Longmont's inaugural Fly Fishing Festival angles for big crowd Saturday

Expert casters, fledgling fishers and everyone in between are invited to celebrate the sport together at Longmont’s inaugural Fly Fishing Festival on Saturday.

The free festival is hosted by Angles Sports, a ski, snowboard and fly fishing shop in downtown Longmont. Angles co-owner Matt Burditt said the event seemed like a perfect fit for the sporting goods store, which teaches fly fishing classes and guides fly fishing trips.

“We just thought it would be a great community event,” Burditt said. “We live right next to so many amazing rivers and places to fish.”

From 1 to 8 p.m., festival-goers can enjoy games, food and music at Left Hand Brewing Company’s beer garden, 1245 Boston Ave. Fifteen vendors, from fishing companies to artists that feature fish in their work, have joined the event for its flagship year.

“It’s our first time putting it on, but we’ve had so much community support, it’s crazy,” Burditt said. “I’d be happy with a few hundred (attendees). I would love to fill the venue up.”

Guests can purchase $5 raffle tickets for the chance to win a fishing boat, a guided fly fishing trip, gift baskets and several other prizes. Proceeds will benefit Project Healing Waters — a nonprofit that offers therapeutic fly fishing experiences for wounded military veterans — and the St. Vrain Anglers chapter of Trout Unlimited.

Burditt said Angles chose to support the two nonprofits based on their shared values of river conservation, catch-and-release fishing and “leave no trace” principles.

“The backbone behind everything we do, whether it’s skiing or snowboarding or fishing, is helping people enjoy and appreciate the outdoors we have around us,” Burditt said.

Saturday’s family-friendly and dog-friendly festival will give guests a chance to see microscopic bugs from St. Vrain Creek up-close during an entomology demonstration, which will be held by Trout Unlimited members until 5 p.m. The event culminates in a fly casting competition that will allow participants to hone their skills throughout the day with casting lessons offered on site.

While this is the first iteration of the Fly Fishing Festival, the event is one Burditt hopes to bring year after year to Longmont.

“There’s no doubt that there will be a second annual,” he said.

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