Big Float

The Big Float was an annual July celebration of the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, United States.[1] Established in 2011, as a benefit for the Human Access Project, attendees formed a giant people-powered flotilla and beach party to encourage Portlanders to reclaim the Willamette River for swimming and other aquatic recreation.[2][3]

The Big Float
GenreEvent
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Portland, Oregon
CountryUnited States
Established2011
Previous eventJuly 10, 2022
Next eventunknown
Participants5,000 (2022)
ActivityEncouraging people to use the Willamette River as recreation
Organised byHuman Access Project
Websitethebigfloat.com

Description

The float took approximately 45–60 minutes to complete.[4] The event kicked off with the River Hugger Swim Team swimming across the river, followed by an inner-tube parade from Tom McCall Bowl Beach at Waterfront Park, along the esplanade, to Poet's Beach. Participants then floated back to Tom McCall Bowl Beach, passing two floating band stages to an after party.[5]

History
The 2011 event

The Human Access Project (HAP), under the leadership of Willie Levenson, started the Big Float in 2011 to give Portland residents positive interactions with the Willamette River.”[1] The name for the event came from Portland's Big Pipe project — a 20-year undertaking that was completed in 2011. It entailed the overhaul of the city's wastewater system to divert sewage from flowing into the Willamette River and the Columbia Slough. After completion of the pipe project, the Willamette River became more swimmable.[6][7]

In 2015, in advance of the event, there was a large occurrence of a harmful cynobacterial bloom. Because the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality did not have testing ability, HAP paid to have testing done. The results were negative and the event went on as planned.[8][9]

Since inception some 25,000 people have participated using tubes, kayaks, or flotation devices to drift half a mile downriver.[10] The event was ranked the sixteenth top festival in Oregon (out of 50) by The Oregonian.[11] An estimated 6,000 people participated in 2018,[12] and more than 4,000 participated in 2019.[13] There were no official Big Float events in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[14]

The tenth and final event took place on July 10, 2022, and an estimated 5,000 people participated.[15][16] HAP founder Willie Levenson said the Big Float achieved what it set out to do, and now the group can focus on other activities with particular focus on finding a way to reduce toxic algae blooms in Ross Island Lagoon.[14][17]

References
  1. Nair, Gabriel (2017-07-12). "6 things you need to know about the 2017 Big Float". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  2. Daviduk, Miranda (2018-07-14). "8 Most Creative Rafts Of Portland's 2018 Big Float". OPB. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  3. Tsui, Bonnie (2019-09-05). "Following the Lead of the Diving Girl (Published 2019)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2020-11-05. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
  4. Christy, Courtney (2015-07-24). "Organizers Say Willamette River Is Safe For The Big Float". opb. Archived from the original on 2020-08-10. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
  5. "Big Float 9 brings thousands to Willamette River". KOIN.com. 2019-07-13. Archived from the original on 2020-11-26. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
  6. Stewart, Hailey (2018-06-20). "Mayor and River Hugger Swim Team trek across the Willamette River". Pamplin Media Group. Archived from the original on 2020-08-09. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
  7. "Organizers Say Willamette River Is Safe For The Big Float - OPB". www.opb.org. Archived from the original on 2023-07-27. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  8. Hernandez, Tony (2015-07-25). "The Big Float water tests clear the way for swimmers". oregonlive. Archived from the original on 2023-07-24. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
  9. "Portland's Fiercest Advocate for Swimming in the Willamette River Is Declaring War on Algae". Willamette Week. 2023-08-23. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
  10. Hurdle, Jon (2020-08-20). "On the Delaware, A Promising New Era in Cleanup of an Urban River". Yale E360. Archived from the original on 2020-12-12. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
  11. Hale, Jamie (2018-02-06). "The 50 best events in Oregon". oregonlive. Archived from the original on 2021-01-16. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
  12. Sparling, Zane (2018-07-14). "6,000 dunk in Willamette River for the 'Big Float 8'". Portland Tribune. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  13. Graves, Mark (2019-07-14). "The Big Float 2019: Over 4,000 flood Willamette River making an inflatable playground (PHOTOS)". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-05-16. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
  14. "Portlanders plunge into the Willamette River for final Big Float". KOIN.com. 2022-07-11. Archived from the original on 2022-07-12. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
  15. "The Big Float returns for 10th and final time". KOIN.com. 2022-05-16. Archived from the original on 2022-05-16. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
  16. McCarthy, Connor. "Last 'Big Float' on Willamette River welcomes thousands of people". Fox 12 Oregon. Archived from the original on 2022-07-12. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
  17. "Portland's Fiercest Advocate for Swimming in the Willamette River Is Declaring War on Algae". Willamette Week. 2023-08-23. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
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