Jealous that I can’t make my way to Canoecopia this weekend, I decided to troll through my friend Birgit's Facebook gallery of photos from the Toronto edition of MEC’s Paddlefest last year.

As you can see it’s really more about having fun then anything else.

The dates for the 2011 Paddlefest were just announced and this year it is taking place June 11-12 at Sunnyside Beach right in the heart of Toronto.

Fun fact: Did you know that MEC Paddlefest Toronto gets more people on the water then any other event in North America? Yep, it’s true. When clinics are about to start it seems like there are 10,000 people running around the beach all trying to find their canoe or kayak. Well not 10,000 but at least 8 of us that’s for sure!

Here is what I love about Paddlefest. It is completely an urban paddling event taking place in downtown Toronto on Lake Ontario. With Toronto being a true cosmopolitan city, the participants at the event reflect that huge diversity. It’s a completely different atmosphere then anything you have ever been to before. At least ½ of all the students in my clinics had never been in a canoe or kayak before and it’s so exciting introducing large groups of new Canadian’s to paddling.

You can get more fun facts and all the details of the event via their website meca.ca/paddlefest. If you are thinking of going, make sure you book first thing on May 29^th when registration opens. Last year all 800+ clinic spots completely sold out in just over 24 hours. That’s a true fun fact.