ROANOKE, Va. – The Fourth of July may be over, but people are still hitting the outdoors to beat the summer heat.
The annual Roanoke River Floatilla to Starr Hilla saw dozens - if not hundreds - of people go down to the Roanoke River to float down the river en route to Starr Hill Pilot Brewing.
“The river feels delightful on a day like today and everybody gets involved,” Julie Wheeler said. “You see people that you don’t always see and it’s just a great way to get together with people from town.”
The float began in Wasena, near Wasena City Tap Room & Grill.
Everybody had their own reasons to enjoy the float. Some came for the people, some came for the refreshments at the end of the float and others just wanted to enjoy the river.
“I love the fish, I love the wildlife, I love the way this looks, this is peaceful,” Sean Thomasson said. “This is cheaper than therapy.”
Rafts could be picked up at the nearby Roanoke Mountain Adventures, but others simply brought their own. Others like to show off their creativity.
“Last year there was someone on an air mattress with a unicorn blow up,” Collin McHugh and Caleb Laruka said.
Lower water levels were a concern, but it didn’t stop people of all ages from coming down.
“If we keep young people interested in ecology and conservation, then this will be here for generations to come when I’m old and gray,” Thomasson said.