CANOECOPIA: BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE

 Canoecopia was held last weekend. This year the annual was conducted as a virtual event due to the ongoing pandemic. Registrants were able to visit virtual exhibitor booths and showrooms, watch demos (more than 80 presentations and seminars), connect with exhibitors, and more. Paddling enthusiasts had text chats and participated in live Q&As with speakers during and after their presentation on topics including destinations, skills, history, conservation efforts, fishing tips, and fitness.

Organizer Darren Bush of Rutabaga Paddlesports wrote on the Canoecopia website, "What a great weekend! We're grateful you all came, and I hope it provided you with information and inspiration. We certainly learned a lot and look forward to integrating a lot of the online features into the in-person show."

I have to agree. I spent a good part of last weekend checking and watching video presentations about kayaking, canoeing, and camping. Some of my favorites included John Chase's tips on loading a kayak for a multi-day trip, Dan York's presentation on the Wild Rivers of the West. York added a few rivers to my bucket list. While paddler Mary Langlie reminded me why I just love to paddle in her talk.

NRS's Danny Mongno was both knowledgeful and entertaining, as he took me through his topics of dressing for the cold, the kayak's forward stroke, and selecting the perfect paddle.

And another highlight for me is tuning into Jerry Vandiver's concert of paddling songs. He is always a favorite of mine. His paddling songs speak to us all about the rivers and lakes we have come to cherish.

But, wait there's more. All the presentations, exhibitor booths, and community boards will be available online through May 16th, so my exploring has only just begun as I explore even more recorded presentations. If you missed out you can still buy a ticket.

Living in California, I've not been able to attend Canoecopia in person. But, this past weekend, I was able to see some new boats, get some valuable information. But most of all was to be inspired to know that there are a lot of men and women who are just as passionate about paddling as I am.

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CANOECOPIA! GOES VIRTUAL

Canoecopia will be paddling on the virtual waves of the internet this year. Organizers in the wake of the ongoing pandemic will be hosting the annual what some call the largest paddlesports consumer event in the world online.  
"We're so pleased to be able to present to you a virtual Canoecopia this year!" wrote the owner of Rutabaga Paddlesports, Darren Bush, on the Canoecopia web page, "We hope this helps to start the 2021 season with optimism and hope. It'll be different, but we're confident you'll love what we've done, along with our amazing exhibitors and presenters."

Covid-19 capsized last year's event held annually in Madison, WI, due to safety concerns about the spreading of the virus. Canoecopia is normally, wall to wall with kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, outdoor equipment, and paddling gear. With over 180 seminars and clinics, the annual was a great place to learn how to up paddling techniques, develop skills to get you where you want to go, and discover some of the many places to paddle. Over the years, topics have included paddling on multi-day trips into Canada, selecting the right gear, using a GPS and map, food choices, and how to determine the right canoe for a family camping trip. Kayak and canoe companies have also used the event to debut new products
“Cancelling Canoecopia last year was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it was clearly the right thing to do,” said Bush in a video released to attendees. “As we approached the fall, we realized Canoecopia 2021 wasn’t going to happen in real life again because, obviously, of the pandemic. So, we decided to try something different.”

While Bush says it won’t replace the in-person event, it should come close to second. Registrants will be able to visit virtual exhibitor booths and showrooms, watch demos (more than 80 presentations and seminars), connect with exhibitors, and more. Paddling enthusiasts will be able to live text chat, direct message, and in some cases, participate in live Q&As with speakers during and after their presentation on topics including destinations, skills, history, conservation efforts, fishing tips, and fitness. Room sizes for presentations will be unlimited and most presentations will be available for viewing up to 60 days after the event.

“While there is no good thing about COVID-19, the pandemic has made us all adapt and learn, try new things, envision a way to work around this, and try to make the best of a bad situation,” Bush told Paddling Life, “Adopting a virtual platform has its challenges and drawbacks, as nothing replaces face to face, but at the same time, a lot of Canoecopia attendees had to choose between speakers and sometimes not getting in due to room capacity. Now, with virtual speakers, the size of the room is unlimited and no one has to choose.” 

Canoecopia is March 12-14, 2021.  Buy your tickets now!

Virtual Tickets
3-Day: $15.00

Virtual Show Hours (CST)
Fri 3/12: 12 - 8 PM
Sat 3/13: 10 - 6 PM
Sun 3/14: 10 - 6 PM

Keep up with Outside Adventure to the Max, on our Facebook page and Instagram and now on Youtube.