LISTEN: New route, big changes for Parker Tube Float

The Parker Regional Chamber of Commerce and Tourism has announced a new route and big changes for the 2017 Parker Tube Float.

Making the announcement live on KLPZ 1380am, event organizer Mary Hamilton said that the Float will be held on June 10th, 2017 on an entirely new stretch of the Colorado River north of Parker.

“The route has been shortened and the event area has actually been relocated,” Hamilton told listeners. “We are launching at Buckskin Mountain State Park with the awesome cooperation of Arizona State Parks and the awesome cooperation of La Paz County Parks … going to the event area at La Paz County Park which is just south of Pirate’s Den, where we used to launch.”

Last year, complaints were received by several of the many homeowners on the old route, which passed by some large riverside neighborhoods. The concerns ranged from confrontations with floaters to litter and other issues. A common note was that the length of the Float contributed to these issues.

“By shortening the route, it will now be less than 3 miles instead of almost 8,” Hamilton said. “A shorter Float. There’s reasons it took people almost all day to float down the river and those reasons will be eliminated by this new route.”

Hamilton also said that there is a lot more interest from volunteers since last year’s event as the need for them has become more obvious. She appealed to the Parker community to get in touch with her office to volunteer at the next event, which is supported by many formal entities and agencies also. The need for assist vessels were mentioned in particular, with some boat companies coming from areas like Las Vegas to contribute as assist vessels at the event, and others still needed.

The cost of the event for floaters will go up from $10 to $20 for this year’s event, which Hamilton said could be thought of like a ticket to a music festival or concert.

“It’s a fundraiser,” she said, adding that the event’s revenues are a budget item for her organization, which supports commerce and tourism in the Parker area.

In another new change, shuttles will be provided for the drivers of private vehicles who want to drop their fellow participants off at Buckskin and then park at the finish line at La Paz County Park. The shuttles will bring those drivers north to Buckskin where entire groups can then float back to where their vehicles are parked.

“What we’re providing is a safe day to float the river, have some fun, enjoy the scenery, make some new friends,” Hamilton added.

Listen to the entire segment in this episode of the Parker Livecast above.

136 comments

  1. Trenton Bonney

    Meghan Phoebe Duran want to this year

  2. Trenton Bonney

    Meghan Phoebe Duran want to this year

  3. Rick Mccrummen

    SoBig Gar mark your calendar gotta be at the house for defense otherwise will trash the cabanas for sure .

  4. Rick Mccrummen

    SoBig Gar mark your calendar gotta be at the house for defense otherwise will trash the cabanas for sure .

  5. Tomarco Stevens

    Starting From Sundance Ends @ La Paz County Park Enjoy dealing w Sheriff’s

  6. Tomarco Stevens

    Starting From Sundance Ends @ La Paz County Park Enjoy dealing w Sheriff’s

  7. If its a fundraiser where do the proceeds end up. Ive never seen the chamber donate to food bank,st vinnies ect. Is rhe money to fund rhe chamber in uts oprati g costs. If so thats fine,but jts not a fundraiser

  8. A fundraiser that provides operating money to the Chamber of Commerce is a fundraiser, by definition.

  9. Tom Whitmore

    Changes things a little!!

  10. Tom Whitmore

    Toby Whitmore Bryan Whitmore Nic Shafer. Genia Whitmore. Cynthia Cody Whitmore. Nancy Karr. Michelle Whitmore. Chrystal Whitmore-Shafer changes things a little!!

  11. I read the definition of a fundraiser, yes someone who collects funds for such things as a raffle. So the main purpose of the chamber raising money is to maintain the chamber, not to feed the poor as the senior center does.

  12. Sam, I think it’s been public and common knowledge for years that the Tube Float raises funds for the Chamber of Commerce to help it operate. There’s no great conspiracy there. Not all fundraisers feed the poor, nor need to in order to qualify!

  13. Kiersten De La Luz

    Chanel Lakeman interesting!!

  14. Kiersten De La Luz

    Chanel Lakeman interesting!!

  15. Amber Moorhead

    Tony, Britney, Russell, Stephanie, Stephen, Jennifer, Melissa, Melanie

  16. Bryan Whitmore

    Yvette Gutierrez Vasquez

  17. Amber Moorhead

    I’m glad about that lol

  18. Amber Moorhead

    I’m glad about that lol

  19. Melanie Rice

    I’m glad it’s closer for all of us 🙂

  20. Melanie Rice

    I’m glad it’s closer for all of us 🙂

  21. Melanie Rice

    Martin Garibay & Jennifer Garibay, Kristi Engilman Yates & Mark Yates

  22. Rick Arago

    Good, south of echo… Pick up your trash please!

  23. Rick Arago

    Good, south of echo… Pick up your trash please!

  24. Sherri Vartanian

    That’s all right with me, maybe it will keep the traffic down for Parker/Earp area

  25. Sherri Vartanian

    That’s all right with me, maybe it will keep the traffic down for Parker/Earp area

  26. Mary Hamilton

    It starts at Buckskin Mountain State Park.

  27. Mary Hamilton

    It starts at Buckskin Mountain State Park.

  28. Deia Schumann

    $20(from $10) and from Buckskin to La Paz

  29. Deia Schumann

    $20(from $10) and from Buckskin to La Paz

  30. Dagmar Emma Satterla

    Awesome! Chris Davis Traynor, Kevin Slade…from Buckskin to La Paz 😀

  31. Dagmar Emma Satterla

    Awesome! Chris Davis Traynor, Kevin Slade…from Buckskin to La Paz 😀

  32. Richard Monreal

    Make room for rich Yvette Gutierrez Vasquez????

  33. Richard Monreal

    Make room for rich Yvette Gutierrez Vasquez????

  34. Cory Ferguson

    Amy Cahill Carly Ferguson

  35. Linda Case

    Shelly Luhnow Asaro????????

  36. Laura Pompa

    ???????????????????????? Lets charge more for less… DuMb DumB ???? Will you really stop people from floating down to the casino!?! Probably Not!!!

  37. Laura Pompa

    ???????????????????????? Lets charge more for less… DuMb DumB ???? Will you really stop people from floating down to the casino!?! Probably Not!!!

  38. Sally Miranda

    Let’s do it!! For sure this summer!????

  39. Sally Miranda

    Let’s do it!! For sure this summer!????

  40. Christine Reyes

    Harlan Blue Richards Jr.. What you think…

  41. Christine Reyes

    Harlan Blue Richards Jr.. What you think…

  42. Mike Drum

    Megan Weitz Terrie Holloway Drum Paul Panko

  43. Shelly Luhnow Asaro

    Bummer it’s only 3 miles now.

  44. Shelly Luhnow Asaro

    Bummer it’s only 3 miles now.

  45. Debbie L. Martinez

    Yes we are.. I need to get back in shape pronto

  46. Debbie L. Martinez

    Yes we are.. I need to get back in shape pronto

  47. Sally Miranda

    Debbie L. Martinez me too!!! We have a few months!!

  48. Sally Miranda

    Debbie L. Martinez me too!!! We have a few months!!

  49. Debbie L. Martinez

    Yes thank goodness but tanning starts this weekend ????????

  50. Debbie L. Martinez

    Yes thank goodness but tanning starts this weekend ????????

  51. Steve Asaro

    Here’s my best impersonation of an old man: Damn kids wrecked it for everyone!!! Learn to pick up after yourselves and stay the hell off property that’s not yours!!! Ok, I’m done. Wait………….now they’re on my lawn!!!………..Hey!!!

  52. Steve Asaro

    Here’s my best impersonation of an old man: Damn kids wrecked it for everyone!!! Learn to pick up after yourselves and stay the hell off property that’s not yours!!! Ok, I’m done. Wait………….now they’re on my lawn!!!………..Hey!!!

  53. Ashley Martin

    Shelby Young Robert Chipper Young Kim Young Martin

  54. Ashley Martin

    Did u read the article?

  55. Ashley Martin

    Did u read the article?

  56. Tim Yost

    Well, you are 50 now ya know!

  57. Tim Yost

    Well, you are 50 now ya know!

  58. Yes!!! This route should be a lot Safer and better for all involved. Great idea!

  59. Sean Callahan

    Kristen Stadnick-Callahan

  60. I figure half the kids will not stop at la paz park. There will continue to float till there tired. 3 miles wont do it,and no one can stop them lol

  61. Chanel Lakeman

    I actually like that way more!! It was waaaaayyy to freakin long before and so hard to keep up with those currents and not get pushed to the sides lol it’s safer this way too. So many people were needing assistance from the the medics last year!

  62. Chanel Lakeman

    I actually like that way more!! It was waaaaayyy to freakin long before and so hard to keep up with those currents and not get pushed to the sides lol it’s safer this way too. So many people were needing assistance from the the medics last year!

  63. Chanel Lakeman

    I mean not that I’ll even be able to attend because of good ole nursing school????

  64. Chanel Lakeman

    I mean not that I’ll even be able to attend because of good ole nursing school????

  65. Bruce Mc Diarmid

    NOT in front of my PLACE BUMMER, Looked forward to it !

  66. Bruce Mc Diarmid

    NOT in front of my PLACE BUMMER, Looked forward to it !

  67. Kiersten De La Luz

    Yeah they shortened it soo much!! Haha maybe this time ill be able to stay awake for the whole thing???? lol well i guess if we were going????

  68. Kiersten De La Luz

    Yeah they shortened it soo much!! Haha maybe this time ill be able to stay awake for the whole thing???? lol well i guess if we were going????

  69. Brenda Rather

    Nikki McBroom, Katie Mays

  70. Melissa Wright

    $20 is still nothing for an event like this. For as much work as this is, it’s good they raised the price. I also love the new locations, shorter distance and shuttle service to help. A lot of people never made it to the end anyways and those that did always left a huge mess. With this shorter distance maybe people will have the energy leftover to pick up after themselves 😀

  71. Melissa Wright

    $20 is still nothing for an event like this. For as much work as this is, it’s good they raised the price. I also love the new locations, shorter distance and shuttle service to help. A lot of people never made it to the end anyways and those that did always left a huge mess. With this shorter distance maybe people will have the energy leftover to pick up after themselves 😀

  72. Sara Grafton

    My family has a house on the river with a beach and yeah strangers approach it. Some leave trash behind. But we RECOGNIZE this is a once-per-year event so we don’t bitch about it! ????

  73. Sara Grafton

    My family has a house on the river with a beach and yeah strangers approach it. Some leave trash behind. But we RECOGNIZE this is a once-per-year event so we don’t bitch about it! ????

  74. Enjoy the last tube float. The lower river homeowners didn’t want it any more. Now the middle river folks will hate it, too. River cross-currents, Idiot Rock, 5 bars, 2 floating, on the course, chopping the river in half through closures, people wanting to float all the way down to the casino, straggler floaters out after dark. Yeah. This is a great idea.

    Hey, maybe do Parker Dam to Buckskin next year and have the entire river pissed off.

  75. Jane Boermans

    This stinks. No more ???? show in front of our place

  76. Jane Boermans

    This stinks. No more ???? show in front of our place

  77. Chanel Lakeman

    Hahahahahaha oh my gosh I forgot about that???????? it was sun. That’s why you fell asleep!

  78. Chanel Lakeman

    Hahahahahaha oh my gosh I forgot about that???????? it was sun. That’s why you fell asleep!

  79. Kiersten De La Luz

    Lol totally the suns fault!!

  80. Kiersten De La Luz

    Lol totally the suns fault!!

  81. Melissa Ogilvie

    Nathan Ogilvie Lauren Sivert

  82. Leaver it to Beaver

    Lame. If it’s not broken don’t fix it! This is not the Parker tube float everyone knows. Then to charge more money for 3 miles, when y’all can float the next day for free.

  83. LeeAnn Hobbs-Gonzales

    Remember all the drunk girls that landed on our dock last year ? Lol. Jill Horner Hughes Rich Hughes Michelle Pike Susan Hein.

  84. LeeAnn Hobbs-Gonzales

    Remember all the drunk girls that landed on our dock last year ? Lol. Jill Horner Hughes Rich Hughes Michelle Pike Susan Hein.

  85. Jill Horner Hughes

    Yeah, I remember, that was the highlight of the weekend really… I dont think i’ll be doing that weekend again. But it was fun to watch… remember “dont be that girl at the party”

  86. Jill Horner Hughes

    Yeah, I remember, that was the highlight of the weekend really… I dont think i’ll be doing that weekend again. But it was fun to watch… remember “dont be that girl at the party”

  87. Maria Armstrong

    Brent Robinson, Nancy Nancy Dayton, Joseph Enfield, Claire Enfield, Mindy Neff

  88. Maria Armstrong

    Brent Robinson, Nancy Nancy Dayton, Joseph Enfield, Claire Enfield, Mindy Neff

  89. In regards to the wrist bands , you need to make them
    Easier to access. Like selling them at Fox’s, RR and Sundance.
    We are on the California side and for some last min people that wanted to float, it was a pain to go to the casino and get the
    Wrist bands. SO they just would just not pay. Hope this will help

  90. Taylor Wahl

    Cody Deutschlander read the whole thing. Changes a lot

  91. Taylor Wahl

    Cody Deutschlander read the whole thing. Changes a lot

  92. Tamara Kunkle

    Great idea! Parker can use the funds and that route is beautiful! I wish people would make citizens arrests for littering. C’mon, people, have respect for your planet and other people.

  93. Tamara Kunkle

    Great idea! Parker can use the funds and that route is beautiful! I wish people would make citizens arrests for littering. C’mon, people, have respect for your planet and other people.

  94. Mandy Shank

    Lainey Durcan God help us this weekend ????????

  95. Mandy Shank

    Lainey Durcan God help us this weekend ????????

  96. Great news Mary. One item of concern that needs to be addressed still is eliminating the boats that are attached to the floaters. Mike Mack and I witnessed first hand the fact that NONE of these boats assisted their floaters. They instead created an unsafe condition and we had to pull the boat and their floaters out into the current.

  97. Somebody might want to correct the online registration information (chamber) as it still says La Paz Park to Bluewater Casino and $10 registration……..

  98. wonder how many hours this will take now?

  99. As a newbie to this float I am totally looking forward to it! I think the homeowners do have a legitimate complaint about some people leaving trash behind, as I have seen this at other events. My friends and myself do our best to pick up after those that leave trash behind, as we would like our kids to be able to enjoy this event too. We like to party and have a great time, and if you have lived on the river for any time at all you should know that this is an annual event, so prepare yourself for it. I think it would actually be pretty cool to have a house on the river because of the “entertainment” floating by! 🙂
    Anyway, I think it’s a great idea and we are looking forward to the float, live music, and good times with friends! Thanks to the city of Parker for letting this event happen.
    See y’all there!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *