The second Annual Paddlefest is taking place at the Riverbank Discovery Center this weekend, starting with a paddle down the Assiniboine as the last River Roam of the season.
Throughout the summer, every Thursday evening a group of regular paddlers would enjoy a river run, launching off at the Discovery Center's kayak/canoe launch.
"As a group, we would have community paddles and for those that are beginners, they could rent kayaks or canoes from us and join in on a group paddle down the river,' shares Paddlefest coordinator, Dezarae Bodnar. "So, this evening we'll be doing our final one of the seasons and we'll be doing a paddle down to the historic Brandon Beach and roasting some marshmallows, sharing some stories and kind of capping off the end of the summer's River Roams. So, we're pretty excited about that!"
Saturday's list of events will be much like what they did last year at their first Paddlefest, with special guest Pauline Nadlersmith from River Song Wilderness Outfitters.
"She'll be doing Voyager canoe rides for us until 4:00 PM here at the Discovery Center," explains Bodnar. "Voyager canoes are large canoes that can fit 8 to 10 people. They're big and they're stable, and they're great for beginners who want to try out paddling for the very first time."
Brandan Riverbank has subsidized rides for kids 18 and under so those are free. Interested adults can pay the $10 charge inside the Discovery Center. Rides down the Assiniboine River are between 30-50 minutes.
Nadlersmith will be sharing a presentation from 5:00-6:00 pm inside the Discovery Center.
"And she's going to be talking about her experiences as a canoe guide - as one of the only operators in Manitoba leading canoe guided experiences in the backcountry and wilderness of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario," shares Bodnar. "She is just a fantastic person and great personality. So, anybody who comes and attends will not only get to hear stories, but they'll also get to get inspired to maybe take on some of their own adventures or join in on one of hers canoe trips."
The last event of Paddlefest 2025 will be the Brandon 100.
"Last year we attempted to set a record in Brandon to get 100 paddlers on the water all together. We didn't quite reach that last year. We got a little bit over 60 people. But this year, we are going to do our best to get everyone together and reach that 100 paddlers on the Assiniboine! So that is at 7:00 p.m."
"So, we encourage people to show up a little bit earlier if they can before 7:00 - say about 6:30, that way we'll kind of miss the dock congestion of getting everybody out on the water at the same time. So, we're pretty excited. We're hoping to reach our goal this year," she adds.
Paddlefest: A chance to See Brandon from a new perspective
Bodnar says she's hoping as many paddlers come out as possible, not only to join in on the celebration of Paddlefest, but also to experience the a paddle down the Assiniboine in the heart of Brandon.
"I would just love to have people out here on the Assiniboine River here in Brandon this weekend. People don't generally know that the Assiniboine River is actually a beautiful river for paddling. It's a beautiful way to see Brandon in a new perspective, a new way, and to just appreciate our city."
"It's unique that there's such a perfect urban stretch of river for paddling. It's beautiful and people need to see this," she says, "and they need to have the opportunity to see this. So that's why we're excited to have Paddlefest here to introduce people to paddling and giving people the chance to get out on the water and experience something new, push their boundaries a little bit for some!"
"But yeah, anybody who wants to come out paddling, we really, really encourage you to come out, wear your PSD, be safe, but most of all come with a good attitude! Yeah, we're just excited to bring this back for another year," adds Bodnar.
Visit the Riverbank Discovery Centre Facebook Page for more information HERE!