River Day: June 13, 2026
River Day is designed to encourage appreciation and recreational use of the waterways of the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair and to celebrate the leadership of local citizens, organizations, and communities whose efforts are critical to protecting and enhancing the overall quality of the Clinton River watershed.
Every June, individuals, businesses, community groups, and local governments across the watershed join forces on River Day to enhance and celebrate the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair. Activities range from nature hikes, canoe trips, fishing derbies, and fly fishing lessons to storm drain stenciling, river clean-ups, habitat restoration, and native landscaping.
RIVER DAY EVENTS
DIGITAL EVENTS
2026 RIVER DAY DESIGN CONTEST
The Annual River Day design contest encourages local artists of all ages and abilities to get involved in the promotion of River Day.
The winning River Day designs are used on official River Day shirts, the event guide, and the CRWC website to promote River Day.
Entries are judged and evaluated on their ability to convey River Day’s goal of celebration and enjoyment of the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair, as well as their clarity and ability to be reproduced easily at a variety of scales.
Requirements:
Artist must reside in the Clinton River Watershed.
Art must be a thick, black and white line drawing.
Art must be 8.5 in x 11 inches or smaller.
The year must be prominent and include the words “River Day.”
Art can be hand-drawn or created digitally. Art cannot be created with AI.
RIVER DAY LOGO CONTEST DESIGNS
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Amanda grew up on the Gulf Coast of Florida and Alabama, and an appreciation of the beauty and benefits of waterways has always been a big part of her life. She studied art in college and over the years has developed a love for wildlife illustration. Her goal is to create images that both reflect nature and surprise with unexpected elements of texture and design.
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“From photography to painting, charcoal art to mixed media, my art spans across various mediums and forms, all of which focus on the captivating power and beauty of nature. I’m constantly exploring new artistic styles and messages, using Michigan’s landscapes as my muse.”
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“When I was younger, I used to think that my house was the center of the world. As I got older, I began to understand that there were bigger things happening outside of my tiny bubble. I started learning about watersheds and how they connect us all. Regardless of where we live, we're always a part of a watershed. It's amazing to think about how our actions (or inaction) in one area can impact people miles away. I'm grateful for my education on watersheds because it's helped me become more mindful of my own actions - both at home and beyond. Every day, I try to do my part to help keep our watershed. When we take care of our watersheds, everything thrives!."
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“I have been a resident of Macomb and Oakland Counties for a combined total of 57 years and have enjoyed all the beauty and activities the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair have to offer. Our family has participated in several of the Rochester Recreation Center Outdoor Programs including night hikes, we kayak the river to Yates Cider Mill, and walk the Clinton River Trail almost daily. My first grandchild was born this March and by supporting the watershed projects it will ensure she will be able to enjoy the river, lake and wildlife they sustain for many years."
RIVER DAY LOGO CONTEST WINNERS
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I have been exposed to art my entire life, and my family has always encouraged me to try new mediums and expand my horizons. I’m a fashion designer by trade, but when it comes to 2D art, I love watercolors and pen and ink. With dreams of working for Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources, an advocate for conservation, and a self-certified bird nerd, I draw nearly all of my inspiration from Michigan’s flora and fauna. I love being able to share my love for nature not only through my career goals, but through my lifelong hobby as well.
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I have a creek in my backyard and basically took inspiration from that. We have ducks and birds. We see the ducks and birds enjoying the creek and water. I wanted to be different and not draw fish. This is the first time my art has ever won anything!
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I am a geographer; geographers tell stories about places. My relief prints are images that try to capture the essence of places with thick lines and blocks of black ink on white paper. I’m also a kayaker; the place in this image is a kayak on a river, approaching a bend and whatever mystery may be around that bend.
Relief printing is a simple process that originated a couple of thousand years ago. It is not well suited to showing subtle variations of tone or fine lines, so it demands simple compositions that present the important part of any scene, and nothing else. My process typically involves making several drawings of the same place, removing detail with each new draft, until only the lines and shapes that are important to the story of that place remain. This simplified image is carved in reverse on a block and printed with thin water-based ink on slightly textured paper.
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I made this design for a class assignment. It was the first time I tried drawing a cartoon style frog. I usually draw realistic portraits of friends and family and famous people. Winning this contest empowers me to consider drawing animals in my own style.
PHOTOS
Take photos while participating in your River Day events and submit via email to shannon@crwc.org for a chance to be featured in Watershed Announcements and on CRWC's social media pages!
Be sure to include:
Your name (as you would like to be credited)
Which event you attended
Any/all photos you would like to share with CRWC
Or share on your on your social media accounts and tag CRWC with the hashtag #RiverDay
