OHIO community invited to Racoon Creek Jamboree on June 14

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Mary Mertz designated Raccoon Creek as the 16th Ohio Scenic River and the first in Southeast Ohio during a ceremony on Nov. 12, 2024.

“We are celebrating the health of this waterway while capping off a true comeback story,” said Governor DeWine. “Once considered 'nearly lifeless,' Raccoon Creek is now home to more than 90 species of fish and serves as an example of what we can achieve when water quality is prioritized at the state, local, and federal levels.”

And with that, it’s time to celebrate. The Raccoon Creek Partnership (opens in a new window) invites the public to the Raccoon Jamboree that takes place at the Lake Hope State Park shelter house and spillway from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 14. This free, family-friendly event will include live music from Megan Bee (opens in a new window), archery, canoeing, a paddleboard raffle, as well as a chance to watch some local wildlife at the stream table and participate in a fish sampling demonstration.

The Raccoon Creek designation is especially notable because it is the only Scenic River that has undergone a significant rehabilitation effort. In contrast, others, such as the Little Miami River in Southwestern Ohio and Little Beaver Creek outside of Cleveland, met or exceeded water quality standards from the beginning.

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“There is so much that has gone into restoring Raccoon Creek from a very nearly dead watershed due to the pre-law historic coal mining to now meeting and exceeding warm water quality standards,” says Amy Mackey, the Raccoon Creek Watershed Coordinator from the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service at Ohio University. “None of this would be possible if not for the collaboration of all partners, from grassroots organizations and private landowners up to state and federal agencies.”

For more information on the Jamboree, follow Raccoon Creek Partnership's Instagram (opens in a new window) and Facebook (opens in a new window) accounts for updates.

You can learn more about the Raccoon Creek Partnership here. (opens in a new window)