By George Berkheimer For the Bedford Gazette
When a group of friends hatched a crazy scheme to hold a canoe race through Everett on the Juniata River in 1981, they weren’t sure if anybody would actually show up for the event.
The Bloody Run Canoe & Kayak Classic is still going strong 43 years later and is now a nonprofit tourist attraction that raises funds for local causes.
“In 2026 we’ll be raising money for Everett Warriors Youth Football and Cheer to help them with new helmets, shoulder pads and other equipment, and new uniforms for the cheerleaders,” said Kaci Batzel, president of the Everett Area Better Business Association, who heads up the race committee.
In previous years the Classic has supported Everett Area Youth Baseball and Softball and the youth rifle league at the Everett Sportsmen’s Club. The Raystown Canoe Club owns and organizes the event.
Last year, the Leadership Bedford County Class of 2025 got involved, helping to rebuild launch sites on the river to improve access for the event to ensure its continued success.
The “original culprits” who started the tradition – George England, Tom Zimmerman, Edward Milward, Dennis Drenning, and Dan Whetstone – had no idea they had stumbled onto something that would become ingrained in the town’s identity.
Growing popularity
Named for one of Everett’s earlier identities, the Bloody Run Canoe and Kayak Classic evolved over the years and has included a five mile race, a nine mile race, a triathlon, and a float festival.
“We have to limit ourselves to the five mile race next year because work to remove the dams in Bedford will interfere with access,” Batzel said. “We’ll be adding a poker float in 2026, though. People who register can collect a playing card at five spots along the river and we’ll have prizes for the best poker hands at the finish.”
The racing will take place on the morning of May 16, followed by afternoon festivities on Main Street that will feature live music, DJs, food trucks, craft vendors, a Strongman Competition sponsored by Black Valley Barbell, and games for children.
“We had to cancel the canoe portion in 2025 because of flooding, but we had more than 50 entrants in 2024, many of them coming from Harrisburg and Philadelphia and out of state, Batzel said. “I think a big part of the appeal is that people who are drawn to events like this aren’t interested in large scale overdevelopment and want to see things being preserved so that it doesn’t pull away from the small town charm. We see it as an acknowledgement and appreciation of the natural assets and beauty that surrounds this little community.”
Celebrating natural beauty
Batzel, who owns and operates the Timber Ridge Chiropractic practice in Everett, said the Juniata River provides a natural, appropriate setting for the Classic.
“The Raystown Branch is actually part of Pennsylvania’s designated State Water Trail system,” she said, beginning at Bedford and ending at Saxton. “So many people have really taken to this waterway, especially with the push to get outside again after the pandemic.”
Outdoor recreation in general is enjoying a period of growth in the region, with improvements planned for The Old PA Pike Trail that follows a nearby stretch of abandoned turnpike roadway.
There’s also an effort underway to link up the Mid State Trail that runs through Everett with the Standing Stone Trail, Tuscarora Trail, Great Eastern Trail and the C&O Canal Path with BCDA leading the charge with the trail authorities to promote the 300-mile backpacking loop.
“I moved halfway across the country to go to school, but I always knew I was going to come back because my roots are here,” Batzel said, noting that part of the appeal for her was having access to outdoor activities in her own backyard.
“You hear about all the recreation opportunities out west, but no matter where it is you have to fly in and then drive five or six hours to get there,” she said. “We don’t have that problem here.”
The dozen or so people who sit on the Bloody Run Canoe and Kayak Classic committee are all business owners who recognize that, Batzel said.
“They have careers here and are very involved in the community, and they’re willing to jump in and pull their weight to make events like this happen,” she said. “It’s a true community effort that keeps the focus local and invests in the next generation in the process. That’s what makes it worthwhile.”
For event updates, registration details, and more information, follow the Bloody Run Canoe & Kayak Classic on Facebook.