Ohhhh Boy! Cheat Fest is this weekend! The Cheat River Festival, put on by "The Friends of The Cheat," is the model for what river festivals should be. The whole event goes to benefit conservation efforts on the Cheat River in West Virginia. The weekend kicks off on Friday evening with the Cheat River Race. Saturday morning features a 5K run and the festival music begins at 1 PM on Saturday and goes into the night. Cheat Fest is one of the best venues to buy new and used gear from individuals and vendors alike.

The Cheat used to be the premier rafting location in West Virginia and possibly the #1 destination on the whole east coast. The rise in popularity of rafting, kayaking, and canoeing over the last few decades has caused the Cheat to take a back seat to the plethora of other options in the area. Of course, this weekend The Cheat will take center stage. And oh yeah, be sure to look for the pros surfing "Big Nasty" in the early part of the day. You won't forget it!

See you in West Virginia!