Join us for the 4th Annual Women’s Paddlefest hosted by the NOC!

Mark your calendars for June 2-4, 2023!

A weekend to connect, rejuvenate, paddle and share.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR 2023

All skill levels and water craft welcome!

Donations and registration benefit the Shannon Christy Memorial Fund, an organization that supports women’s empowerment non-profits.

Your registration includes: a t-shirt, dinner, 1 raffle ticket and shuttles for river trips! Additional raffle tickets can be purchased on-site so bring cash to buy tickets and increase your chances of walking away with a new kayak, paddle and gear!

Raffle Prizes!

• Dagger boat of choice
• Werner paddle
• NRS Gear
• Rumple blanket
• Orion cooler
• Funluvin fleecewear skirts and shorts
• and more!!!

New for 2023! 

Lake Paddle Guided Excursion–  Join professional women instructors for a guided lake excursion paddle with a stand up paddleboard or sit on top kayak, included with the activity! If you’re newer to paddling or not quite ready for whitewater, select a lake paddle and also enjoy the rest of the festivities. 

Paddlefest Scholarship- This year, we are offering scholarships for BIPOC women to attend and stay onsite. See below for details and to apply.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR 2023

Festival Schedule: 

Friday

6 – 8 p.m. Check in around Tree Top Nets by Big Wesser at NOC

Saturday

7:15 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. Yoga for Paddling with Anna (limited to 15)

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Last chance to check in!

9:30 – 10 a.m. Mandatory meeting of all festival participants 🙂

10:15 a.m. Shuttles to leave for Ocoee, Nantahala and Tuck Gorge and the Lake Fontana. Paddle, enjoy, make friends and return back to NOC in the afternoon. Bring your own lunch and snacks for the river and lake trips!

6:30 p.m. – Dinner provided by NOC

7:30 p.m. The BIG RAFFLE!! This is your chance to win big. We’ve got a Dagger boat of choice, a Werner Sherpa, NRS gear and more to raffle off! More prizes will be announced as we get closer to the date!

8:30 p.m. Campfire hosted at Gorgeous Stays.

Sunday

8 – 9 a.m. Yoga for Paddling with Anna

9:15 – 10:45 a.m. Coffee talk in the shop! Let’s talk confidence, community and leadership for women in whitewater.

11:15 a.m. – Shuttle up the Nantahala for an informal paddle

Remembering Shannon: Kayaking and Faith

Shannon Christy Memorial Fund Facebook Page

Age Limit?

We’d love to have as many ladies and their mamas, and little ladies join us for snacks and the raffle at the end! Due to the awesomely large turnout of ladies on the water, we ask that children be at least 12 years of age to participate, competent swimmers and accompanied by an adult guardian.

Interested in at Tax Deductible Donation?

The Shannon Christy Memorial Fund lives at the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina and donations are tax-deductible. All donations will support organizations/grants that empower women and girls in the outdoors and build confidence. Tax deductible gifts can be made out to the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina with ‘Shannon Christy Memorial Fund’ written in the memo. Checks can be sent to the following address:

Non-profits we’ve supported through the Shannon Christy Memorial Fund:

• Outdoor Afro
• Our Voice, rape crisis center
• The American Canoe Association elite female slalom athlete grant
• Ascend (sponsored 2 young Afghan girls who resettled in Western North Carolina in 2021)
• The American Canoe Association diversity, equity and inclusion program fund
• GALS NC
• Sarah Ruehlen Memorial Fund
  

Thanks to our generous sponsors!