One organization that is working to help fill this gap is the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership. SGP works to connect people to this treasured corridor — the Susquehanna Greenway — to help provide the opportunity and resources for all to access hiking, biking, and paddling trails along our shared Susquehanna River.

This summer SGP is raising that goal to a new level thanks to their third annual Susquehanna Greenway Outdoor Expo on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Shikellamy State Park Marina in Sunbury. SGP is convening industry experts, outdoor professionals, and non-profit partners to share their tools, knowledge, gear, and resources with the recreating public.

The event will feature more than 50 vendors from across the state to engage with attendees and offer a full slate of activities, presentations, and music performances — all at no cost to the public. It’s a great way to discover new opportunities to engage with the outdoors in this region and beyond.

With programming that includes a live wildlife program, local canal history, kid-friendly activities, food trucks, a beer garden featuring Pennsylvania craft brews, and more, there is something for the whole family.

PHOTO PROVIDED A table display is shown at last year’s Susquehanna Greenway Outdoor Expo in this photo by the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership. This year’s expo will be held in Sunbury at the Shikellamy State Park Marina on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Some of the highlights include Bald Eagle Mountain Bike Association (a non-profit dedicated to mountain bike advocacy, education, access and trail building); Faylor Lake Disc Golf (a championship-level 18-hole course in Beaver Springs); R.B. Winter Chapter of Trout Unlimited (which focused on educational programming and activities within the Susquehanna Valley); Pennsylvania WoodMobile from the Department of Agriculture (an interactive museum about our forests); Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association (an organization which protects and promotes the Susquehanna River, its tributaries and aquatic ecosystems); Susquehanna River Valley Vistors Bureau (which promotes the Susquehanna River Valley and its outdoor recreation amenities); and Michael Kinney and Missy Gray (Kinney paddled the entire 228 miles of the Susquehanna River’s West Branch and was accompanied by Gray, his girlfriend, for some sections); and many other vendors, food trucks and more will be on site.

The event will also feature opportunities to learn wilderness survival tips, how to build a tarp shelter, birdwatching equipment tutorials, a balance bike rodeo for the kids, learn how to disc golf, and other activities, plus a chance to win a kayak and other great outdoor themed prizes.

A full event schedule, map, and list of exhibitors is available at susquehannaexpo.com. You may also follow the Facebook page for the latest announcements and updates.

SGP’s services and programs serve as a thread that links adventurers to everything they need to explore the outdoors along the Susquehanna Greenway including the area’s outfitters, heritage areas, outdoor clubs and so much more.

Learn more about SGP’s offerings by visiting susquehannagreenway.org. Here you will find information SGP’s latest news and stories, upcoming events, the various regions of the Susquehanna Greenway, paddling routes, and the parks, trails, and river towns that can be explored within the corridor.

The Susquehanna Greenway Outdoor Expo was made possible thanks to grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the PPL Foundation, as well as large category sponsorships.

The Susquehanna Greenway is a corridor of connected trails, parks, river access points, and communities, linking people to the natural and cultural treasures of the Susquehanna River within Pennsylvania. The mission of the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership is to continue to grow the Greenway by building connections along the Susquehanna River, inspiring people to engage with the outdoors, and transforming communities into places where people want to live, work, and explore.