, and participated in some splash wars with other boats on the river, which included a few families and scouting troops. 

Not to toot my own horn, but our guide Tom said that our boat had a perfect run and totally conquered the rapids.

No one fell out of our boat, although I did lose my shoe at one point. 

We were told to lock in our shoes under the seat in front of us to keep ourselves from falling out of the boat, and while I listened to instructions, I guess my shoelaces weren’t tight enough to keep my foot in the shoe; so when I went to help pull in one of my fellow rafters back into our boat after a swim and got launched to the other side of the boat, my shoe stayed firmly lodged in place while I went flying. 

After getting my shoe back and successfully completing our journey through the Zoar Gap, we were invited back to the Zoar Outdoor pavilion for a Pride Day on the River after party, complete with food, drag performances, and a raffle for a chance to win prizes donated by sponsors such as L.L. Bean, American Whitewater, The Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation, and more. 

The after party was also a chance to meet other LGBTQ+ paddlers who went to the community paddle. 

“We had so many people out and wearing their finest rainbow gear, just smiling and laughing,” Pride Day on the River Founder Ann Gillard said of the community paddle. “I think everyone is just full of joy. To come together like this is so good and it makes everyone really happy.”

To learn more about Pride Day on the River, visit pridedayontheriver.org

When she’s not wearing her reporter hat, Madison Schofield can often be found hiking, camping, and frolicking through nature. She can be reached (and invited on more adventures) at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com