What:

Smith Mountain Lake Association’s Signature Event. Bringing the SML community together.
Free Entry and Free Parking

Who:

Everyone who enjoys SML including residents, families, friends & businesses.
This is a pet-friendly event. (pets must be leashed on Crazy Horse property)

When:

June 10, 2023, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm (rain or shine)

Where:

Crazy Horse Mariana, 400 Crazy Horse Drive, Moneta, Virginia

Why:

Fun and interactive activities, in water and on land, dedicated to protecting the water of SML and promoting safe recreation.

 

Enjoy Interactive Events & Demonstrations

 

      • Tour a fire boat, meet the dive team, attend a boat docking clinic
      • Visit a buffer garden display and fish habitat demonstration area
      • Learn to monitor SML Water Quality on the Ferrum College science vessel
      • Prove your skill at the Life Jacket Challenge
      • Let your kids have fun looking at bugs through a hand-lens or microscope
      • Join the Lakeside Scavenger Hunt
      • Stop by the EcoKids Activity Tent for a fun and interactive kid zone
      • Get ideas and recommendations for dealing with pesky geese and invasive weeds

 

Free vessel safety check if you boat, jet ski or paddle to Crazy Horse

Plus raffles, prizes, and free stuff

Enter drawings to win cool gifts or cash in our 50/50 raffle
Test your skill, try your luck and take home a prize
Get free stuff

Schedule of Events

11:00 am – 4:00 pm Docks, Exhibits, Booths and Boats Open
Lakeside Scavenger Hunt (all ages)
Lake Ranger Qualifying (ages 5+)
Kiddie Fishing (wee ones)
Vessel Safety Checks (if it floats, get it checked)
Find Freddy Prizes Awarded

11:00 am Opening Celebration

11:15 am Dedication Ceremony
Ferrum College Water Quality Monitoring Program Vessel

11:30 am – 2:30 pm Meet Joy Manning
10X Women’s World Wakeboard Champion

12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Life Jacket Challenge (got to get in it to win it!)

1:00 pm – 1:45 pm Dock Like a Pro (live in-water demonstration)

2:00 pm – 2:30 pm Life Jacket Challenge II (better than the 1st time)

2:45 pm – 3:30 pm Dock Like a Pro (if you missed it at 1pm)

3:00 pm Announce Raffle Winners

Who’s Participating

Antique & Classic Boat Society Smith Mountain Lake

Bedford County Sheriff

Buffer Landscape Gardens

Carefree Boat Club

Carilion Clinic Community Health and Outreach

Coast Guard Auxiliary

Crazy Horse Marina

Fish Habitat

Franklin County Marine Unit

Invasive Weeds

Lake Quality Council

Save Our Streams

Sea Tow SML

Septic Systems

Smith Mountain Lake Marine Fire & Rescue

SML Sail and Power Squadron (ABC-SML)

Tri-County Lakes Commission (TLAC)

TLAC Wake Education Task Force

Vessel Pump Out Program

Virginia Department of Health (VDH)

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR)

Water Safety Council

Water Quality Monitoring

Food Trucks Will Have Tasty Eats for Purchase

Dirty Water Dogs

Ella's Eats

Find Freddy

Freddy will be hanging out at the following Business Partner locations until June 9th:
Benny Adelina’s, Capps Home Building Center, Chamber of Commerce (Bridgewater Visitor Center), Crazy Horse Marina, Haywood Jewelers, Kauffman Travel Dream Vacations, Lake Life Marine Services, Mama Ann’s, Parkway Detailing, Phil Hager Insurance, Savvy Promos, Smith Mountain Wake Company, TLAC, VitaZen, and Westlake Coffee Café (formerly CJ’s Coffee and Sandwich Shop).

Find him and bring him to the SMLA booth at Crazy Horse Marina on June 10th.

(Only one (1) duck per person is eligible for redemption)

We’ll have a surprise for you!

Freddy

Interactive Demonstration Descriptions

 

Boat Docking Clinic

Dock like a professional.  Tune in to one of two free ‘Docking Without Shocking’ demonstrations to learn how to dock your boat gracefully and without damage or panic.

Sea Tow SML

Stop by the Sea Tow booth and participate in water safety games for prizes.  Attempt the timed life jacket challenge or try your hand at “Throw Don’t Go”.  Snap a “Vest Friends 4 Ever” or “Kiss me I’m a Sober Skipper” selfie.  Have a free root beer while they last.

Wake Education Task Force

Meet TLAC’s Wake Education Task Force.  Chat with SML’s very own 10x wakeboarding champion.  Find out the best spots on SML for towed water sports.  Understand the power of a wake and how to keep your riders safe.  Check out a wake boat.

Buffer Lanscaping Demo Garden/Plant Auction

Visit a Buffer Lanscaping Demonstration Garden on the shoreline and talk with BLAST experts about proper plant selection for your property. Learn why Buffer Gardens help the water quality of SML. Enter for a chance to win selected potted plants on display.

Bugs in the Streams?

Save our Streams Team members will introduce visitors to the critters who live in our streams. See these bugs up close with microscopes, and learn why SMLA collects, counts and identifies these inhabitants in the name of water quality.

What Weeds? We have Weeds?

Presentation of Aquatic Weeds that live in SML and live demonstration of invasive weeds you might find here.

SMLA is Septic Smart, Are You?

Presentation/information on why you should be smart septic, with handouts.

SMLA is Growing Fish (Habitats, that is!)

Check out the fish habitat structures that SMLA and DWR put into the lake to provide places for small fish to hide. See a map of the habitat locations.

How Does SMLA Know the Lake is Healthy? Find Out!

Visit the new Ferrum College Water Quality Monitoring Vessel. Have some fun checking how clear the water is with various instruments. Learn more about the Water Quality Monitoring program at SML.

SMLA’s EcoKids Fun and Lakeside Scavenger Hunt

Visit the EcoKids Fun Tent for Lakeside Scavenger Hunt with prizes, more kids activities such as coloring pages, puzzles, kiddie fishing fun, stickers, and more! Other poster information on display too.

Antique & Classic Boat Society Smith Mountain Lake Chapter

Have an interest in Antique and Classic Boats but do not own one? No worries you do not have to own an Antique boat to join the club. On display will be a 1948 Chris Craft.

Tri-County Lakes Administrative Commission (TLAC)

TLAC serves as the administrative department for the four Virginia counties surrounding Smith Mountain Lake and Leesville Lake. Learn more about TLAC’s Navigation and Environmental Committees, Adopt-a-Light/Adopt-a-Buoy program, Debris reporting, and Vessel Pump-Out program.

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR)

The Virginia Conservation Police work to Conserve our natural resources, Connect people to Virginia’s outdoors, and Protect people and property through safe outdoor experiences. Conservation Police Officers will be on hand to meet and greet attendees, provide promotional material, and answer any boating, hunting, or fishing questions.

SML Fireboats

SML Fireboats is an all-volunteer public safety organization. Our dedicated volunteers respond to hundreds of calls each year including structure fires, medical emergencies, boat fires, watercraft collisions and boaters in distress. Our Emergency Response Dive (ERD) team supports underwater search and recovery operations.

Vessel Pump Out Program (VPOP)

A cooperative program offered by Smith Mountain Lake Association (SMLA), Tri-County Lakes Administrative Commission (TLAC), and VA Department of Health (VDH), VPOP provide dockside vessel sewage holding tank pump-out services. This program protects Smith Mountain Lake from potential human waste pollution. Services are provided at no cost to participating boaters.

County of Franklin Marine Unit

The purpose of the Office of the Sheriff, County of Franklin Marine Unit is to provide law enforcement services that are primarily related to the navigable water of Smith Mountain Lake. The primary functions of this program are to be visible to the public during patrols, respond to any emergency calls for service that are related to the lake, and to educate the public about the importance of water safety practices.

Bedford County Sheriff’s Office

Our Patrol Boat will in and out between patrols and will be staffed with two officers. Deputies will be on hand to talk about safe navigation on the lake and hiring opportunities with the department.

Virginia Department of Health (VDH)

The VDH Office of Environmental Health Services staff will be onsite to discuss its marina programs including Clean Vessel, Smith Mountain Lake Pump-Out, and other environmental initiatives.

Carilion Clinic Community Health and Outreach

The Clinic will share water safety tips for pools and open water – including lakes, oceans, and rivers. Learn correct life jacket fit, the importance of swimming skills, and designating a Water Watcher when children are in and around water. Take home a free Water Watcher card/whistle!

Crazy Horse Marina

Life jackets are essential at SML. The marina has different types of Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs) available to boaters on Smith Mountain Lake. Wear the vest that you prefer. The marina store is full of supplies and treats.

Carefree Boat Club

Smith Mountain Lakes newest option to boat ownership. Boating Without Owning…It’s About Time!

Coast Guard Auxiliary

Visit our booth for boating safety information and learn more about what we do at SML. The Coast Guard Auxiliary is a volunteer organization that supports the United States Coast Guard (USCG). It was established in 1939 and operates under the authority of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The Auxiliary’s primary mission is to promote boating safety and provide support to the Coast Guard in a wide range of non-law enforcement activities.

We Need Volunteer Help

Beach Safety Monitors

Boat Ramp Safety Monitors

Food & Beverage Are Monitors

General Support as Necessary

Membership Booth

Parking

Set-Up and Take Down

More Details Will Be Posted As They Become Available