WILMINGTON — Cowan Lake State Park is planning the park’s first Lake Fest for next weekend.

This new family-friendly event presented by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) starts Saturday, July 22 at 9 a.m. and runs through Sunday, July 23 until 2 p.m.

This weekend-long festival will focus on water-related activities and will provide fun and entertainment for the whole family.

The festival will kick off with a Passport to Fishing program at 9 a.m. Throughout the weekend, guests may try out several paddle crafts, including kayaks, paddle boards and canoes. Other activities include youth fishing, music at the bonfire and yoga on the beach. ODNR’s personal watercraft simulator will also be on site.

Guests are invited to take advantage of free tent camping on the beach Saturday night. Pre-registration is strongly recommended. Campers may register online at www.cowanlakestatepark.com.

On Sunday, there will be canoe, kayak and stand-up paddleboard races. Guests wishing to participate in the races must bring their own paddle crafts and equipment. Race participants may pre-register online at cowanlakestatepark.com for a discounted rate.

Lake Fest is a part of the Paddle Ohio program. The Paddle Ohio initiative rewards individuals with a commemorative pin each time they paddle four different Ohio wild, scenic and recreational rivers, water trails or select state park lakes. Pins are available for paddlers who paddle four, eight, 12, 16 and 20 different segments of designated waters.

For an up-to-date schedule of Lake Fest activities, please visit cowanlakestatepark.com.