Ottawa Paddle Festival
Festival Overview
June 21 – 23rd 2024
Celebration of the river we call home at our annual Ottawa Paddle Fest. Originally called the Kitchissippi / Kichi-Sìbì by the Algonquin people.
There will be activities on and off the water for everyone.
Watch this video for a sneak peak to Saturday’s Ottawa River Story Panel with guests:
– Mike Lamothe [local Calumet Island resident who first shared there was whitewater on the Ottawa]
– Phil Coleman [kayaker from the US aka Phil’s Hole]
– Christine Luckasavitch [Omàmìwininì Madaoueskarini Anishinaabekwe (a woman of the Madawaska River Algonquin people)]
– hosted by Claudia Van Wijk [first recreational kayak decent of the Ottawa River].
CURRENTS: The Ottawa River from Mike McKay on Vimeo.
Additional Information
- Live Music on Saturday Night
- Story Panel with Ottawa River experts
- Paddling Film Festival on Friday Night
- Vendor Marketplace Saturday Afternoon
- Interested in being a vendor – let us know
- Rolling Clinics
- Shuttles to and from the river
- Access to all our resort amenities:
- Beach with canoes, kayaks and SUPs
- Floating dock with slide
- Beach Volleyball
- Disk Golf
- Horseshoe
- Sauna
- Outdoor Showers
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner all weekend are available for purchase
- MKC on the Ottawa: 1 or 2 day intermediate clinic Book Here
- Pontoon Cruise Shuttle with BBQ Meal
- Donations to Whitewater Ontario’s Ottawa River Access Fund
Itinerary
Accomodation Options
Paddler Camping
In our paddler’s camping area you will find picnic tables, a fire pit, covered sink area for dishes, shared charging station and garbage & recycling bins.
Sites cannot be reserved in advance – selection is first come, first serve. Our field-style sites offer both water views and tree-shaded lawns. Our smaller tent camping area allows you to park near your camping spot.
Trailers & RVs are welcome at no extra cost. We also have serviced RV sites with power and water hook-ups. More info below.
Fires are not permitted in the camp grounds, there are two fire pits lit every evening for you to enjoy. Portable cook stoves or BBQs are allowed at your campsite.
Please note that camping equipment isn’t included in this package unless booked separately.
Rates (per person per night):
- $20 / Adult per night
- $10 / Child per night
Rates & Availability
3 days
All prices subject to 13% HST
Soft Adventure Whitewater Rafting
Package Type: Day Trip
Cost: $110 - $210
Adventure Whitewater Rafting
Package Type: Day Trip
Cost: $140 – $210
Sport Whitewater Rafting
Package Type: Day Trip
Cost: $202 - $242
Reviews
Awesome 2 day Scout Trip We took our Scout Group to Owl for 2 days of rafting in early June. Day 1 Soft & Day 2 Medium.They took care of us in every way!
The facilities are amazing.
The food is delicious.
The rafting is awesome (I have rafted on major rivers in 4 countries and Owl is the only centre I have returned to).
The staff are friendly and efficient.
The guides are first class (big shout out and huge THANK YOU to Hannah, who was our guide on day 1 and made my sons day by checking in on him on day 2 even though she was not our guide).
We arrived to find the end of a rainbow!
I highly recommend Owl for an amazing adventure.
Grand Adventure: Grandparents with Granddaughters It all started with an expressed desire,”I’d like to try cliff jumping.” Whitewater rafting with Owl Rafting was the adventure that ensued for us(74 and 75), and the girls, 16 and 18. Owl Rafting is like summer camp for grownups, with great meals, waterfront activities , campfires every night and a beautiful setting on the Ottawa River. Our rafting guide, Pete, made the day exhilarating and entertaining for our raft of 10—the adrenaline rush of running the rapids and surfing the rapids, the teamwork of paddling together, and enjoying swimming, floating downstream and jumping off the raft. We all loved it! Highlight of our vacation!
So much fun! I took my teenagers on the medium intensity trip. What a blast! Everything was well run from arrival time at 8:30 until we left around 4:30. The guides were friendly and knowledgeable, and happy to answer all of our questions. Thank you to our guide, Pete, for being amazing in every way! We felt safe on the rapids and had an awesome first time out. We’d love to do this again!
