22nd Annual East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival

Event Details

Calling paddlers of all ages and skill levels! Immerse yourself in the technique, hands-on experience, history and fun of canoeing, kayaking and Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) at the 22nd Annual East Coast Canoe and Kayak Festival (ECCKF). One of the premier paddlesport events on the Atlantic Coast, the festival takes place at James Island County Park April 20-22, 2012.

Each year, ECCKF brings together paddling enthusiasts of all levels with world-renowned instructors and equipment manufacturers. The action-packed festival features a multitude of on-water classes, lectures and demonstrations directed to the novice and the experienced paddler. Plus over 50 commercial exhibitors will be on-hand to give you a chance to try the latest equipment before you buy.

The heart of the festival is the simultaneous running of four classrooms throughout the three-day event. Refine your skills in a master class presented by many of the paddling world’s leading experts. Learn new strokes, rescues or rolls with expert instruction. Meet other knowledgeable paddle sport enthusiasts. A wide variety of topics include slide shows of exotic paddling locations, how-to sessions on navigation, selecting or repairing equipment, safety and preparing gourmet cuisine fresh from your dry bag.

This year’s featured speakers will be Mike Simpson and Will Rich (pictured) of ‘SUP The Coast’. Simpson and Rich paddled 1800 miles on Stand Up Paddleboards (SUP) from Key West, FL to Portland, ME to raise awareness for The Wounded Warrior Project and SUP Cleanup. Their trip, called ‘SUP The Coast,’ was recently nominated for Story of the Year through SUP Connect, a Stand Up Paddleboarding magazine and community. Relive their 121-day adventure through photos and stories of the incredible places and people Simpson and Rich encountered along the way.

Other components to this year’s event will include a SUP race at the Folly Beach Fishing Pier, as well as a kayak fishing tournament. Children are welcome to the family-friendly weekend festival and are free with a registered, paying adult. Learn how to paddle in family-oriented clinics, compete in a cardboard canoe race, or register young paddlers in canoe and kayak camps (ages 6-12), featuring hands-on sessions, nature walks, crafts and more.

Make plans now to participate in this exciting event! Come meet your paddling peers throughout the weekend and enjoy food, beverages, music and of course, canoeing and kayaking! And visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to stay overnight at the park’s campsites. Call 843-795-4386 for campground and cottage availability.

For just the $1 per person admission to the park, visitors can come to James Island County Park and enjoy the sights, sounds and shopping at the festival. Registration packages range from sampler passes to full-weekend passes – perfect for all levels and abilities!

For more information, schedules and to register call (843) 795-4386 or visit our website at www.ccprc.com/ecckf. James Island County Park is located at 871 Riverland Drive on James Island. For more information, visit www.ccprc.com.