Registration is open for Coosa River Basin Initiative’s annual Waterfest, set for April 16-17 at Ridge Ferry Park. It will feature live animal shows, the world’s largest portable aquarium stocked with Oostanaula River fish, exhibits, children’s activities, food and a regional Environmental Quiz Bowl competition for area schools.

Also part of the weekend’s activities are a 13-mile canoe/kayak race on the Oostanaula River and canoe and kayak tug-o-wars in a large portable pool, as well as a canoe-a-thon fundraising competition.

Registration to participate in the race and tug-o-wars is now open at www.coosa.org or you can request registrations forms by calling 706-232-2724. Registration fees range from $10 to $80.

- In the Canoe-a-thon competition CRBI supporters vie to generate the most donations for CRBI advocacy, education, water monitoring and restoration programs; those raising the most money win prizes including two Air Tran Airlines tickets to any of the airline’s U.S. destinations; a week-long mountain getaway at the Villas at Coosawattee; an Old Town Canoe, a recreational kayak, outdoor clothing and more.

Canoe-a-thon participants can set up online fundraising pages at www.firstgiving.com/coosa. Donation forms can also be downloaded from the CRBI website at www.coosa.org or can be requested via mail by calling 706-232-2724. Participants have until April 17 to raise the money and return it to CRBI. Winners will be announced during Waterfest.

The Oostanaula River race runs from Ga. 140 in Armuchee to Ridge Ferry Park. Trophies will be awarded to fastest finishers in numerous categories, but the many of the “racers” enjoy a leisurely and lazy paddle down the Oostanaula. Registration fees are $40 for solo paddlers and $50 for tandem paddlers through April 10.

The tug-o-wars involve tying two boats end to end in the 60-foot long Johnson Outdoors Tug-O-War pool. Competitors then try to paddle their opponent across the two-foot-deep pool. The double-elimination tournaments continue until only one paddler/team is left standing.

Kayak Tug-O-Wars will be held Friday, April 16, from 5-8 p.m. at Ridge Ferry Park. Competition will be held in numerous divisions for children and adults, including parent/child tandem tugs. Winners will receive medals and gift certificates from Blue Sky Outfitter in Rome.

Canoe Tug-O-War teams will compete Saturday, April 17, for $450 in cash prizes. Teams consist of four people at least one of which must be female. The team registration fee is $80. The top tug team will take home $200 and gift certificates to Provino’s and Santa Fe Cattle Co.. Second place wins $150 and third takes home $100.

Canoes and kayaks for the tug-o-wars are provided by Johnson Outdoors. A limited number of canoes and kayaks are available at no charge for participants in the 13-mile Oostanaula River race. All race and canoe tug-o-war participants receive an event T-shirt and additional gifts from our sponsors.

Early bird registration ends April 10, after which a $10 late registration fee will be assessed.

Billy Jonas, an Asheville, N.C.-based songwriter and “in-dustrial re-percussionist” will perform a concert for children and adults during Waterfest, at 7 p.m. April 17 at the City Auditorium.

Tickets are available now at www.coosa.org and in Rome at Kroger, Lavender Mountain Hardware, Blue Sky Outfitter, The Music Room and CRBI. Adult tickets are $12, student tickets age 6-18 are $6 and children under six receive free admission.

Waterfest lead sponsors include Johnson Outdoors, Carlisle, Necky Kayaks, Ocean Kayak, Old Town Canoes & Kayaks, Extrasport, South 107, Q102, 93.5 Life FM, and WSB-TV and its Family 2 Family affiliates SCANA Energy, Kroger, Air Tran, Longhorn Steakhouse and Northside Hospital.

Other sponsors include Georgia Power, Mohawk, Temple-Inland, Marglen Industries, Blue Sky Outfitter, SoyMet 101, The Villas at Coosawattee, Harbin Clinic Vitality Center, MACTEC, SCANA Energy, Whittington Jones & Rudert, Burgess Insurance Services, ECO River Center, Profile Extrusion, U.S. Biofuels, Purple Mountain Natural Foods, Patagonia, Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinic, Dixie Homecrafters, Ole Tymer Bar B Que, AutoMax Car Rental, Planet, Papa Johns, Adam’s Outdoors, Kaliedo Sno, First National Bank of Polk County, Harbin Clinic, Cedar Valley Container Corp. Greater Rome Bank, Touchstone Ecosystems, Travel Leaders and Lieberman Chiropractic.