The Ain't Louie Fest has been a draw for whitewater enthusiasts for several years, attracting canoers and kayakers from the northern United States and Canada.

This year it has reached as far as Europe, bringing participants from Germany and Norway.

"They've been coming down for quite a few years," Lenoir City's Mike Lewis, for which the event is named, said. "They just come down and run quite a few rivers."

Lewis is a well-known figure in the region's canoeing and kayaking community.

"In his younger days, he was one of the top people in the eastern half of the United States in terms of whitewater," Clayton Pangle, executive director of the Loudon County Visitor's Bureau, said. "He got written up a lot and gained a following. That following led to different events, and finally it led to them establishing this event."

The draw has been a positive for local businesses. While there is not whitewater in Loudon County, many of those who make their way to the area use the county as a "base."

"They can travel in any of the four directions and be with great whitewater, some of the best in the eastern half of the United States, within a 60- to 90-minute drive from here," Pangle said. "They've been making good use of our gas stations, our motels and hotels, our restaurants and they're using area campgrounds. Those are the major impacts.

"It's a great shot in the arm," he said. "It's a great shot in the arm because it's in March. March is usually not a great tourist month in our area, certainly not as much as later on in the year."

Ryan Galway, of Maine, is attending Ain't Louie Fest for the second time. He said it's the right time of year to make the trip south.

"We all came down for the week to escape the snow and run some whitewater," he said. "The rivers are running. It's a good time of year to come down. This is the time when a lot of the creeks and everything run."

"Attraction is better than promotion," said Tom Rutka, who is also from Maine and made his first trip this year to Ain't Louie.

Galway and Rutka were among many who have made Shoney's of Lenoir City a meeting place in the mornings. Canoers and kayakers then split up to go to different area rivers.

Even with the rainy conditions Monday, those taking to the water said the conditions were great. Galway even said he welcomed the rain because it would raise the water level for the rest of the trip.

"The rain doesn't affect us," Rutka said. "The wind does; we felt the wind. A couple times we were going the wrong way with the wind."

While most were not bothered by the conditions, there can be some danger in whitewater. Steve Senior, 65, of Bridgenorth, Ontario, was trapped in the Sinks area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Monday afternoon and later died. Senior was visiting the area as part of the Ain't Louie Fest.

Ain't Louie will continue throughout the week. While Pangle said he does not expect each of the 300 visiting the area to stay through the entirety of the week, he does believe there will be many that stick around.

Galway and Rutka were among many who have made Shoney's of Lenoir City a meeting place in the mornings. Canoers and kayakers then split up to go to different area rivers.

Even with the rainy conditions Monday, those taking to the water said the conditions were great. Galway even said he welcomed the rain because it would raise the water level for the rest of the trip.

"The rain doesn't affect us," Rutka said. "The wind does; we felt the wind. A couple times we were going the wrong way with the wind."

While most were not bothered by the conditions, there can be some danger in whitewater. Steve Senior, 65, of Bridgenorth, Ontario, was trapped in the Sinks area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Monday afternoon and later died. Senior was visiting the area as part of the Ain't Louie Fest.

Ain't Louie will continue throughout the week. While Pangle said he does not expect each of the 300 visiting the area to stay through the entirety of the week, he does believe there will be many that stick around.