Hundreds of people dressed as witches, wizards and warlocks braved blustery winds Saturday to paddleboard the Willamette River for the fourth annual Stand Up Paddleboard Witch Paddle Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021.
The 11 a.m. event at Willamette Park in South Portland quickly became packed with vehicles pouring out witches wielding paddles and giant floating boards.
Despite wind that sent witches’ hats blowing around like tumbleweeds, it was a warm fall day with clear and sunny skies. To manage the gusts, participants traveled close to shorelines. Many circumnavigated Ross Island, and others made it all the way to Tom McCall Park and back.
The witch paddle all started when event organizer Ginny Kauffman of Portland saw photos of a similar Halloween event in California several years ago. Since then, the paddle in Portland has grown from a few dozen participants to many hundreds.
