02 PADDLEFEST 2023 VISUAL IDENTITY

Paddlefest is the nation’s largest annual paddling celebration, with over 2,000 participants joining together every year to paddle down the Ohio River.

In collaboration with Kolar Design & their team, I was given the opportunity to lead the design process for the 2023 Paddlefest event. The project began by meeting with the client to discuss the year’s vision and theme. I lead multiple team meetings and presented ideas. Then, I started with simple sketches and quick digital drawings to lay out a foundation for the design process.

We decided to go with an icon-based design, representing all things Paddlefest. After six weeks of development, the client landed on the final logomark. It encapsulates all elements of Paddlefest such as family, camping, fishing, a Cincinnati bridge, and of course, paddling. The logo and graphic elements were extended to merchandise for the festival.

This project was a great opportunity for me to gain experience with developing client relationships, managing a project team, and creative a cohesive visual identity that the client was thrilled about.

I was able to attend the Paddlefest kick-off event in August 2023 and saw hundreds of people wearing t-shirts with my design! I also got to visit the merch booth which had hats, tanks, t-shirts, and waterbottles with the logo - it was an unreal experience that I will never forget!

Image credit: ohioriverpaddlefest.org