ARRR! Ahoy ye Buccaneers! Grab your pirate hats and join Tonto National Forest for the fifth annual National Get Outdoors Day (GO DAY) event at Salt River Tubing on Saturday, June 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Prime goals of the event will be reaching first-time visitors to public lands, and reconnecting our teens to the great outdoors. Buccaneers can frolic in the pirate-themed merriment as costumed Salt River Tubing employees and pirate warships (shuttle buses) ferry the Salt River pirates to and from the river. Salt River Tubing’s infamous pirate line-dancers also will be performing hourly during the event. The GO Day event has resulted in sold out crowds the past four years.
Pirate Treasures for Buccaneers
Salt River Tubing officials will tender free Pirate Bandanas to the first 1,000 buccaneers during GO Day. The company also will award free tubing passes to participants throughout the event for the best pirate costumes. KOOL 94.5 FM and 98 KUPD radio stations will offer live entertainment, with water cannon battles, contests and free giveaways. Celebrate GO Day with a splash and extra sizzle at Pirates on the Salt River. Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of water!
“The success of the Forest Service’s More Kids in the Woods program encouraged a national partnership with the American Recreation Coalition (ARC) to create a special day in June (GO DAY) to motivate people, especially the youth, to get outdoors and enjoy our nation’s public lands, such as forests, parks and waterways,” said Henri Breault, President and CEO of Salt River Tubing. “Salt River Tubing’s pirate-themed event captures the attention of teens and their families, and the results have been overwhelmingly positive with their turnout on GO Day.”
The GO Day concept was first tested at the Outdoor Recreation Village at Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, which drew more than 100,000 visitors.
In 2011, President Obama issued a presidential proclamation, announcing June 2011 as the official Great Outdoors Month, and 38 states, including Arizona, also issued individual proclamations.
“Great Outdoors Month is an opportunity to celebrate and experience the natural splendor of Arizona, and renew our commitment to conserve our natural resources,” Governor Jan Brewer’s proclamation stated. “The State of Arizona has varied landscapes that include expansive desert, thick forests, emerald waters and towering mountains. Through biking, swimming, hiking and many other activities, we are able to enjoy the healthy benefits of outdoor recreation.”
For more information about Salt River Tubing and National Get Outdoors Day (GO Day), please visit the Web site at www.saltrivertubing.com, or call (480) 984-3305. Daily operating hours are 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The cost of tube rental is $15 per person/tube, which includes inner tube rental, free parking and shuttle bus service.
Children must be 8 years or older and at least 4 feet tall for tube rental and shuttle bus service. Glass containers are prohibited by law in the Lower Salt River Recreational Area, and will be confiscated. Ice chests and coolers will be inspected for glass containers before boarding shuttle buses. Be responsible and appoint a designated driver before your tubing adventure.
Salt River Tubing is located in Northeast Mesa, on Power Road, just seven miles from Highway 202 East.