Gilbert Lake State Park in Laurens, NY and the Marine Services Bureau of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation invites the public to attend the W.O.W. (Wear it On the Water) Paddle Fest the weekend of July 18-20. The highlight of the event will be the opportunity for new and beginning kayakers to take a free American Canoe Association Smart Start Kayaking lesson taught by ACA certified instructors.

The lesson will cover safety and skills. The public is invited to bring their own kayak or rent a kayak for just $10. Children 9-16 years of age are eligible to take a lesson if accompanied by an adult. Lessons are limited to the first 100 people who sign up. Pre-registration before the event can be made by calling the park at 607-432-2114.

In addition to lessons, Saturday will feature games for kids and on-the-water kayak demos sponsored by Bass Pro Shop of Utica, on-the-water stand up paddleboard demos sponsored by Canoe and Kayak Rentals of Portlandville, NYS Parks' Marine Services Bureau's rolling display trailer featuring boating safety information, the “Wear It New York!” booth featuring life jacket information, and the American Canoe Association booth with canoeing and kayaking information.

• Join the Life Jacket Flash Mob at the Beach. Come wearing your life jacket and the first 100 people will receive a free event t-shirts. 1:00 pm on Saturday.
• Enjoy a mini-wilderness adventure on your own by hiking into the Lake of the Twin Fawns where a park naturalist will talk about pond ecology, and then borrow a canoe for a short paddle to explore the lake. Saturday afternoon.
• Life Jacket and Paddling Safety themed Disc Golf and Geo-caching will be ongoing throughout the weekend. Get the correct answers to receive a prize and be eligible to enter a drawing to win a life jacket from Bass Pro Shop.
• Enjoy live music at the beach by Scattered Flurries. Saturday night.

In addition to Paddle Fest activities, Gilbert Lake has a swimming beach, extensive hiking trails, and a Civilian Conservation Corps Museum. Vehicle use fees apply for entry to the Park. For more information, please visit http://nysparks.com/parks/19/details.aspx.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 180 state parks and 35 historic sites, which are visited by 60 million people annually. A recent study commissioned by Parks & Trails New York found that New York State Parks generates $1.9 billion in economic activity annually and supports 20,000 jobs. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.