We wanted to give back to the canoeing community and so we invite you to the 2026 Traversing x Canadian Canoe Museum Backcountry Canoe Symposium. Join us on Saturday April 11th to hear from some amazing guest speakers about their adventures in the outdoors. We hope you join us either in-person or virtually for an amazing day.
Guest Speakers
Ben Beauchamp: His YouTube description reads “Guy who likes to explore beautiful places and maybe catch a fish or two.” and in its simplicity, that accurately describes Ben’s canoeing adventures.
Kirsten Graham-May: Kirsten loves canoeing so much that she runs her own channel “Church of the Single Blade” to share her solo tripping experiences.
Her presentation will be - Backcountry Company: (Not-So-)Solo Paddling Adventures.
Eric Drost & Hilary Croft: Eric and his partner Hilary’s adventures sure showcase the beauty of Canada’s backcountry and everything it offers. Their adventures are well worth your time watching on Tailwinds North.
Their presentation will be - Big Lake Paddling on Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories.
Katrina Van Osch: Katrina is an avid outdoorswoman with a love for paddling the quiet lakes and winding rivers of Ontario. She is in her element when camping under the stars, embracing adventure, and building a meaningful connection with the natural world. Whether exploring by canoe, hiking remote trails, or simply listening to the sounds of the forest, Katrina feels most at home outdoors. Her passion is rooted in a lifelong appreciation for nature, self-reliance, and the freedom that comes from time spent in wild places.
Katrina’s presentation will be - Going Back to The Backcountry: Answering The Call of Nature
Location
When we were trying to find a place to host the event, we couldn’t think of a better location than the Canadian Canoe Museum and they thought so too! Located in Peterborough, Ontario the museum offers an incredible facility (fully accessible) with an exhibit hall open to all ticket holders.
There is ample free parking available a tiny walk just across the street
Bring your reusable bottle to fill up at the water refill station and don’t forget your coffee mug as the Silver Bean Cafe is available on the main floor to purchase hot drinks, baked goods or sandwiches. Feel free to bring your mugs/bottles/snacks into the symposium room, however not the exhibit hall.
In-Person Tickets
No matter where you live, we hope you can attend. There will be 150 in-person tickets available. The price of the in-person ticket covers entry into the museum, the symposium itself, AND full access to the gallery to see all of the museum’s exhibits.
Note: Last year ALL of our tickets sold out well before the event. We will have a waiting list, but also encourage everyone to purchase tickets well in advance if they wish to go.
Update: We have sold out of tickets! Thank you to everyone who has purchased one. We will let you know if there are any cancellations. There are still virtual tickets available to watch the symposium via live-stream.
Virtual Tickets
If you aren’t able to nab a ticket, or live too far away to see the symposium in-person we still want you to be a part of the day! We are offering an online-only ticket where you will have access to the livestream and still be able to post questions for the guest speakers or chat with fellow viewers.
This year we’re adding additional camera angles and the slides so that you will feel like you’re right in the museum watching. No matter where you live, we hope you can join us.
Time Table
10:00 - Doors open
10:30 - Symposium starts
10:45 - 1st guest speaker - Eric Drost & Hilary Croft
11:15 - Q&A
11:30 - 2nd guest speaker - Katrina van Osch
12:00 - Q&A
12:15 - Lunch
1:30 - 3rd Guest speaker - Ben Beauchamp
2:00 - Q&A
2:15 - 4th Guest speaker - Kirsten Graham-May
2:45 - Q&A
3:00 - All four guest speakers: Canoeist Tall Tales
3:30 - Symposium ends
5:00 - Museum closes
Vendors
New this year… we’re offering booth spaces for vendors! More details to come!
Lodging
Peterborough offers many local hotels a very short drive from the museum if you’re travelling from far away.
Special Thanks
We really want to thank everyone who has donated prizes for the event, your support means a lot! We have over $1000 in prizes (and growing) to give away as door prizes for in-person attendees!! Some of the prizes come from the following fantastic companies, please consider supporting them in turn…
