illyfest is an annual river festival, April 26 & 27, 2025 on the Illinois River in southern Oregon. illyfest includes SOTAR Rapid Grand Prix whitewater races, a raffle fundraiser benefiting the Dome School, an awards ceremony and prizes, and a boat based bed and banks River Clean Up.

THE RIVER

The Illinois River in southern Oregon is a world-class whitewater paddling destination for both private boaters and commercial outfitters. A tributary of the Rogue, Illinois River conservation efforts are focussed locally through the Kalmiopsis Guides Association and Rogue Riverkeeper, a program of KS Wild. Protection under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1984 and designation of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness in 1964 allows paddle sports enthusiasts to enjoy an overnight whitewater wilderness trip through spectacular scenery, including rare endemic plants and otherworldly Serpentine soils. Upstream of this overnight Wilderness gem, the Scenic stretch through the Rogue Siskiyou National Forest along the Illinois River Road sees an annual accumulation of garbage that volunteers and boaters at illyfest aim to prevent from entering the wilderness.

THE CLEAN UP

It is heartbreaking for locals and paddlers to see the quantity of garbage that piles up in this outstanding stretch of river annually. Josephine county sees abandoned trailers and tires dumped into ravines along the banks of the Illinois and tributary streams such as Rough and Ready Creek and Deer Creek. The Illinois is free flowing, so annual high water events flush litter into the willows and alders and travel large items like tires downstream. In addition to the dumping problem, Illinois River Road is a wildly popular recreation area during summer months. Emerald swimming holes  attract bumper to bumper parking along the roadway and the river banks are loved to death, users failing to pack out what they packed in.

THE FUNDRAISER

illyfest major event costs include USFS permit, insurance, and dump fees. The raffle is a fundraiser and all profits are donated annually to the Dome School, a local non profit school that “works hand-in-hand with families to ignite a lifelong love of learning and a deep caring for the diversity of humanity and the natural world.” Funding aids programming that gets kids outside.

BOATERS

illyfest is an event for boaters by boaters, who are volunteering to collect and carry the garbage on whitewater rafts from the riparian zone and river bed. Non-profit river advocates American Whitewater are sponsoring free shuttles to reduce vehicle impact at the event. The community is invited to volunteer with us for boat based clean up efforts. Local boat builder and event Sponsor SOTAR Whitewater Manufacturing will have demo boats available for volunteers. 

Please consider joining us to protect and restore our beautiful whitewater destination, the Illinois River.