Yearly Events:

We gather together statewide six times a year. Our official float season starts in March with the Highland Maple Sugar Festival and trips on nearby rivers.

Warmer weather heralds New Members Float - a weekend for newcomers to learn some floating and fishing techniques from some of the old timers.

A Memorial Day weekend float and meeting gets the summer going with a bang! This is always one of our most popular floats.

Our most important event is the VIP float in June. On this weekend we host Virginia's legislators and their families for a float that calls attention to a fine Virginia stream that may be in need of legislative action, or, perhaps one already protected by law.

The official FFV season winds down with our Labor Day weekend float and meeting.

In early winter, a general membership meeting is held to plan for the upcoming year.

Meetings, Floats & Such:

Some FFV chapters meet monthly and plan many more trips in-between our statewide events. Chapters also arrange river clean-ups, promote local conservation efforts, and help expedite scenic river designation.

Some chapters also run rivers in nearby states, and, occasionally, may do major floats like the Grand Canyon or other western rivers.

Some chapters hold training classes for kayak rolling, canoeing or even raft guide training.

Important safety techniques are covered at meetings through talks, films and exchanging current information on rivers.

Membership:

Membership in FFV does not require purchasing a fishing license.

Members receive the FFV's quarterly newsletter, "Fishin' Pole, Pack & Paddle" that keeps them informed of upcoming events, water-related news, and river savvy, with an occasional touch of humor thrown in, too.

FFV members also have access to information of river gauges, dangerous rapids, access to put-ins, owner relations, and the latest rescue techniques.

Randy Carter Memorial Award:

FFV is affiliated with the Friends of the Rivers of Virginia (FORVA) and the Conservation Council of Virginia. Each year, since 1974, FFV has recognized the year's best river conservationist with the Randy Carter Memorial Award.

The Randy Carter Memorial Award is given for "outstanding efforts to protect Virginia's free-flowing streams for their recreational and environmental value, for significant contributions to the growth of Virginia Scenic Rivers System, or for promoting a greater appreciation of our rivers among the citizens of our state.