Fish Fun(d) Celebrates 25 Years of River Work Worth Raising a Glass To

The Woonasquatucket River doesn’t ask for much attention, but spend enough time near it and the story starts to show. Trails follow its bends. Parks open along its edges. Paddlers, cyclists, students, volunteers, and neighbors all use a river that not long ago many people overlooked. On Thursday, August 6, the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council celebrates 25 years of that work with its third annual Fish Fun(d) fundraiser at Farm Fresh Rhode Island from 5-8 PM.

The evening brings together the practical and the delightfully unexpected, which feels about right for an organization that restores rivers and still knows how to throw a party. Guests can enjoy local food and beverages, live music, dancing, and a raffle featuring Rhode Island businesses and artists. Before the party, the WRWC Bike Education team will lead a Greenway bike ride, giving attendees a chance to experience the watershed from the trail before the celebration begins.

Fish Fun(d) also brings back its watershed-themed costume contest, complete with a $250 cash prize for the night’s most imaginative river-inspired look. It’s a fundraiser with a sense of humor, but the goal is serious: this year’s event aims to raise $50,000 for WRWC’s growing programs across the watershed.

That work stretches far beyond one night. Since its early roots in the 1990s, WRWC has restored riverfront land, expanded the Woonasquatucket Greenway, improved fish habitat and water quality, created parks and public spaces, and built education and recreation programs for residents across the watershed. Today, the organization reaches more than 2,000 students each year through hands-on environmental education and teaches bicycle safety to more than 1,300 Rhode Island fifth graders annually.

“For 25 years, our community has transformed the Woonasquatucket River from an overlooked urban waterway into a place where people paddle, bike, learn, volunteer, and connect,” says Jill Davidson, director of development and communications for WRWC. “Fish Fun(d) is the best time you’ll have all summer PLUS it celebrates everything we’ve accomplished together while helping ensure this work continues for generations to come.” Proceeds support WRWC’s environmental restoration, education, recreation, and community programs throughout the Woonasquatucket River watershed. Visit wrwc.org for tickets and more information.