By Mike Steely

Senior Writer

steelym@knoxfocus.com

Feeling cooped up with a bit of cabin fever as COVID-19 seems to last forever? Looking for something the family can do that’s fun, adventurous and even historic?

On Saturday, August 29, the Powell community has something planned that you may want to put on your calendar. The Annual Powell Station Celebration is a day-long festival with many family activities. The event takes place at Powell High School and Powell Station Park and there’s going to be lots of vendors, exhibitions, a skate event, 5K Walk, a bounce house and more.

The Travis Wegener Memorial Car Show, featuring all makes and models of vehicles, is planned for the school parking lot and the school lobby will host a silent auction. There are pay-to-play events planned like the EnergyFound & Food City Disc Golf Tournament and the Powell Lions Club Cornhole Tournament.

The Powell Station History Presentation will take place about every 15 or 20 minutes in the high school auditorium and should be an interesting and eye-opening demonstration by the Powell Station History Society.

Events run from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. There’s a $30 boat fee for Powell Business and Professional Association members and $80 for non-members.

The highlight of the celebration may well be the 3rd Annual Powell Station Flotilla sponsored by the Powell Business and Professional Association’s Enhance Powell Committee. The Beaver Creek Kayak Club directs the event and this year’s Floatmaster is Commissioner At-Large Larsen Jay.

“The nearly two-hour float begins at the landing adjacent to the baseball diamond on Brickyard Road and ends near the Weigel’s flagship store,” Jay said, adding that rental watercrafts will be available to those who don’t bring their own kayak or canoe. All flotilla participants must sign a waiver and transportation back to the celebration site will be provided.

Beaver Creek, which starts near House Mountain, flows westward through Halls, Powell, Karns, Solway, Hardin Valley and empties into Melton Hill Lake. The flotilla draws attention to the Beaver Creek cleanup efforts being promoted by the Beaver Creek Kayak Club. Although funds were cut from the Knox County budget because of financial losses during the COVID-19 pandemic Commissioner Jay is hoping the project will be renewed when finances improve. The idea is to clear debris and downed trees from Melton Hill Lake all the way to Halls for local and visitor recreational use. Until funded by the county the Kayak Club and Jay are promoting the idea with tee-shirt sales and putting up messages along the creek. A large message was painted on a large standpipe behind Powell High School.

You can get more information at the “Powell Station Celebration” page on Facebook.