ALEXANDRIA, Va. — This year's National Fishing & Boating Week is sure to be the biggest and best since the event's inception. The fourth annual celebration of fishing and boating gets underway Saturday, June 5 and runs through Sunday, June 13.

In cities and towns from Seattle to Long Island, hundreds of on-water events are planned — including fishing derbies, regattas and festivals — all with the common goal of letting people experience fun on the water.

The festivities kick off on June 5 in New York City, when Coach Johnson - avid boater and angler and legendary former NFL coach — makes the ceremonial first cast of the week at Harlem Meer in Central Park. Coach Johnson was named the first NFBW honorary chairperson by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, creator of NFBW and sponsor of the Water Works Wonders program and website.

"I have a ton of fantastic memories from my life in football, but nothing compares to the experiences I've had fishing and boating," said Coach Johnson, the two-time Super Bowl winner and honorary chairperson of National Fishing & Boating Week. "Now that I'm retired from coaching, these are the activities I enjoy doing most every day. They're not only a lot of fun, they let me do what's really important — spend quality time with my family and friends."

RBFF selected New York City as the location for the ceremonial first cast to help demonstrate that no matter where you live, there are great places to fish and boat close to home — even if you live in the most populated metropolis in the country. According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, 90 percent of all Americans live within a one-hour's drive of a body of water.

Much like fishing itself, NFBW was designed for kids of all ages — children, parents and grandparents. Many of the planned events offer firsthand instruction in everything from knot-tying and boating safety to casting and how to properly release a catch.

"National Fishing and Boating Week is gaining momentum, with more communities, more events and more people involved this year than ever before," said Bruce Matthews, president, Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation. "The popularity of outdoor activities is on the rise, and many people who haven't been fishing or boating in a while are rediscovering how much fun it is to take the whole family out on the water. NFBW was created to help young people learn about — and to reacquaint others — with these great American pastimes."