MEC Paddlefest

MEC Paddlefest is an annual paddling festival that takes place during the summer months in major cities across Canada. Hosted by the outdoor equipment consumers' cooperative, Mountain Equipment Co-op,[1] the festival is dedicated to kayaking and canoeing, and other forms of paddling. The event is a one-day event in each location except in Toronto, where it is a week-end long event.

While MEC Paddlefest is organized and sponsored by Mountain Equipment Co-op, it functions as a non-partisan event that features a variety of local and national organizations, from paddling community retailers and manufacturers, to guiding and training services, as well as paddling clubs and non-profit community groups.[2]

Festival Overview

Described as a family event, the festival provides visitors with paddling clinics and workshops for a spectrum of skill levels, as well as the opportunity to try out equipment.[3] MEC Paddlefest is a free event, open to anyone interested in paddlesports. In 2010 a used boat and paddling equipment market was added to the event.

The types of clinics that are offered at the event include introductory kayaking, the basics of tandem canoeing, assisted kayak rescue, canoe strokes, introduction to stand up paddle boarding, understanding weather, and navigation. Clinics are offered at little or no cost and in most locations require pre-registration as the courses are very popular and sell out quickly. Along with instruction, clinics include the use of a boat, a life jacket and a paddle.

Apart from canoeing and kayaking, the other types of paddlesports that have found been at MEC Paddlefest are Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Voyager Canoes, Dragon Boats, Outriggers, Surf Skis, and Canoe Polo. Some examples of paddle sport companies that have participated in Paddlefest include P&H Kayaks, Current Designs, Evergreen Canoes, Maelstrom Kayaks, North Water, Nova Craft Canoes, Kokatat, Teva and Seals Spray Skirts.

Paddlefest Cities

History

The first MEC Paddlefest was held in the fall of 2005 in Toronto, on the Toronto Islands. The following year the event was held at its current location in Toronto, Sunny Side Beach. In 2008 MEC Paddlefest became a national event with stores across the country putting on events. The number of attendees at each event location has grown steadily each year with cities such as Toronto seeing approximately 1500 participants in 2012.

References

  1. ↑ "Mountain Equipment Co-op's Paddlefest page". Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  2. ↑ "Reflections On The Outdoors Naturally (blog): MEC Paddlefest Toronto". Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  3. ↑ "Kitsilano.ca (blog): MEC Paddlefest celebrates paddling at Jericho Beach". Retrieved 2010-08-23.

External links

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