Paddlepalooza – Ontario’s Kayaking Festival

Join us for Paddlepalooza, Ontario’s premier sea kayaking symposium, proudly hosted by the Ontario Sea Kayak Centre at beautiful Killbear Provincial Park. Now in its 14th year, this event brings together world-class instructors, passionate paddlers, and the stunning backdrop of Georgian Bay for a weekend of learning, adventure, and community.

Whether you’re new to kayaking or an experienced paddler, Paddlepalooza offers clinics for all skill levels — from essential strokes to kayak rolling and rough water techniques. Participants can choose between two- or three-day options, with Friday sessions available for those who want to extend the fun.

Set up camp, share meals, and connect with paddlers from across North America. Your registration includes both the paddling clinics and camping fees. On Saturday night, don’t miss the outdoor Paddling Film Festival — an inspiring highlight of the weekend.

Come celebrate the spirit of adventure, learning, and friendship that makes Paddlepalooza truly special.

What clinics are offered at Paddlepalooza?

2026 Clinic options are coming soon.

Ontario Greenland Camp and Traditional Skills.

Traditional paddling skills are where all of the knowledge we share today started and we love to celebrate this important fundamental skill set. From bracing and rolling to forward paddling or simple blade awareness, refining these skills will benefit every paddler. If you are looking to learn some Traditional or Greenlandic paddling skills this is the event for you. We have been sharing these skills since 2007 and have traditional skills and learn-to-roll classes throughout Paddlepalooza. James and Tim have both been to Greenland to compete in the National Greenland kayak championships. Take a class with one of our expert traditional skills coaches.

Friday optional extra day!

Paddlepalooza works best as a three-day event, to make this happen, add the optional Friday training to your cart during checkout. 

Kayak Rentals

We have a 2-day and a 3-day kayak rental option available when you are checking out.

Thank you to support from our 2025 sponsors

To sponsor our event with door prizes for 2026 contact us now!

Win this P&H Leo kayak

Win one of two Kokatat PFDs

Win one of these five North Water door prizes just by attending!

Your Instructors

Our certified instructors are some of Canada's best!

Jarrod Gunn McQuillan

Jarrod Gunn McQuillan is the owner/operator of Cloud 9 Adventures and lives in St. Peters Harbour, PEI with his wife Heather, and their two children Finlay and Emma.  Cloud 9 Adventures focuses on offering high quality sea kayak coaching and instruction to all levels and abilities throughout the Maritime Provinces

Greg Mason

Greg has been paddling and teaching kayaking on Georgian Bay for around 25 yrs… since he was not but a wee grasshopper.

Lee Richardson

Lee is an inspirational business leader and professional sea kayak instructor with over 17 years combined in the educational and sea kayak industry. He has taught at Symposiums all over North America and teaches and guides regularly on the East Coast and West Coast. 

Erik Ogaard

Erik is forever drawn to the water and is truly in his element when paddling and coaching. He is equally passionate about sharing the paddling experience through instruction, coaching, guiding, mentoring and building a healthy paddling community.

Karl Vollmer

Karl is a Paddle Canada Sea Kayak Instructor Trainer. He has also been a volunteer member of the Paddle Canada board and skill development committees for years.

Jeff Arbing

Jeff is drawn to the dynamic side of kayaking and thoroughly enjoys working with people to embrace the psychological challenges presented with paddling.

Jeff Phaneuf

Jeff Phaneuf is one of OSKC's hardest working coaches. He has been a full-time teacher and coach (volleyball & rugby) at Ursuline College in Chatham for almost a quarter of a century. He is combining his passion for teaching and the outdoors by instructing many of our Paddle Canada Level 1 and Level 2 programs.

Joedy Ebert

Joedy has been teaching teenagers for 25 years but she has always recharged at and on the water. She got her Paddle Canada start with OSKC 10 years ago, spending the years since padding the shores of Lake Ontario and the Niagara waterways. She is thrilled to be joining the team at OSKC.

James Roberts

James started kayaking at 18. Since then his paddling career has taken him all over the world as an expedition leader and senior kayak instructor.

Mike Fairburn

Mike’s passion for sea kayaking began about 15 years ago. In the years that have followed Mike has become a Greenland rolling and skills enthusiast. While Mike has always loved the great outdoors, Sea Kayaking has intensified this love and brought him closer to nature through back country camping.

Tim Gallaway

Tim began his kayaking career as a guide and ACA instructor at Woods & Water Ecotours in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan when he was in college. He cut his rough water teeth on the rocky shores of Lake Superior.

Ray Boucher

Ray Boucher lives in Wawa Ontario with his wife Patty. Ray has been a school teacher and an x-ray technologist, and enjoys spending his time working and recreating in the outdoors.

David Johnston

David Johnston has been introducing people to the sport of sea kayaking for the past 20 years. He is a senior instructor trainer with Paddle Canada.

Expand Instructor List