Costumed paddleboarders and kayakers filled Lake Natoma on Saturday for the fifth annual Witches on the Lake, a fundraiser that has grown from a small neighborhood gathering into a community charity paddle event. More than 1,600 people registered for this year's event, benefiting Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance, with activities running from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Black Miner's Bar boat launch.
The event was first held with around 75 participants, and Taua has said it has grown in popularity since then, according to fox40.com. Registration was required for everyone attending, including children, and the outlet reported that parking at the first Black Miner's Bar lot cost $10 or was free for anyone carrying a State Parks Poppy Pass. Because of the expected crowd size, organizers were required to secure a special event permit and event insurance this year, per the same report.
Folsom Times reported that the previous year's event drew about 1,000 participants, while FOX40 reported that it raised over $10,000; the event's own website put last year's turnout at roughly 1,000 participants. A report from Folsom Times published a month before this year's event put registration at just over 550, underscoring how quickly sign-ups climbed in the weeks leading up to the fundraiser.
A Family-Friendly Day on the Water
Witches on the Lake was founded by Janay Taua, a Folsom real estate agent with Taua Realty Group, in honor of a Fair Oaks family whose daughter, Ivy, was diagnosed with a rare cancer, according to fox40.com. As reported by CBS News California, Taua said the idea began as a fun community gathering before it became connected to childhood cancer awareness after her daughter's friend was diagnosed. She described the event as family-friendly and told the outlet that organizing it each year requires considerable effort; the event is open to all ages.
Taua also told CBS News California that attendees have dressed up their paddleboards for the occasion, even attaching a broom to the bottom of one. Participants were encouraged to bring their own paddleboards or kayaks, and spectators were able to watch the costumed flotilla from shore without getting in the water themselves.
Trick-or-Treating and a Lakeside Photo
The day's schedule included floating trick-or-treat stations on the water from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., per the Folsom Times report. CBS News California reported that participants were expected to paddle from beneath the Folsom Bridge toward Rainbow Bridge after trick-or-treating, with a group photo set for 5:30 p.m. near the bridge; Folsom Times had earlier listed the photo gathering for 5 p.m., a minor scheduling difference between the two accounts. People were able to register for the event in advance online or in person at the event itself.
Last year's event featured trick-or-treating both on and off the water, with hundreds of costumed paddlers launching from multiple points along the Lake Natoma shoreline, though Black Miner's Bar has remained the event's primary launch site, per Folsom Times. This year, organizers were hoping to attract as many as 2,000 participants and raise $15,000 for Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance, CBS News California reported.
Where the Money Goes
Fox40.com reported that 100% of proceeds from participant donations go directly to Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance, with donations accepted online or in person. The nonprofit, per its own site, provides children with cancer and their families with emotional, educational and financial support. CBS News California reported that the organization supports children and families affected by childhood cancer more broadly, extending the fundraiser's reach well beyond a single afternoon on the lake.
Not everyone paddling was a longtime regular. CBS News California reported that one visiting kayaker said she hoped to join Witches on the Lake again the following year, a sign that the event's reputation may keep drawing new participants even as it already strains the capacity of its original small-scale format.
