Hundreds of kayakers will descend on Galway city and county this weekend for one of Europe’s biggest paddle sports events.

Now in its 13th year, Galway Fest has grown from humble beginnings to establish itself as one of the main events on the international whitewater kayaking scene.

The three-day festival will see competition events taking place on the River Corrib in Galway city, the Boluisce river in Spiddal and the Clare river in Tuam.

Spectators in Galway city can expect to see the Corrib’s banks thronged with a colourful assembly of about 300 kayakers on Sunday when competitors race down the city’s main river.

The action in Tuam will take place on Friday while Spiddal can look forward to an influx of kayakers on Saturday.

Galway Fest was started in 2012 by college buddies Barry Loughnane and Andrew Regan, who met at the University of Galway’s renowned kayak club.

The pair shared a passion for kayaking and wanted to organise an event that brought Ireland’s whitewater community together.

“The kayaking is important – Galway Fest now attracts some of the world’s best paddlers every year – but the social side is a huge part of it,” said Barry.

The combination of high-level competition and a welcoming, social atmosphere has made Galway Fest a popular event on the international paddling calendar — this year, competitor tickets sold out in less than 15 seconds.

And the event is free for spectators. Anyone around Galway on Sunday can watch the kayakers charging through the city centre down the Corrib. O’Brien’s and Wolfe Tone bridges provide good vantage points while the festival hub at Fisheries Field will also be abuzz with activity.

“It’s not necessarily about the quality of the paddling. What matters is bringing the community together,” said organiser Aoife Hanrahan.

Anyone interested in taking up kayaking will have ample opportunity to find out more about the sport this weekend. They can just ask anyone they see around the city carrying a colourful boat on their shoulder for more information.

Pictured: Galway Fest kayakers launch off O’Brien’s Bridge into the River Corrib. Photo: Jack Ledwith.