QuietWater Symposium
Lansing, MI USA
Michigan State University
Mar-03-2012
Web Site: http://www.quietwatersymposium.org/
Each year it draws over a 1,000 paddlesports participants
to check out gear, trips, ideas, and being outside.
Anyone compare this against other similar symposiums
in the the Great Lakes area ?
it’s all inside
OTOH it’s a nice off-season tease.
the only things that beats paddling
is talking about paddling.
Hell, if it is really flat some folks can even talk up a storm
I would go if it weren’t twenty hours
away.
The program looks good.
http://www.quietwatersymposium.org/qws2012.html
Inside versus Outside
So there aren’t many “indoor” symposiums in
North America that take place during the colder months ?
An Interesting Symposium
Although they do mean “quiet water”. A group I belong to called “Lansing Area White Water Paddlers” once set up a display area with a video of WW paddlers and information about our trips. There wasn’t much interest. Probably should have known better. So don’t expect anyone to be there representing surfing, expedition kayaking (except for V. Kruger), or white water. Also don’t expect instruction. That is not the emphasis as is the case for WMCKA or Grand Marais in the Summer. Paddling.net had a booth last year.
Tons of Info
I’ve been there onsite in the HeadWatersTrails,Inc. booth
the past few years talking to paddlesports minded folks.
New paddlers are often unaware of what exists around them.
A great place to mingle and find out who may be inclined
to part with some inventory of gear or boats.
People don’t always want to lug stuff back home, so,
there is always room for negotiation and haggling.
Another great year
Rough estimate of 2,000 people attended in 2012
High winds, threatening dark clouds, and cold weather
didn’t seem to matter as people attended anyways.
Paddling.Net had a booth selling T-Shirts, etc.
I’m glad it went well