Davidson River Outfitters will hold a first-ever summer fishing festival on Saturday, June 11, 2016, from 9 am – 5 pm, at its new store location, 49 Pisgah Hwy, Suite 6 in Pisgah Forest, NC.

“We’ve long thought that a summer fishing festival would be a great addition to our community,” said Kevin Howell, owner of Davidson River Outfitters. “And the opening of our new store location gave us a great excuse to make it happen.”

The festival is co-sponsored by leading fly fishing gear manufacturers Sage, Redington, and Rio, and will include special promotions and product demos from these and other companies.

“Whether you’re an avid angler or someone just starting out, this is an event you won’t want to miss,” said Howell. “Not only can you try out all kinds of gear, but you can talk directly to the factory reps and the fishermen who developed it.”

Additionally, there will be hourly door prizes, an afternoon beer tasting with Ecusta Brewing, refreshments, casting games with prizes, and a grand prize drawing for a Guided Small Mouth Bass Fishing Trip with Howell, who is a Fly Fishing Masters Champion.

The event also gives Davidson River Outfitters the opportunity to showcase its new store location at the entrance to Pisgah National Forest and adjacent to the Davidson River, one of the top 100 fly fishing rivers in the U.S. “We have gained almost 1,000 square feet of retail space,” said Howell, “and we now have a 250 square foot dedicated classroom which we’ll use to expand our education programs.”

Davidson River Outfitters will now offer year round fly tying instruction and rod building classes. The outfitter will also expand its popular Orvis 101 and 201 fly fishing schools to include specialty 301 classes that focus on specific elements of fly fishing.

Thanks to its larger retail space, Davidson River Outfitters will add a selection of quality knives, including, SOG, CRKT, Gerber, Benchmade, and many other brands. “We’re also expanding into the exciting world of kayak fishing,” said Howell. “We’ll be offering guided kayak fishing trips and supplies.”

The outfitter is also making a greater commitment to the popular – and centuries-old – art of Japanese fly fishing with the addition of rods from Tenkara Rod Company alongside its existing line of Tenkara USA products. They also plan to expand its guide trip offerings to include the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as well as the Nantahala River and DuPont State Recreational Forest.