Fun on the Uncompahgre

FUNC Fest – August 7 & 8, 2026

Calling all water sports enthusiasts and fun-loving folks to come out and enjoy the annual Fun on the Uncompahgre, aka “FUNC Fest” for two fun-filled days of activities, both on and off the water.

The City of Montrose is partnering with the Montrose Summer Music Series this year to bring the Montrose community together for a free concert on Friday, August 7, at the Montrose Rotary Amphitheater. We are extremely excited to partner with them once again and provide more fun for Montrose.

The second day, Saturday, August 8, will occur at Riverbottom Park, starting bright and early to bring you all kinds of fun on the water. The City will be bringing vendors, water sports, kids activities, food trucks, live music, and much more! This year, we are excited to bring more community partners together to help create a FUNC Fest experience that celebrates the Uncompahgre River, water recreation, and the shared connections that make Montrose unique.

Theme Name: United Uncompahgre

Slogan: Community in the Name FUNC

Mission Statement:

FUNC Fest celebrates the Uncompahgre River and Montrose Water Sports Park by using water recreation as a pathway to community connection, outdoor fun, and shared celebration. As Montrose’s premier annual event, FUNC Fest creates inclusive, meaningful experiences for athletes, families, and visitors while highlighting the community and natural beauty that make Montrose Unique.

More information regarding these events will follow. If you have any questions, please contact Thomas Ceniceros via email or by phone (970-252-4881).

2025 Results:

Western Slope Surf Comp:

Women:

First Place: Gentian Nnuzzo
Second Place: Kristiana Catchpull
Third Place: Jordan Curet

Men:

First Place: Sean Redd
Second Place: Doug Goodwin
Third Place: Greg Cairns
Fourth Place: Mike Madden

SUP:

First Place: Jason Vurnell

Riverbottom Downriver Race:

Women’s SUP:

First Place: Kristiana Catchpull (00:18:30.64)
Second Place: Desha Lucas (00:19:44.68)

Men’s SUP:

First Place: Jason Vurnell (00:18:17.08)
Second Place: Deven Murray (00:18:39.59)

Men’s Kayak:

First Place: Andrew Pairs (00:16:01.58)
Second Place: Karl Wizelund (00:17:08.25)
Third Place: Jack White (00:18:13.00)

Inflatable Kayak:

First Place: Dark Yarwell (00:17:17.82)
Second Place: Kelly Bynum (00:17:27.48)
Third Place: Julie Yarwell (00:18:30:28)
Fourth Place: Chad Jukes (00:19:16.10)

Might UNC Kayak & SUP Cross

Women’s SUP

First Place: Kristiana Catchpull

Men’s SUP

First Place: Jason Vurnell

Kayak:

First Place: Marcus Mortell
Second Place: Wiley Corra
Third Place: Andy Paris

FUNCy Down River Kayak Rodeo

Men

First Place: John Malloy

Junior

First Place: Marcus Mortell

Youth flow Fury Boogie Board Championships

Girls:

First Place: Lola Cocker

Boys:

First Place: Ezra Cocker
Second Place: Eli Cocker
Third Place: Clay Redd

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Call for Vendors

One of the biggest attractions for Saturday, August 8th, is our vendor area. Here, businesses are able to promote themselves and give the public a good idea of what they offer.

We are extremely happy to have businesses from Montrose and the surrounding areas be a part of our event. Registration for vendors will be released soon!

FUNC-y Line-Up!

FUNC Fest features a full schedule of water sports competitions, live music, activities for the whole Family, Local Vendors, a food truck village, and a beer garden.

FUNC Fest also features a full schedule of water sports competitions, live music, and activities!

The schedule for FUNC Fest will be released soon!

Rental Equipment Information

The City of Montrose is working with Montrose Surf and Cycle to bring everyone a chance to participate in FUNC Fest this year. Montrose Surf and Cycle is the best place for any rental equipment that you might need for the water this summer! From boards to tubes, be sure to check them out to make sure you have what it takes to win your competition! If you are planning on being in the FUNC-y Parade, they have all kinds of materials you can use to help keep your float standing until the finish line.

Montrose Surf and Cycle will have deals on rentals all summer, so be sure to keep an eye out on their website HERE.

Call for Volunteers

The City of Montrose is excited to hold our 11th Annual FUNC Fest event!. Like all community events, we will need help from volunteers to ensure things run smoothly. We are grateful for any help we can receive, and we will have nice Montrose Swag to give you, along with a food voucher/drink token to use later in the day at our food truck village and beer garden as a thank you for volunteering.

If you are interested in helping out, please feel free to contact us here or at 970.252.4881.

FUNC-y River Parade Registration

The FUNC-y River Parade will begin on Saturday, August 8th, going from the Montrose Water Sports Park put-in to in-park take-out. Here, groups will be able to show their creativity, making their floatable crafts while we all cheer from the banks.

To everyone who is interested in the FUNC-y River Parade, this is your chance to make waves with creativity! Whether it’s quirky, colorful, whimsical, or wild, we encourage you to go all out when designing your “anything that floats” boat. Think outside the boat—use props, costumes, themes, and music to bring your float to life. The funkier and more fun, the better! Surprise us, dazzle the crowd, and most importantly, have a blast creating something unforgettable on the water!

Registration for this event will be released soon. All group members are required to sign their waivers before participating.

Water Sports Competitions

Make a splash at FUNC Fest—register for the thrilling water competitions, or dive in day-of and join the fun on the fly! 💦🚤

Riverbottom Downriver Race
Go fast and take chances. This time-trial downriver race begins at Chipeta Park and ends at Riverbottom Park. Racers will be released at 1-minute intervals and paddle roughly 2.25 miles to the finish line. More information about this event will be released soon.
Youth Flow Fury Boogie Board Championships
Ride the river’s rhythm and conquer the currents in our adrenaline-fueled boogie-boarding showdown! Compete . More information about this event will be released soon.
FUNCy Down River Kayak Rodeo
Did someone say RODEO? Also known as playboating or rodeo kayaking, this form of kayaking competition is super entertaining for spectators. Competitors stay in one feature and perform a variety of acrobatic moves and tricks. A panel of judges will score the contestants and determine the winners. Held at the Montrose Water Sports Park in Riverbottom Park. More information about this event will be released soon.
Mighty UNC Kayak & SUP Cross-Comp
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and kayak cross races combine sport with the adrenaline rush of navigating challenging river rapids and obstacles head-on. Athletes race downriver around buoys in heats, aiming to cross the finish line ahead of their opponents. Whitewater kayak and SUP cross events blend the excitement of river rapids with skill, technique, courage, and luck. Held at the Montrose Water Sports Park in Riverbottom Park. More information about this event will be released soon.
Western Slope River Surf Comp
River surfing (on stationary river waves) in Colorado is rapidly gaining popularity. FUNC Fest will host a light-hearted river surfing competition to showcase Colorado’s top-rated river waves in Montrose. Held at the Montrose Water Sports Park in Riverbottom Park. More information about this event will be released soon.

Call for Volunteers

The City of Montrose is excited to hold our 10th Annual FUNC Fest event!. Like all community events, we will need help from volunteers to ensure things run smoothly. We are grateful for any help we can receive, and we will have nice Montrose Swag to give you along with a food voucher/drink token to use later in the day at our food truck village and beer garden as a thank you for volunteering.

If you or someone you know is interested in helping, please use this LINK to sign up to volunteer for FUNC Fest. You will also need to complete a waiver attached to the Google Form in order to volunteer. I will speak to you about what you would like to do for the event, but some shuffling of your duties may happen depending on which jobs still need help on the day of the event.

FUNC-y River Parade Registration

For the 10th annual FUNC Fest event, we are bringing back one of our most beloved activities: the FUNC-y River Parade! This will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 9th, going from the Montrose Water Sports Park put-in to in-park take-out. Here, groups will be able to show their creativity, making their floatable crafts while we all cheer from the banks.

To everyone who is interested, this is your chance to make waves with creativity! Whether it’s quirky, colorful, whimsical, or wild, we encourage you to go all out when designing your “anything that floats” boat. Think outside the boat—use props, costumes, themes, and music to bring your float to life. The funkier and more fun, the better! Surprise us, dazzle the crowd, and most importantly, have a blast creating something unforgettable on the water!

Please visit this link to register yourself/your organization to participate in the FUNC-y Parade. All group members are required to sign their waivers before participating.

Water Sports Competitions

If you are looking to participate in one of the many water sports competitions we will have on Saturday, August 9th, thank you so much for your interest. Registration will open this Thursday!

Water Sports Competitions

Make a splash at FUNC Fest—register HERE for the thrilling water competitions, or dive in day-of and join the fun on the fly! 💦🚤

Riverbottom Downriver Race
Go fast and take chances. This time-trial downriver race begins at Chipeta Park and ends at Riverbottom Park. Racers will be released at 1-minute intervals and paddle roughly 2.25 miles to the finish line. If you would like to learn more about the Riverbottom Downriver Race map, please use this link. You can learn more about the competition HERE. Comment end
Youth Flow Fury Boogie Board Championships
Ride the river’s rhythm and conquer the currents in our adrenaline-fueled boogie-boarding showdown! Compete
FUNCy Down River Kayak Rodeo
Did someone say RODEO? Also known as playboating or rodeo kayaking, this form of kayaking competition is super entertaining for spectators. Competitors stay in one feature and perform a variety of acrobatic moves and tricks. A panel of judges will score the contestants and determine the winners. Held at the Montrose Water Sports Park in Riverbottom Park. Learn more …
Mighty UNC Kayak & SUP Cross-Comp
Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) and kayak cross races combine sport with the adrenaline rush of navigating challenging river rapids and obstacles head-on. Athletes race downriver around buoys in heats, aiming to cross the finish line ahead of their opponents. Whitewater kayak and SUP cross events blend the excitement of river rapids with skill, technique, courage, and luck. Held at the Montrose Water Sports Park in Riverbottom Park. Learn more …
Western Slope River Surf Comp
River surfing (on stationary river waves) in Colorado is rapidly gaining popularity. FUNC Fest will host a light-hearted river surfing competition to showcase Colorado’s top-rated river waves in Montrose. Held at the Montrose Water Sports Park in Riverbottom Park. Learn more …

Live Music @ the Montrose Rotary Amphitheater and Riverbottom Park

FUNC Fest 2025 kicks off with FREE live music from Neon Sky and Living on a Bad Name on Friday, August 8, at the Montrose Rotary Amphitheater, complete with a food village to complement the festive spirit with food and beverages.

Along with FUNC-y fun on the river at the Water Sports Park on Saturday, August 9, live musical entertainment from The River Arkansas, The Brown Family Band, and The Williams Brothers Band to round out the day.