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<\/p>\nBAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK\/KBFX) \u2014 A rare flowing Kern River brought Bakersfield families together one final time Thursday evening as the last “Sunsets on the River” event of the summer wrapped up at Yokuts Park.<\/p>\n
For the past five weeks, the free community event series has given residents an opportunity to fish, race rubber ducks, explore nature and simply spend time along the river\u2014something organizers say many people haven’t been able to do in years.<\/p>\n
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Kelly Damian with Bring Back the Kern<\/a> said the idea for the event came together after the City of Bakersfield announced earlier this year that water would be flowing through the Kern River Channel during the summer.<\/p>\n “We really wanted to get people out to the river because our river has been dried up for so long that people have kind of forgotten how to river,” Damian said. “They’ve forgotten how to come out and just hang out by the banks and just enjoy this amazing amenity in their town.”<\/p>\n Since April, the City of Bakersfield has been using its available Kern River supply to keep water flowing through the Kern River Channel as part of its 2026 River Run<\/a>. The city recently announced that the River Run will end July 31 as its available water supply is exhausted.<\/p>\n With water flowing throughout the summer, Bring Back the Kern launched Sunsets on the River, creating weekly opportunities for families to reconnect with the river through activities like science stations, art projects, fly fishing demonstrations and one of the evening’s biggest attractions\u2014rubber duck races.<\/p>\n “We’ve got art stations for the kids, science stations, free little floaties for kids to play with,” Damian said. “And the most popular thing has been the rubber duck races.”<\/p>\n Among those enjoying the final event was Bakersfield resident Kyle Kounter, who attended with his family after hearing about the event from friends. Living just minutes away, he said the evenings offered a rare chance to get his children outdoors during the summer.<\/p>\n “This would be such a great activity as a dad to take the kids outside,” Kounter said. “I’m always trying to think, ‘What can I do with them outside?’ Because I know it’s so good to be outside, but when it’s hot and it’s summertime, you’ve got to have a pool. We don’t have one. So I’m really sad that we can’t do this all the time.”<\/p>\n For Bring Back the Kern, the event represented more than just a summer gathering. The organization has spent years advocating for more water to flow through the Kern River, including an ongoing lawsuit against the City of Bakersfield.<\/a><\/p>\n SUNSETS ON THE RIVER 2.png<\/p>\n “The reason why we brought the lawsuit against the city is because we knew that our town deserved to have this,” Damian said.<\/p>\n The California Supreme Court agreed to review the Kern River water diversions case, and the trial is currently expected to begin in 2027.<\/p>\n Community organizations that partnered with Bring Back the Kern said the events highlighted what can happen when residents have the opportunity to enjoy the river together.<\/p>\n![\"KBAK\/KBFX\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/199ba0ae-e74d-4895-93a3-a098eab4d486-SUNSETSONTHERIVER4.png\")
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