Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission is extremely excited to be hosting the 2010 East Coast Canoe and Kayak Festival. Our 20th anniversary event will occur at James Island County Park in Charleston, SC April 16-18, 2010 and we look forward to a spectacular celebration for this important milestone.

Event Background and History

Our tradition began in 1991 with the East Coast Sea Kayak Symposium.  In 1995, the event was broadened to promote all types of Paddlesports and include paddlers of all disciplines, not just sea kayaking.  In 2000 the name was changed from Symposium to Festival in an effort to welcome a more diverse audience. Whatever the name, the goal has always been to expose the public to the many benefits of recreational paddling and to extol the virtues of our lowcountry coastal environment.  Over 1200 friends come back year after year because of the wonderful community and the quality of our programs and facilities.

Presenters Needed

Paddlesport instructors and enthusiasts from the US and beyond are invited to submit proposals to be considered for inclusion in the 2010 East Coast Canoe and Kayak Festival.  We are seeking a variety of presentation topics that will appeal to our diverse participant base. The bulk of proposals should relate to paddling (technical skills, trip planning, demonstrations, safety, natural history and travel), but we do have limited space for presentations outside of the “paddlers box”.

Presentation Details

Our presentation classrooms are outdoor tents equipped with folding chairs, display tables, an easel and flip chart. The tents provide shelter from wind and rain but are not dark enough for showing slides. However, one outdoor classroom will have an overhead projector and screen. A limited number of slide presentations can be scheduled in an indoor classroom. Sessions are typically one hour in length with a 30-minute break between each.

In addition, the Festival will include On-Water Master Classes. These may or may not conform to the one hour time schedule. Participants will meet at a specified meeting site and will paddle to an appropriate area on the lake or travel off site to utilize the coastal environments Charleston has to offer. These Master Classes should be geared towards the intermediate or advanced paddler.

We also have slots available for one hour on-water demonstrations held at a demo area with bleachers. These demonstrations are targeted to any paddler at any skill level.

Finally, we are looking for pre- and/or post-Festival offerings. These could include ACA Instructor Development/Certification Workshops or Instructor Updates, Advanced Kayak Touring Classes, Hands-on Canoe or Kayak Construction Courses, Greenland Paddle Building Classes, Freestyle Canoe Classes, BCU Classes, etc.

We welcome additional presentation ideas and concepts, and special arrangements will be considered for proposals that do not fit into our currently existing parameters!

Benefits for Presenters

In return for your time and expertise, presenters receive free admission to the event, meals for the days you are presenting, and primitive campsites. In addition to our regular presenters, a limited number of Featured Presenters are selected on the basis of their perceived ability to attract participants due to their reputation for noteworthy trips, writings, and presentations. Featured Presenters will receive upgraded lodging accommodations and assistance with travel expenses or limited compensation. Priority for both levels will be determined based on the variety and number of proposals submitted.

Presentation Materials

We encourage all presenters to provide written information to participants during their presentations. To help make this possible, the Festival will copy printed materials upon request. Any additional direct expenses (i.e., handouts, audiovisual aids, etc.) must be approved in advance. All receipts should be kept and either mailed to us or brought to the Festival for reimbursement.

Proposal Deadlines

Participant brochures for the event will be mailed out and posted on the web on January 1, 2010. We try to include as much information about presenters and topics as is possible in that publication. Therefore, we would appreciate your commitment to this event at your earliest convenience! Cutoff date for inclusion in the Festival schedule will be October 10, 2009. Proposals submitted after these cutoff dates will be considered only on a space available basis! Those submitting proposals will be notified by November 21, 2009 regarding the acceptance of their proposal.

Proposal Submission

Proposals may be submitted online, by fax, or mail.

Submit Proposal Online

Fax/Mail Proposal Form PDF

Mark Hamlin

Outdoor Recreation Coordinator - Paddlesports

861 Riverland Drive

Charleston, SC 29412

Phone: 843-762-8095

Fax: 843-762-2683

Email