May 30 - June 1, 2025
Bryant Pond, Maine
May 30 - June 1, 2025
Bryant Pond, Maine
The Maine Canoe Symposium encourages participants of all ages to develop an understanding and appreciation of the diversity of North American canoeing heritage and to develop canoeing and related skills through educational workshops, presentations, and hands-on instruction.
Whether you're just getting started or are a veteran paddler, The Maine Canoe Symposium offers a variety of programming to meet all skill levels.
We provide the instruction, canoes, paddles, PFDs, and anything else you need to get out on the water.
The weekend incorporates the wide range of workshops on various paddling techniques, including basic recreational, competitive, freestyle, and whitewater, as well as traditional canoe tripping and poling.
In addition to our on-water program,
we also feature land-based workshops and presentations across a wide range of related topics. Past workshops have included topics such as First-Aid, Paddle Making, Predicting and Understanding Weather, Painting and Photography, Maine History, Knot Tying and Tarp Setup, Fly Fishing, and Open-Fire Cooking, to name a few.
The Maine Canoe Symposium also offers a companion children's program which includes kid-friendly activites, like low-ropes and paracute games to canoe safety and even paddling their own kid-sized canoe!
At the Maine Canoe Symposium you can receive individualized instruction from an amazing group of Registered Maine Guides, Canadian paddlesport professionals, and seasoned canoe enthusiasts.
Canoeing for Fitness
Trip Planning
Safety Skills
Map and Compass
Meal Planning
Plant Identification
March 23rd update.
Registration is live! Two whole months to go before MCS 2025! I'm talking with instructors and getting excited for this year's program. More info will be rolling out soon. So keep an eye on your inbox.
-Chris
Please sign up for our mailing list at the bottom of this page for all the latest news.
This year's event will again span Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! We'll include Friday and Saturday evening activities, on-site tenting or cabin bunks, and an improved on-site dining experience.
Below you'll find last year's schedule. Quite a bit of the core schedule remains the same year after year. We're always on the lookout for new topics and presenters to share their passion and interests.
No need to print your own schedule, we always have plenty of printed schedules and maps on-hand on the day of the event.
The Maine Canoe Symposium is proud to partner with the University of Maine's Cooperative Extension at Bryant Pond to offer a beautiful lakeside classroom.
This registration button takes you to our secure registration site
NEW for 2025!
Saturday-Only + Land-Based Workshops & Presentations - Includes Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Attend land-based workshops and the Saturday eventing presentation.
Classic Registration
Full Weekend + Land & Water - Covers access to the symposium land and water workshops and meals all weekend.
*Youth attendees must be accompanied to the event by an adult. The youth program is at times separate from the adult program with regular check-ins throughout the day.
Prepared meals and snacks are included in the cost of event registration.
Meals include:
We can accommodate many dietary restrictions. If you would like to request special dietary accommodations, please note this in your registration.
On-site lodging is an additional cost to the event registration. Specific lodging options are available on a first-register, first-serve basis. Keep in mind that the weather is unpredictable. We will do our best to accommodate everyone in the event of wet or cold weather (aka we'll find an dry & warm bunk for you.).
Tent sites - $25 per site (1 tent | 1-4 persons per site please) - Designated tent sites are dispersed in a 'backcountry' environment. Your specific tent site will be assigned to you upon arrival. Expect a short walk over uneven terrain from your tent to the main event grounds and/or to the bathhouse. Tenters will have round-the-clock access to the designated male and female bathhouse facilities.
Rustic Cabins $20 per bed. Bunk beds w/mattress. See options below.
Options:
