You like kayaking, but none of your friends do… You would like to meet other people who like to kayak… You would like to improve your kayaking skills… Or maybe, you would like to kayak at different locations around Great Lakes. Or simply, you just want to party with other paddlers. The simple solution to all of the above is kayaking symposium. There are quite few kayak festivals and symposia around Great Lakes. They are listed below, with 2017 dates.
2017 Kayak Festivals and Symposia around Great Lakes:
March 10 – 12, 2017 – Canoecopia, Madison, Wisconsin. Not a symposium, but a largest paddling expo. See the latest equipment, hear kayaking stories and get inspired, find information about paddling locations, meet like-minded people.
May 26 – 28, 2017 – Paddlepalooza Kayak Festival, Parry Sound, Ontario. Event held at Georgian Bay of Lake Huron. “Paddlepalooza has become the largest annual sea kayak festival in Ontario because of the location of the event and the professional coaching for paddlers of every level.”
May 27 – 30, 2017 – 26th Annual WYMCA Symposium, Big Blue Lake, near Montague/Whitehall, Michigan. This one, since it is so early in the season, is held on a small inland lake, not far from Lake Michigan.
June 23 – 25, 2017 – 8th Annual Port Austin Kayak Symposium, Port Austin, Michigan. The one is held on Lake Huron. It appears that Riverside Kayak Connection does not organize the event anymore!
July 14 -16, 2017 – Door County Sea Kayak Symposium, Rowleys Bay, Wisconsin. “Whether you are an experienced kayaker or just beginning, the Door County Sea Kayak Symposium is a weekend of fun, growth and learning for everyone!”
July 19 – 23, 2017 – Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium, Grand Marais, Michigan. You will have a chance to group paddle on Lake Superior to Pictured Rocks, or at night, buy new gear at discounted prices, improve your skills in offered classes, see rolling demos, race, and have all kinds of fun, like “Beer with Bill”, bonfire, etc, etc.
July 29 – 30, 2017 – Two Harbors Kayak Festival, Two Harbors, Minnesota. This one is at the remote location, about 40 miles north of Duluth, on the northern shore of Lake Superior. The fun activities include the usual: clinics, demos, tours and social events. It appears that the event is no longer offered. Read about it here.
August 17 – 20, 2017 – Ladies of the Lake Women’s Sea Kayak Symposium, Munising, Michigan. Another one on Lake Superior. It appears that this is another event that is no longer offered!
