- 7 hours
- 9 a.m.
New to whitewater or a seasoned veteran? We have a course for you! Try out a new whitewater discipline or brush up on skill in beautiful Ontario with our experienced and professional instructors.
Quick Details
LEGENDARY Biannual Whitewater Festival – May 17th, 18th & 19th, 2024
Join us for our exciting semi-annual weekend festival that connects our paddling community together, refreshes our paddling skills and, supports Paddler Co-op’s campaign to purchase the Paddler Co-op Property. Join a clinic with friends to kick start your paddling progression for the year with the incredible instructors at Spring Palmer River Fest!
What a typical festival weekend looks like:
- Friday arrival, registration, welcome & music @ 4 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Saturday registration @ 7:30 – 8:45 a.m.
- Saturday & Sunday: 4 instructional whitewater clinics (high quality, safely facilitated) Saturday a.m./p.m. & Sunday a.m./p.m.)
- Packafting! A fun introduction to whitewater
- Hiking/Medicinal Plant Walks! Explore the Madawaska Valley from shore!
- Kid-friendly whitewater canoe & kayak clinics
- On-site camping Friday and Saturday night (tent only – we’ll be tight for space!)
- Live music Saturday night – featuring The Valley Cats
- Local food (bring your cash)
- Radical raffle: sweet prizes & swag!
- PRF proceeds go towards securing the Paddler Co-op property for the future
New This Year:
- All proceeds from this event will go toward Paddler Co-op’s campaign to purchase the Co-op Property. Learn more here.
- You asked, we delivered, this year we have separate Intermediate and Advanced clinics in all disciplines!
- A new clinic offering: Canoe Stroke Refinement and Rolling Clinic. Join for an on-water Saturday with stroke refinement in the morning and rolling & bracing in the afternoon. PLUS you have the option of joining the down river trip (a.k.a. The Day Run on the Lower Madawaska) on Sunday. Camping and Saturday lunch are included with this clinic.
- Friday Fun Day: Join us Friday evening as a fellow paddler shares a once in a lifetime trip and live music until 11:00 pm
Perfect for EVERYONE: non-paddlers, brand new, experienced or expert paddlers! Who doesn’t like river fun, good music, good food, good friends new and old? Exactly!
May 2024 Palmer River Fest Itinerary
Friday:
Registration outside office: 5:00 – 8:00 pm
Equipment Rental Pick up @ Boathouse: 5:00 – 8:00 pm
Merch Booth 5:30-8:00pm
Paddler Presentation: 8:00 – 9:00 pm
Live Music: 9:00 – 11:00 pm
Saturday:
Registration @ office: 7:30 -8:30 am
Equipment Pick Up: 7:30-8:30 am
Walk on Rentals: 9:30 am – 10
Breakfast: 7:00 am & onward
AM Clinics: Canoe – 9:15 – 11:30
Kayak – 9:30 – 11:45
Hiking -10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Lunch: 12:00 – 1:15 pm
PM Clinics: Canoe – 1:15 – 3:30 pm
Kayak – 1:30 – 3:45 pm
**Intermediate &Advanced clinics load boats on trailer**
Dinner: 4:30 – 6:00 pm
Merch Booth/Raffle tix: 4:00 – 6:00 pm
Talent Show: 5:00 – 6:00 pm
Raffle @ Stage: 6:15 – 7:00 pm
Music @ Stage: 7:30 – 11:30 pm
Quiet Hours: 12:00 am
Sunday:
Equipment Pick Up: 7:30-8:30 am
Walk on Rentals: 9-9:30 am
Breakfast: 7:00 am & on
Am Clinics: C – 9:15 – 11:30
K – 9:30 – 11:45
Day Run – 9:00 departure (drive yourself, carpool if possible, co-op will shuttle drivers back to Aumonds Bay)
Hiking – 10:00 am – 2 pm
Lunch: DR pack lunch
12:00 – 1:15
PM Clinics: C – 1:15 – 3:30
K – 1:30 – 3:45
River Trip Return: 4:00 pm
Closing Ceremony: 4:15 – 4:30 pm
Gear Return: 3:30 pm – 4:15 pm
Merch Booth: all day!
Campsite Check out time: 5:30 pm
Meet your Palmer River Fest Instructors
Beth Jones- Beginner Solo Clinic
Beth is thrilled to be back on the water and at the co-op this season! She is a flat water and moving water canoe instructor for both ORCKA and Paddle Canada as well as a wilderness canoe guide with over 25 years of experience in the paddling industry. She has certifications in wilderness rescue and first aid, as well as swift water rescue, auto extrication, silo rescue, heavy machinery rescue, and hazardous materials rescue. Beth is a lifelong member of Girl Guides of Canada and Scouts Canada, and works with many paddling clubs such as the Wilderness Canoe Association, Waterloo Wellington Canoe Club, Old Salts Canoe Club and the Guelph Kayak Club. When not on the water Beth is working as a ballet instructor and firefighter and spending time growing food in her garden.
Seb Lapine- Beginner Tandem Clinic
Hello, Seb here! I’ve been paddling canoes for as long as I can remember and love being out on the water and in the outdoors in general. My paddling passion is whitewater canoeing, and I have been teaching it now for the past 12 years! I got my start teaching with the Royal Canadian Army Cadets and have been involved with a few different organizations since then, learning many different skills along the way. I’m always eager to pass along my knowledge and help refine skills whenever I can. See you on the water!
Lauren Richardson- Beginner Kayak Clinic
Hey everyone I’m Lauren! I’m an undergrad student studying Biochemistry and Math at Queen’s. My love for the river started through family canoe trips when I was young, and I grew up in Ottawa where I learned to kayak with ORR at the pumphouse. Since then I’ve worked there as an instructor and have been paddling in the Ottawa valley whenever I can! This past summer I was on a long canoe trip in the Yukon with Camp Wanapitei (based in Temagami, ON), where I plan on working this summer. Super stoked to get to be a part of Palmer Fest this year and can’t wait to get out on the river with everyone!
Owen Ketcheson- Intermediate Kayak Clinic
My name is Owen Ketcheson and I have been whitewater kayaking for 8 years. I spent many summers kayaking at the Paddler Co-op when I was a kid and began to instruct at the Co-op 3 years ago. Over the past couple of years, I have been to many different countries to paddle and seen the amazing places that kayaking can bring you. I have learned so much during Palmer Fest’s over the years and I hope that I can provide the same experience for others! I’m stoked to get on the water, have a blast, and see some progression!
Maddie Long- Intermediate Kayak Clinic
Maddie has spent much of her life playing, learning, and working on the river. She has a background as a kayak instructor, raft guide on the Ottawa river, expedition guide in the Northwest Territories, and swift water rescue instructor. In the winter season, she works ski patrol at Sun Peaks Resort in British Columbia. Maddie grew up taking courses and instructing at Paddler Co-op, starting with the Kid Active program when she was 10 years old. She is a passionate instructor who loves sharing the river with others and she is stoked to be back instructing at the Co-op this season.
Adrian Meissner- Advanced Tandem Clinic
Hi, I’ve lived and paddled in Palmer Rapids for 25 years. I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to participate in Palmer Fest this year. I will be dancing for rain daily in April and May, partly for good water levels but mostly so we can have campfires.
More instructor bios coming soon…
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