Welcome to YAR!






Young Allies of the River (YAR) is a community of 20 and 30-somethings who share a vision of clean, plentiful waterways now and for future generations. Together, we are improving the quality of our rivers, lakes, and streams.
YAR events are fun, engaging opportunities to get together with other young people who support the Catawba Riverkeeper.
2022 YAR Event Calendar
Join Catawba Riverkeeper at Catawba Brewing for a Young Allies of the River Interest Meeting! Connect with other 20-30 something year old's who share the same vision of clean, plentiful water for generations to come.
Date: January 27, 2022
Time: 8pm-9pm
Location: Catawba Brewing-Charlotte
We will also be unveiling the 2022 YAR Calendar!!
Let's go on a winter hike to Crowder's Mountain! Young Allies of the River will meet in the morning before hiking the Pinnacle Trail to the overlook on King's Mountain.
Date: February 5, 2022
Time: 10am-2pm
Location: King's Mountain, NC
Register Here!
April 22 is Earth Day, which means it's time to celebrate! There's no better way to show your love for the environment than potting a plant and watching it grow. Catawba Riverkeeper is hosting a Plant Potting party for the Young Allies of the River!
Bring a planting pot (or anything similar you find around your home.) Catawba Riverkeeper will set up the prep materials, soil and mystery seeds!
Date: Friday, April 22
Time: 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: The Boathouse - 115 Willow Drive, McAdenville, NC
Stick around for Jam at the Dam, The Boathouse live music series!
Live music from The Hourglass Kids
Catawba Riverkeeper's hosts an annual festival along the banks of the Catawba River in Belmont, NC. Riverfest 2022, presented by Chronicle Mill, is an action-packed event filled with live music, vendors, food trucks, kayaking and more! YAR will have their own booth at this event.
Young Allies of the River members will be volunteering at a YAR themed tent at Riverfest!
* Members who sign-up are running the booth will be able to purchase one of our new YAR T-shirts for a discounted $5 to wear that day!
Postponed due to launch closure! Rescheduled for August 13th.
The One Where We Keep the River Clean!
Help keep our River clean by being proactive and picking up litter before it reaches our waterways! This YAR event will be in Charlotte, NC at Recover Brands Facility.
Date: Thursday, July 28
Time: 6PM-8PM
The One Where We Group Kayak!
Date: Saturday, August 13
Time: 4PM-5:30PM
Meeting: McAdenville Launch (501 Lakeview Drive, McAdenville, NC 28101)
Registration Link: YAR Slow Flow Kayak Guided Tour
The One Where Young Allies of the River Tour A Brewery!
Did you know beer is made up of about 95% water?
Learn the behind the scenes chemistry of crafting water into the beers you know and love! We will be touring a local brewery in the Catawba-Wateree Basin that only uses water from our River to craft their brews.
Sign Up Now!
The One Where Young Allies Of The River Help Keep Our Rivers Clean!
The One Where Young Allies Of The River Craft and Craft!
The One Where Young Allies Of The River Go On A Scavenger Hunt!


Thanks to our YAR sponsor, Relion, we are able to host these monthly events for our Young Allies of the River Members at no additional cost!
Membership
YAR membership supports the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation’s work to protect the Catawba-Wateree River basin.
Your dollars allow Catawba Riverkeeper to monitor water quality, host lake and stream cleanups, lead education and advocacy programs, and more. Your membership contribution will also help expand Young Allies of the River and the group’s impact on our waterways.
What You Get
- Priority registration and discounts for YAR events
- Invitations to special members-only events
- A membership to the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation (regularly $50)
- Access to YAR Group-me app
- Membership gift upon joining*
*You can pick up your membership gift at the next YAR event.
Connect with YAR
You can also join the Young Allies of the River GroupMe Group where we’ll share pictures, updates, and more information about YAR events!

If you have any questions about YAR events or membership, email haley.b@catawbariverkeeper.org.