Nantahala Outdoor Center celebrates 40 years of whitewater adventure

WESSER, N.C., June 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC), named "One of the Best Outfitters on Earth," by National Geographic ADVENTURE, will celebrate its 40^th anniversary on June 9. The Nantahala Outdoor Center, a short 2-hour drive from Atlanta, would like to thank the public for a great 40 years by hosting a number of exhilarating activities this summer. The NOC has been the go-to outdoor recreation center for adventurous, thrill-seeking families in the South and on the East coast for four decades.

The anniversary celebration on June 9 will include a number of fun, family-oriented events including the Nantahala River Raft Race, an evening of live music, movies and plenty of outdoor festivities. The Nantahala River Raft Race challenges a four-person crew to a test of speed, endurance and precision while navigating along a five-mile course on the Nantahala River. The race begins at Ferebee Park and an awards ceremony will follow the race.

In addition to the Nantahala River Raft Race, the schedule of 40^th Anniversary events on June 9 include: an Edible Plants Walk with a local botanist and NOC's Surf School, where an introduction to kayaking and surfing waves will be given. The Nantahala Kids Club will get kids excited about getting out on the water and making friends while developing elite whitewater athletes. The Balsam Mountain Trust introduces guests to local reptiles that are native to the Balsam Mountain Preserve and the Blue Ridge Mountain region. Later in the afternoon, guests will enjoy words from NOC's founders, an award ceremony for "Most Valuable Guests," cake and live music!

"We are extremely thankful to have entertained millions of guests in our forty spectacular years at the Nantahala Outdoor Center," stated NOC CEO, Sutton Bacon. "We want to honor the guests who have helped us reach this milestone, and introduce new guests to our outdoor family fun, by offering them an action-packed, exhilarating day."

For more information on NOC's 40^th Anniversary Celebration or to make reservations visit NOC.com or call 888.905.7238.

About Nantahala Outdoor Center

Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) is one of the nation's largest outdoor recreation companies. Over a million guests visit NOC annually to embark on a diverse collection of more than 120 different whitewater rafting and land-based itineraries, learn to kayak at NOC's world-renowned Paddling School, travel to foreign countries with NOC's Adventure Travel program, test the latest outdoor gear and shop at its three LEED-certified flagship retail stores or enjoy NOC's resort amenities such as its three restaurants and multi-tiered lodging. A privately-held company, NOC is one of the largest employers in Western North Carolina, and 22 Olympians including 2 Gold Medalists have called NOC home. NOC has been recently recognized by The New York Times as the "Nation's Premiere Paddling School," "The Best Place to Learn" by Outside, and as "One of the Best Outfitters on Earth" by National Geographic ADVENTURE.

Media Contact: Beth Carter Marketing Inspirations, 678-866-3572, [email protected]

News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com

SOURCE Marketing Inspirations