The 2026 ACA Summer Solstice Celebration brought paddlers together across the country for a weekend that was equal parts adventure, community, and joy. With 36 public events spanning 17 U.S. states and reaching as far as A Coruña, Spain, the ACA community showed up in full force to celebrate the longest days of the year on the water.
A Weekend Worth Celebrating
From evening paddles lit by lingering summer light to paddling courses, races, festivals, and instructor certification workshops, the Solstice Celebration offered something for every kind of paddler. This year’s event also fell on Father’s Day weekend — a detail that made many of the outings feel especially meaningful.
ACA National Poling Chair Scott Stepenuck captured that spirit perfectly. “It was a beautiful weekend for the solstice and Father’s Day,” he shared. “I managed to get my Dad’s canoe out on the Ashuelot River in Swanzey, NH with two of my kids. There used to be a dam just downstream of the Thompson Covered Bridge — the dam has been removed and replaced by a series of rock drops. I was able to pole up the drops and back down. A great day on the water with my family!”
Community on the Farmington River
In Simsbury, Connecticut, the SYOTR Southern New England Summer Solstice Paddle drew paddlers out for an evening on the Farmington River that delivered everything the solstice promises: perfect conditions, abundant wildlife, good snacks, and even fireworks. “It was a perfect night with great people, snacks, a ton of wildlife, and even fireworks,” the event hosts shared. “There’s something about paddling on the summer solstice — it’s even better when it’s with an amazing community.”
Paddling Instruction in Ohio
In Ohio, Play Harder Adventures teamed up with the Rec2Connect Foundation to bring people to the water for the Solstice Celebration. “There’s something about paddling on the summer solstice,” ACA Instructor Trainer John MacDonald reflected. “It’s even better when it’s with an amazing community. It’s an honor to have a small part in bringing people together for the betterment of paddlesports and the community.”
Cape Fear River Rendezvous: Three Years Strong
Now in its third year, the ACA North Carolina Cape Fear River Rendezvous in Lillington, NC continues to grow into one of the Solstice Celebration’s most compelling examples of paddling’s power to bring people together. This year’s event drew 34 paddlers in 28 kayaks representing nearly every discipline imaginable, including whitewater, crossover, touring, recreational, and even a Pak-a-Yak, alongside 3 canoes — and covered 8 miles of flatwater and Class II rapids on the Cape Fear River.
What made this year’s rendezvous especially meaningful was who was on the water. The group included multiple first-time and newer paddlers taking on moving water for the first time, as well as paddlers with disabilities — all of whom completed the full run and had a great time doing it. That’s the kind of day that defines what inclusive paddling looks like in practice.
Outdoor Leader Trainers of Americ (OLTOA) Paddling Courses
ACA Instructor Trainer Educator Bob Myron and the OLTOA staff hit the water for multiple ACA Instructor Courses and staff training events during the summer solstice. We are grateful for their continued commitment to getting the paddlers in Maine on the water for the longest days of the year!
Paddling as Mission
Events like these are more than a weekend on the water. They are the ACA mission in action — building inclusive paddling communities, supporting excellence, and fostering safety and stewardship through paddlesports education, competition, and recreation. Whether it was a first-time paddler finding their footing in a Learn2Paddle class at Mark Twain State Park in Missouri, an instructor earning a new certification on Little Sebago Lake in Maine, or a family spending Father’s Day on the river in New Hampshire, the 2026 Summer Solstice Celebration reminded us why this community paddles together.
Thank you to every member, instructor, club, and partner who hosted an event, shared a photo, or simply got out on the water this weekend. We can’t wait to see what next year brings.
Interested in finding ACA events near you year-round? Visit the ACA Events Calendar. Not yet a member? Join the ACA today and become part of a community that paddles together.