ACA Paddlefest

October 17-19, 2025

Join us in celebrating 145 years of the American Canoe Association with the first ever ACA Paddlefest!

When: October 17-19, 2025

Where: U.S. National Whitewater Center | 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28214

This year’s ACA PaddleFest will be packed with exciting opportunities, including:

ACA 145th Anniversary Celebration & Silent Auction
Swiftwater Rescue Conference
Instructor & Instructor Trainer Updates
U.S. Slalom & Kayak Cross National Championships
PTC Colab 2025
ACA Annual Meeting & Awards Ceremony

Networking, social hours, workshops, and on-water adventures await—don’t miss this chance to connect, learn, and paddle with the ACA community.

PaddleFest Event Details

View the PaddleFest event schedule!

Heading to Charlotte for the first-ever ACA PaddleFest? We’ve secured a variety of lodging options—from hotels close to the Whitewater Center to a scenic campground—for your convenience.

10/01/2025 Update: Hotel block deadlines have passed! These hotels do still have rooms available. Please go directly to the hotel website to book your ACA PaddleFest accommodations.

Hotel Options

Hampton Inn & Suites Charlotte – Airport

Reservation Deadline: 9/22/2025
$139/night
8 miles from Whitewater Center
Free breakfast
Complimentary Wi-Fi & airport shuttle
Parking is $10/car/day
Fitness Center
Rooms have mini-fridge, microwave & coffee maker

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Charlotte Airport

Reservation Deadline: 9/15/2025
$155/night
8.5 miles from Whitewater Center
Free breakfast
Complimentary Wi-Fi & airport shuttle
Parking is $10/car/day
Fitness Center
Rooms have mini-fridge, microwave

TownePlace Suites – Charlotte LoSo

Reservation Deadline: 10/1/2025
$149/night
15 miles from Whitewater Center
Free breakfast
Free WiFi
Bus parking $75/day
Complimentary airport shuttle

Camping Options

McDowell Camp Ground – Lake Wylie, NC

Located within McDowell Nature Preserve near Lake Wylie
56-site campground that offers a variety of camping opportunities for individuals and families
The campground includes:
- 33 drive up sites: $30-40 / night
- 10 primitive sites: $20-25 / night
- 13 RV sites: $35-40 / night

Explore the best of Charlotte while you are in town for ACA PaddleFest.

ACA 145th Anniversary Celebration

Join us Saturday evening, October 18 from 6pm-9pm to celebrate 145 Years of the ACA! This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with paddling community for an unforgettable night of networking, annual award presentations, and a silent auction fundraiser to support current and future ACA initiatives.

Each ACA 145th Anniversary Celebration & Silent Auction Ticket includes:

Appetizers
Non-alcoholic beverages
Access to Silent Auction
Awards Ceremony
Food menu and cash bar available

Tickets are sold out! We can’t wait to connect in person on Saturday, October 18.

Attire: Come As You Are!

2025 Swiftwater Rescue Conference

Advance your safety and rescue skills by learning from leading industry experts!

Each conference registration includes:

3 half-day on-water sessions
3 on-land sessions
ACA Swiftwater Instructor and Instructor Trainer Updates
1 Ticket to the ACA 145th Birthday Celebration on Saturday evening (10/18)
Opportunities to meet with and learn from nationally and internationally recognized swiftwater rescue experts including Tom Burroughs, Stephanie Lareau, Sam Fowlkes, Robin Pope, Lynsey Nunes, Karl Schmidt, Justin Padgett, Julie Munger, Jordan Taylor, Jim Coffey, Glen Harman, Don Lester, and Chris Davis!
Conference Schedule (Subject to revision)

Cost:

$375 for ACA members
$375+$40 for non-ACA members; non-member registration includes a one-year ACA membership
A la carte sessions are available for some key conference presentations – please click here for more information.

More Information & Registration

Instructor and Instructor Trainer Updates

Great instruction goes beyond teaching skills—it’s rooted in leadership. The ACA Paddlefest Instructor and Trainer (IT) updates will deepen your leadership skills and presence both on and off the water.

Through skills review and refinement, real-world scenarios, peer discussion, and actionable tools, you’ll further explore new ways to deliver ACA programming and lead with clarity, confidence, and adaptability—whether you’re guiding a group, mentoring new instructors, or managing dynamic environments. These updates will also delve into decision-making, group management strategies, and strengthen your role as a trusted leader in the paddling community. Click here for the event schedule.

Cost: $175 – registration is now closed

Please note: this event is NOT an upgrade opportunity; you must update at the level of certification you currently hold (or lower).

Level 1-2 Instructor & IT Updates to begin at 1PM on Friday, Oct 17 and conclude at 6PM on Saturday, October 18

Introduction to Canoeing
Canoe Touring
River Canoe
Introduction to Kayaking
Kayak Touring (Coastal)
River Kayak
Introduction to SUP
Essentials of SUP

Level 3, 4, 5 Instructor & IT Updates to begin at 1PM on Friday, Oct 17 and conclude at 6PM on Sunday, October 19

Whitewater Canoe
Whitewater Kayak
Whitewater SUP
Whitewater Rafting
Swiftwater Rescue (as part of Swiftwater Rescue Conference only)

U.S. Canoe Slalom & Kayak Cross National Championships

For Athletes

National Championships registration includes:

Slalom and Kayak Cross training (October 15-17)
Coaches Education Sessions/Clinics
Slalom and Kayak Cross National Championships (October 17-19)

For Spectators

National Championships are free to watch!
Parking is $12/day

PTC Colab 2025

We are thrilled to have the Paddlesport Trade Coalition join us for PaddleFest! The PTC Colab 2025 will feature:

Informational Sessions & Roundtables
Industry Discussions on participation growth, sustainability, retail strategy & more
On-Water Demos and hands-on product testing
New Product Showcase featuring innovation across the industry

Learn More