Thursday, May 22, 2025
Canoe, Kayak, SUP & Dragon Boat Race Calendar
MICHIGAN
Paddling Organizations:
Clinton River MI Paddle Group: Clinton River MI Paddle Group | Facebook
Detroit River Sports: Detroit River Sports
Paddle Antrim: Elk Rapids, MI. Paddle Antrim is a 501(C)3 organization whose mission is to protect our water resources by using paddle sports to connect people to our waterways. Paddle Antrim is leading the efforts to develop the Chain of Lakes Water Trail. We offer many classes and events all season long. paddleantrim.com/about-paddle-antrim
Grand Rapids Paddle Club: Grand Rapids Paddle Club | Facebook
Great Lakes Paddlers: Great Lakes Paddlers – Canoes, Kayaks, Water
Michigan River Rats: Facebook Community Getting Together for the Love of Michigan Paddling!
West Michigan Paddlers: West Michigan Paddlers | Facebook
Lansing Oar & Paddle Club: Lansing Oar and Paddle Club | On the Water in Mid-Michigan Since 1988 (loapc.org)
West MI Kayak & Canoe Club: WMCKA We're about quiet trips on Michigan rivers: great views and excellent company on the Great Lakes. Whether we're practicing rolls in the pool or gearing up for our next adventure, we'd love to share our love of kayaking and other paddle sports with you.
April
THE KLONDIKE CHALLENGE, Grayling to Oscoda. MI.
SPRING FLING, Mancelona, MI. Paddlers will canoe downstream to “Spider Cut.” Paddlers will then re-entry the main branch of the AuSable and travel up to Penrods and finish by the Penrods Walking Bridge.
THE B.I.G. CANOE RACE – BELAIRE, Belaire, MI
ROSCOMMON CANOE CHALLENGE, Wallace Park 201-101 N 7th Street, Roscommon, MI.
HURON RIVER CANOE CHALLENGE, Mass Shelter, Gallop Park 78F4+FV, Ann Arbor, MI.
Kayak Triathlon: M22 Challenge, Glen Arbor MI, 2.5-mile run (Run within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore; competitors face a 100-yard climb up the infamous sand dune); 17-mile bike (athletes dive right into a climb leading the way into downtown Glen Arbor and along the Crystal River. Be sure not to miss the right hand turn onto 675 that guides athletes along the eastern edge of Big Glen Lake up to Inspiration Point. The route then follows along the southern edge of Big and Little Glen Lake taking athletes through a tunnel of trees and into the transition area. No crossing of the center line and a no drafting rule will be enforced); 2.5-mile paddle (Surfski, Kayak, or SUP in Little Glen Lake).
BETSIE RIVER RACE, C1 State Championship, Interlochen, MI
Kayak/SUP Triathlon: Paddle 45, 3 Day Paddle Festival, Suttons Bay, MI. Proceeds will be donated to the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy.
MUSKEGON RIVER THROWDOWN, Northshore Lounge 13691 W Shore Dr, Houghton Lake, MI.
DRAGON BOAT RACE: Pocono Dragon Boat Race, Lake Orion, MI usdbf.org/events
Gun Lake Paddle Battle, SUP, Shelbyville, Michigan, gun lake park, 5K•10K (Gun Lake), paddleguru.com/races/GunLakePaddleBattle
45 North Paddle Festival (SUP), Sutton's Bay, MI, Marina Beach, 5K & 10K, Grand Traverse Bay, paddleguru.com/races/45NorthSolsticePaddleFestival
PADDLE HARD RIVER RAMPAGE, Grayling, MI
CURLEY MEMORIAL CANOE RACE, Race starts at 9:00 a.m. at the embankment wall of Cooke Dam. Oscoda, MI.
Muskegon River Throw Down, Muskegon River at the mouth of Houghton Lake, MI.
Belle Isle Classic, Canoes, Kayaks, & SUPs, Detroit, MI
Standup for Youth Paddle Race, Norton Shores, MI, Ross Park, 5K &10K (Mona Lake) paddleguru.com/races/StandUpforYouthPaddleRace
Kayak Biathlon: Indian River Kayak-Bike Biathlon, Indian River, MI
SPIKES CHALLENGE, Grayling, MI
AUSABLE RIVER CANOE MARATHON (ausablecanoemarathon.org), Grayling to Oscoda, 120 miles
DRAGON BOAT RACING: Global Water Festival GR, Grand Rapids, MI, experiencegr.com/event/global-water-festival-gr
SAULT STE. MARIE RIVERFEST, Sault Ste. Marie, MI
Kayak Triathlon: Ludington Lighthouse, Ludington MI, A Three-Disciplines Race offering a 2k Kayak / 20k Bike / 5k Run event in downtown Ludington along the spectacular shores of Lake Michigan.
Rapa Nui - Power Island Traverse City, Michigan / Bowers Harbor / 2m•paddle-run-paddle (Grand Traverse Bay) R E G I S T E R
MIO’S “FIRST DAM” CANOE CHALLENGE, Oscoda County Park, Rose City, MI
DRAGON BOAT RACING: Dragon on the Lake, Lake Orion, MI, zapplication.org/event
September
TAHQUAMENON WILDERNESS CANOE RACE (tahquamenonwildernesscanoerace.org), Lower Tahquamenon Falls to Lake Superior. Paradise, Michigan
Kayak Triathlon: Sunrise Side, East Tawas MI, Two mile paddle, 20k bike, and 5k run.
DRAGON BOAT RACE: Capitol City Dragon Boat Race, Lansing, MI, lansingwomen.org/ccdbr
Rubber Duckie Regatta | Shelbyville, Michigan | Gun Lake Park / | 5K•10K (gun lake) RUBBERDUCKIEREGATTA
Antrim Paddle Festival: Elk Rapids, MI. The Paddle Antrim Festival celebrates the amazing waterways and communities of Northern Michigan. The Festival, always the second weekend after Labor Day, includes a two-day paddle event through the Chain of Lakes Water Trail. This choose your own adventure paddle provides the opportunity for you to paddle one or both days and decide how far to travel. There are exits strategically placed along the route so you may go anywhere from 7 miles to all 42 miles. paddleantrim.com/festival.
ILLINOIS
Paddling Organizations:
St. Charles Canoe Club: Northern, Illinois, Fox River. Check out the Silent Sports Magazine story at: The St. Charles Canoe Club - Silent Sports
Prairie State Canoeists, a Northeast Illinois Canoe and Kayak Club: Prairie State Canoeists - Home (wildapricot.org)
Chicago Whitewater Association: Chicago Whitewater Association - Home (wildapricot.org). CWA is the only whitewater canoe and kayak club in Chicagoland. We offer the opportunity to learn the sport, be a steward for our rivers and streams, educational and social group trips and events. We search the smallest creeks and streams for Illinois Whitewater. We enjoy paddling in and outside of the Midwest. You can make new friends to kayak or canoe those distant rivers or to socialize with in Chicago.
MAY:
Current Buster – Fox River, St Charles, IL, kayaks and Canoes Hosted by The St. Charles Canoe Club, St. Charles, IL, stcharlescanoeclub.com/club-races/current-buster
Chicago Skyline SUP Race: Monroe Harbor. ColumbiaYachtClubChicagoSkylineSUPRace | PaddleGuru
Des Plaines River Canoe/kayak/SUP Marathon, largest and oldest paddle race in Illinois, begins in Libertyville and ends in Mount Prospect. 2.goeshow.com/dpckm/dpckm/2024/index.cfm / facebook.com/canoemarathon
JUNE
Mid-America Canoe Race, Fox River St Charles, IL, to Aurora, Canoe & Kayak, foxvalleyparkdistrict.org/event/mid-american-canoe-kayak-race-2
DRAGON BOAT RACING: Festival of the Fox Dragon Boat Races, St Charles, IL, dragonboatsport.com/event/festival-fox-dragon-boat-races-st-charles
IPC Voyageur Landing Race at Voyageur Landing Forest Preserve in Elgin, IL. This is an 8 mile upstream downstream race so no shuttling is required because the race starts and ends in the same location. Total mileage about 8 miles. stcharlescanoeclub.com/ipc-races/ipc-voyageur-landing-race
DRAGON BOAT RACE: Chicago Dragon Boat Race for Literacy, Ping Tom Memorial Park, Chicago, IL, ccc-foundation.org/dragon-boat-race-for-literacy / chicagochinatown.org/2024DBR
JULY
Pontiac Canoe and Kayak Race on the Vermillion River in Pontiac, IL. stcharlescanoeclub.com/ipc-races/ipc-pontiac-canoe-race.
DRAGON BOAT RACING: Chicago International Dragon Boat Race, Busse Woods (Ned Brown Preserve) is located in Schaumburg and Elk Grove, IL, mldb.gwnevents.com/chicago
RAFTING: The Great Illinois River Raft Race - Hardin, IL facebook.com/hardinraftrace
BEACH2BEACH (SUP), Highland Park, Illinois, North Shore Yacht Club, 5K•10K (Lake Michigan): Beach2Beach | PaddleGuru, The Club is located in Highland Park, IL on the shores of Lake Michigan. Registration includes lunch, commemorative mug, and Awards Party. 5k, 10k, 1-mile beginners and family fun, and OC 6 Demos. Prizes in each of the Midwest Paddle League Divisions, Men-Women/3-6-1 Mile Races -Raceboards, Prone, SurfSup, OC, Kayak, and Surfski.
SEPTEMBER
Vic Hopp Memorial Canoe Race, begins in WI near Silver Lake, goes into Illinois, and ends back in WI. URL for this race's website is needed!
Joe Kowsky Memorial Race on the I&M Canal & DuPage River, in Channahon, IL, Canoes & Kayaks, facebook.com/events/channahon-state-park/joe-kowsky-memorial-canoe-kayak-race
Fall Classic Canoe Race, Fox River, canoe, kayak, or sup. Start/Finish at Ferson Creek intersection with the Fox River, St. Charles, IL. stcharlescanoeclub.com/club-races/fall-classic
MINNESOTA
Paddling Organizations:
Northstar Paddle League Including a Youth Kayak League on Lake Phalen, MN: Check out season-long program via: NorthStar Paddle League | Twin Cities Paddlesports (tcpaddlesports.com)
Minnesota Canoe Association: mncanoe.org
Endurance United Youth & Adult, Season-Long Programs At (St. Paul, MN): Paddling — Endurance United
Minnesota Canoe Racers | Facebook: Active, Public Facebook Group
North Shore SUP - Paddleboard Rentals, SUP Classes (duluthsup.com): June-August, Superior Paddle Program. This Sponsored Programming is Continuing Ed. for our Youth & Adult paddlers as it is an extension of our Paddling Programs offered during Season; an opportunity to continue using learned skills and recreate on the water. This Program has been funded by North Shore SUP and the City of Superior and will continue to be funded by Paddle it Forward. A call-ahead is STRONGLY encouraged as we do occasionally not have equipment available. This program is designed for Local Area Youth & Adult Community Members that have received prior instruction from North Shore SUP in one of our many programs (SUP Skills, SUP Camp, Superior Playground Program Field Trips, SUP for Women & Girls, Ice Cream Socials, SUP Club, Intro Classes, etc.) and that can independently paddle safely & responsibly. Please call with any questions and/or to reserve a board. This program has on-water designated paddling area boundaries that do vary based on weather conditions and skill level.
Minnesota Dragon Boat Club: Minnesota Dragon Boat Club – fostering community, compassion, challenge, and competition through sport and teamwork (mndragonboat.org)
Rapids Riders: River paddling education and community, focus on whitewater.
MAY:
Snake River Canoe Race: Mora, MN. Check out: Snake River Canoe Race | Mora, MN (vasaloppet.us)
JUNE:
SUP: Solstice 12-YR CELEBRATION -- CALL/TEXT (218)343-1308
Mississippi River 25 Race, Tour & Relay / Two Paddles Canoe & Kayak Race, 6 Races / 6 Tours, Brainerd to Minneapolis: twopaddles.org
Round Robin - One Day Only - Cap of 18 Participant, Cedar Lake, Minneapolis. Must be an MCA (Minnesota Canoe Association) member to participate.
JULY:
MCA's 5 Rookie Racers Events in July: Cedar Lake, Minneapolis, MN. (MCA Event - Must be an MCA member or pay $5/session drop-in fee.) Check out: MCA Rookie Racers
Long Lake Lap: Long Lake Beach, New Brighton, MN. 8 Mile Canoe, Kayak/Surfski race; 4 Mile Canoe, Kayak/Surfski race; 2 Mile Canoe, Kayak, Paddle Board, Youth & recreational race; Paddle Board Sprints!
100 meters at the conclusion of the 2/4/8 paddle event. Check out: Long Lake Lap 2024 — Endurance United.
Gunflint Trail Canoe Races (visitcookcounty.com): Presented By: Friends of the Gunflint Trail Fire Department. This community gathering and fundraiser will begin at 4:30 p.m. on the south shore of Gunflint Lake, at the Gunflint Lodge harbor. Watch teams from Gunflint Trail outfitters compete for the Trail Cup Trophy and enjoy food served by the Gunflint Lodge culinary team. The underlying mission of the Races is to support the efforts of the Gunflint Trail Fire Department (GTFD) while bringing together residents and visitors to the Trail for an evening of Northwoods-style fun. All funds raised go toward supporting the Gunflint Trail Fire Department.
Dragon Festival: Event Location: Phalen Lake, St Paul, Minnesota. The Dragon Festival is an annual celebration of Asian-Pacific cultures held every Summer in St. Paul, Minnesota. It features Dragon Boat racing, tasty ethnic foods and authentic cultural activities.
Sweetheart Derby Canoe Race: Hackensack, MN. Registration 9am-10am; Race starts at 10:30 am; Women's, Mixed and Standard Classes will go first. Pro will go last. Approximately 2-hour race. C1 race will start around 1:30pm; C1 registration from 10:30 am - 1 pm; Races will start and end at the same location. There will be food vendors on-site plus restaurants, pubs and microbrewery all within 1 block of the start/finish. Also, restrooms, playground for kids and a pavilion. Check out: Canoe Derby - Hackensack Chamber of Commerce, MN.
Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium (Multi-Day): Check out: greatlakesseakayaksymposium.net. The Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium gives you the opportunity to have an exceptional learning experience in one of the premier sea kayaking destinations in the country. Situated in the beautiful coastal town of Grand Marais, which is the eastern gateway to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, we can explore this national treasure. Nearby Grand Island National Recreation Area provides additional shoreline for exploring the cliffs and waterfalls of Lake Superior. For those who are not comfortable with paddling on the Great Lakes, we have a variety of courses designed to empower you with the skills to take your paddling to the next level. These classes are held in the protected harbor of Grand Marais, which provides a safe and protected learning environment while still providing amazing scenery.
Twin Cities Paddlesports Race: Part of the NorthStar Paddlesports Race Series, Lake Phalen, St. Paul, MN. Call: (651) 401-1483.
End of July into August, Lake Bemidji Dragon Boat Festival: From the exceptional viewing area, energizing races, extraordinary team villages, excellent kids activities and evening entertainment, we have something exciting for the whole family. The festival is located along the shores of beautiful Lake Bemidji (on Bemidji Avenue/Hwy 197 – to the left of the Paul & Babe statues: 300 Bemidji Ave. N.) Check Out: bemidjidragonboat.com/festival
AUGUST:
MCA's Rookie Racers: Four dates in August. Cedar Lake, Minneapolis. Check out: MCA Rookie Racers
Starbuck Dragon Boat Race/Festival on Lake Minnewaska. Lake Minnewaska, MN. Check out: starbuckdragonboat.com.
Loppet Races, Cedar Lake, Minneapolis, MN, Contact, MCA Club President Emily R Broderson, president@mncanoe.org.
Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival, Twin Ports: Check out: Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival (superiordragons.org) The Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival (LSDBF) is organized, operated and staffed by Rotary Club of Superior for the good of our community. These members who are local residents of the Twin Ports area have created this family fun event to better the community and experiences of the people within it. Since 2002, LSDBF has raised over $1.3 million to support charitable organizations in the Twin Ports.
SEPTEMBER:
MCA's Rookie Racers: Five dates in September. Cedar Lake, Minneapolis. Check out: MCA Rookie Racers.
Wilderness Inquiry Great River Race: Hidden Falls Regional Park - 1313 Hidden Falls Dr., St. Paul, MN. Unique 24-foot team canoe race, Wilderness Inquiry partners with the National Park Service, City of Minneapolis, and City of Saint Paul to host the Great River Race on the Mississippi River. The big race funds the Canoemobile Minnesota outdoor education program, addressing the opportunity gap in our schools and reaching more than 25,000 youth annually. Join us at our in-person celebration to race on the Mighty Mississippi in a 24-foot canoe. wildernessinquiry.org/donations-support/great-river-race
Headwaters Canoe Race Weekend /MN State Canoe Championships, Bemidji, MN: Two days of racing on the upper Mississippi in Bemidji. Stock and pro-boat Races plus a C1 race. Email (subshiva@gmail.com) or call Brett at 651-269-4433 for more info.
WISCONSIN
Paddling Organizations:
Mad City Paddlers: Mad City Paddlers, based in Madison, Wisconsin, is a club devoted to pursuing paddle sports of every sort. Members organize a wide variety of club trips for flat water paddling, sea kayaking, and whitewater paddling. madcitypaddlers.wildapricot.org.
River Alliance of Wisconsin: Empowering people to protect and restore Wisconsin’s waters for 30 years.
Membership includes more than 1,500 individuals, businesses, and local watershed groups. wisconsinrivers.org/about
Northeast Wisconsin Paddlers: Encouraging and advancing paddle sports education and safety. newp.club
Milwaukee Sea Kayakers: facebook.com/groups
La Crosse Paddling Club: lacrossepaddlingclub.com Established in 2018, the La Crosse Paddling Club (LPC) is a nonprofit that was founded by a group of local people who love to be active outdoors and want to help others learn and explore the joy of paddling anything from a 20-person dragon boat to small non-motorized watercraft such as canoe, kayak and SUP.
Fox Valley Kayakers: meetup.com/appleton-kayakers For kayakers in and around the Fox Valley area. If you are looking to get out and meet others that share your passion for kayaking and canoeing, join Fox Valley Kayakers. Together we can explore the Fox Valley area waterways. Everyone is welcome to join, no matter how much experience you have.
Pure Water Paddlers pwp.clubexpress.com. Come explore the beautiful lakes and rivers of the Chippewa Valley and beyond.
Wisconsin Canoe Racing Association - An association of canoe and kayak paddlers. The main focus tends to be racing and fitness-paddling on flatwater rivers & lakes. But we occasionally branch out into whitewater and Great Lakes open water. Canoe, kayak, outrigger, surfski, SUP, whatever. Private group - must request to join: facebook.com/groups
March is for CANOECOPIA! rutabaga.com/canoecopia. The largest paddlesports consumer event in the world. Hosted by Darren Bush and Rutabaga Paddlesports. Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way, Madison, WI/
MAY:
Pewaukee Kiwanis River Run: In the Pewaukee River, the race starts in Pewaukee and ends in Frame Park in Waukesha. pewaukeekiwanis.org/events/riverrun, local canoe rental available. Benefits the Pewaukee Food Pantry,
JUNE:
Callie Rohr Memorial Canoe and Kayak Race: Conover, WI. Paddle for the Cure: A 14-mile and 8-mile one-day canoe and kayak race on the historic Headwaters of the Wisconsin River. rwtcanoe.com/canoerace.htm
JULY:
MIDwest Paddle Festival, Oconomowoc, WI: Join us for the longest running SUP race in Wisconsin. A paddle community celebration. 3-Mile and 6-mile courses with some buoy turns thrown in. Dragon Board races at the end. Get your team of 4 or we will put you on a team! All teams must have at least ONE female paddler. All Proceeds go to Friends of Oconomowoc Parks and Trails and Lapham Peak Snow Making. paddleguru.com/races/MidwestPaddleFestival
AUGUST:
Annual Ojibwa Canoe & Kayak Race: Winter, WI. This canoe and kayak race follows a 5-mile course on the Chippewa River from the Wannigan Resort to the Ojibwa Bridge on Cty Rd G. Multiple race classes, open kayak class, standard hulls only, no race hulls. canoeing,-kayaking-sup/annual-ojibwa-canoe-kayak-race.
Race the Fox, for Canoe, Kayak, Stand Up Paddle Board, Surf Ski, Out Rigger Canoe Race and Fun Paddle. Fox River from Berlin, Wisconsin, to the finish line in Omro, Wisconsin, approx. 17 miles; short course at approx. 8.5 miles. racethefox.com.
Milwaukee Dragon Boat Festival: Lakeshore State Park, Milwaukee, WI . The Milwaukee Chinese Community Center, in partnership with the Wisconsin Chinese Chamber of Commerce is proud to present the Milwaukee Dragon Boat Festival and continue the tradition of ethnic and cultural festivals in Milwaukee. The highlight of the festival will be the Dragon Boat Races. milwaukeedragonboatfest.org.
Jackson Freestyle Clinic, Wausau, WI, two days before the Midwest Freestyle Championships (see below). Join us for two days on the river to advance your freestyle skills. Each day you will have three hours of on-river instruction. Whether you’re looking to learn to spin, cartwheel, loop, godzilla or tickywoo, this clinic is for all freestyle levels.
Midwest Freestyle Championships Wausau, WI. About 100 kayakers and canoeists from across the Midwest travel to Wausau for their chance to be the Midwest Freestyle Champion in their respective class: Beginners, Intermediates, Experts, Masters, Canoe and Womens. Participants will complete as many tricks as they can in one minute and the individual with the most points moves on to the next round.
Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival: Superior, WI. Located at the head of Lake Superior, this 400-meter race is a straight course that takes place in the Superior Bay off of Barkers Island. The water between the island and the mainland provides an ideal venue for the race, and historic Barker’s Island is a terrific staging area for not only the race but is also a recreational park for local residents. The Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival is a fun family event brought to the Twin Ports community by the Superior Rotary Club and Duluth Skyline Rotary. superiordragons.org.
SEPTEMBER:
N.E.W. Dragon Boat Festival: Oshkosh, WI. Held at the Oshkosh Leach Amphitheater is an outdoor event that celebrates the diverse communities of Northeast Wisconsin. newdragonboat.com.
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