Possible Canoecopia adventure

[GDahl]

My husband and I have been planning a 2026 spring road trip... would be our first in 3 years!

As I've mentioned before, we walked away from paddling in 2021. The main reason is difficulty in loading canoes and shuttling, as I no longer drive.

We've wondered how we could include paddling in our trip! Well, I suggested, how about driving up to Canoecopia for 2-3 days?

There are 3 activities in which we'd be interested: 1) renting a boat to paddle on the lake/river located near the event site. 2) on water classes in freestyle techniques. 3) Indoor sessions on topics such as canoe history and trip reports.

A web search indicates Canoecopia is held indoors, with boat sales and workshops being the main events. We don't know if 1 and 2 are even options... so, I'd sure appreciate any insights/ description of what's available at Canoecopia from those of you who attended in the past few years.

 

[jdeerfoot]

Canoecopia is a great event - lots of boats to look over and talk with the manufacturers and a lot of gear for sale at discounted prices. However, there is no opportunity at the show to test paddle. The show offers many presentations of interest to paddlers. It is a very big show with many visitors, especially on Saturday. I have attended the show annually since the early 1980’s and worked at it four different years.

Rutabaga (the store which sponsors the show) has a pond available for test paddling. But the store is closed while the show is held. And of course, test paddling at the store pond would have to wait for ice free conditions.

The store is in the process of being sold, but if it operates as it has for many years, you can test paddle all the boats that interest you. Also, the store had a very active program offering many types of classes for skill development. Both the test paddling and skill building classes will hopefully continue to be offered under new management.

For further info follow Rutabaga and Canoecopia websites. Not sure where you are located in Illinois, but the show is held in Madison WI at the Expo Center on the south side of town.

 

[GDahl]

Thank you, jdeerfoot. Really helpful info. Maybe we will attend on Sunday, then test paddle at the "new," Rutabaga, if it has been reopened by then.

 

[billconner]

For me, probably 20 years attending Canoecopia, it's the presentations. I think 18 time slots and 10 to 15 sessions each slot. I like what I call the travelog sessions - basically live trip reports with images - but lots of how-tos and some interesting related topics. I have trouble narrowing it.

The other part is the "store". The exhibit hall filled with products and often the key people behind those products. Canoes and kayaks and related, all manner of camping and fishing gear, clothing and footwear, trail food, books, outfitters crafts, etc. I'm kind of beyond the acquisition phase but still fun to look.

 

[BWCA66]

Thank you, jdeerfoot. Really helpful info. Maybe we will attend on Sunday, then test paddle at the "new," Rutabaga, if it has been reopened by then.

Don't believe that the ice will be out the 1st weekend in March, almost never is.