Canoe enthusiasts kick off Voyageur Days summer event series

Photo provided

Mattawa-Bonfield Economic Development Corporation
News Release

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Close to one hundred canoe enthusiasts and others just looking for a fun day outdoors, visited Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park on Saturday June 26th to celebrate National Canoe Day.

This first event in Mattawa Voyageur Country’s, Voyageur Days Summer Event Series was a great success, filled with a wide range of canoe related activities.

The parks Bagwa day use area provided a perfect venue for the day’s events which, featured live folk music by Freshwater Trade, the Grand Arrival of the Voyageurs, Free Voyageur Canoe Tours provided by Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park, and a paddle making workshop presented by the Canadian Ecology Centre.

Other great activities included a meet and greet with canoe builders. Mattawa’s Roger Labelle was on hand with one of his very impressive Birchbark canoes, and Matt Woodcroft from Warsaw ON, had one of his beautiful Cedar Strip canoes on display. Visitors also marveled at the sleek and sporty racing canoes courtesy of the North Bay Canoe Club, kids took part in a fun canoe painting activity, and the parks Voyageur Museum was open to all.

Outdoor author and well known canoe enthusiast Kevin Callan MC’d the day’s activities, with his humorous and knowledgeable insight into the canoe world.

The day culminated with a group paddle, with a flotilla of over a dozen canoes plying the waters of Moore Lake.

National Canoe Day is an idea started by the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough ON, with the aim of increasing participation in paddle sports in Canada, engaging new paddlers and reaching across generational and cultural divides to introduce the canoe to those who haven't had the opportunity to experience this great national heritage.

Coming up next on the Voyageur Days Summer Events Series is the Voyageur Band Challenge at Mattawa’s Explorers Point on July 3rd. Up and coming bands will compete to see who will open for Heart during Rock for the Cure on July 22nd.

July 16th will be the Adventure Week Kick-off Party at Explorers Point with a BMX, Skateboard and Inline Skate Stunt Show taking place in the afternoon and evening.

For complete event schedule and details visit www.visitmattawa .travel or call the Mattawa Information Centre at 705-744-0222.

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