COLTON – A highlight of end-of-summer activities in the Town of Colton over the Labor Day weekend will be the whitewater kayaking series points races on the Stone Valley-Brown’s Bridge section of the Raquette River in Colton Saturday, Sept. 5 and Monday, Sept. 7.

The last two dam water releases of the summer by Brookfield Renewable Energy on those days are for expert-level whitewater kayakers to paddle the Stone Valley section of the Raquette River.

The largest turnout is expected Saturday when paddlers will be doing timed runs in the afternoon on the Class 5 section of the river, which begins just below the dam in the hamlet of Colton.

Expert kayakers travel from across the eastern United States and Canada for the predictable and challenging conditions at Stone Valley on release days. They paddle the river at their own risk. On release days they usually get going around 10 a.m. when the water is at the full release level. Beforehand spectators will likely see paddlers hiking the trails to check conditions of the river.

The town’s Tourism & Beautification Committee will have an information tent set up and staffed by volunteers at the main trailhead at the end of Riverside Drive just past the fire station. A variety of free information including brochures with maps of the Raquette River and Stone Valley published by Brookfield will be available. Also a number of products will be available to purchase including DVDs of the two Raquette River documentaries produced by WPBS for $15, and Colton t-shirts at reduced prices.

Along Main Street on the west side of the river the Colton Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with more information plus a bathroom available for public use.

The Raquette River Pub on Main Street, which serves as a Whitewater Welcome Center for paddlers and spectators, will open Saturday at noon for people to use their facilities. They’ll have pizza and hamburgers and of course drinks to order.

And on Saturday, when lots of paddlers and spectators are expected, the Colt’s Pride Booster Club will be selling hot dogs and hamburgers starting around noon at the fire station on Riverside Drive.

During the weekend there are a number of other food options near Stone Valley including the Hide Away Café on Gulf Road which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also food to go can be purchased at White’s General Store on State Highway 56 and Kunoco Food Mart at the corner of State Highways 56 and 68.

Other nearby things to do during over the weekend include the 20th Annual Antique Car Show scheduled for Saturday at Amvets Post 262 on State Highway 56 just north of the school. Registration begins at 10 a.m. with prizes awarded. Also there will be vendors, games, food and drinks.

The Labor Day holiday also means the closing of the town’s two information centers for the season. Until next June the Stone Valley Information Center, in the Museum on Main Street, and the Raquette River Information Center, along State Highway 56 in the hamlet of South Colton, are available to visit by calling Scott Muller on the town’s Tourism & Beautification Committee at 244-9956.