20th Annual Paddles Up Niagara ~ Saturday July 25, 2026 (Rain date is July 26, 2026)
Online Registration: Opens Monday June 1 and closes at 12 noon on Thursday July 23, 2026.
Event Location: Beaver Island State Park, Grand Island, NY (Park entrance fee $7 effective 9am)
When: Saturday July 25 from 7am to 1pm, or beyond to enjoy the beach & park amenities.
During the event, there will be some great raffle prizes, including a complete kayak package with paddle and two life jackets, 5 $100 gift cards to Bert's Bikes, and more!
Check in: at Shelter 2B, unless otherwise stated
NOTE: Participants should opt in for notifications, such cancellation due to weather, from Grand Island Town Recreation Department website (free account). Visit website to alerts!
* IF your plans change, PLEASE cancel your reservation before 12 noon Friday July 24, so someone on the waiting list can be notified to have a spot!
*FREE T-SHIRT* for the first 200 registrants
Need a kayak: Rent a Kayak in advance from Blue Water Marina: 716-773-7884; website: https://www.bluewatermarinagi.com/
What’s it about: Paddles Up Niagara is a family friendly, safe way to experience the natural areas and unique habitats of the Niagara River. Whether you are a novice or an experienced paddler, you will enjoy spending the morning with an enthusiastic paddling community. The safety team keeps us on track and out of harm’s way of motorboats. Continue the celebration by visiting with the many exhibitors and vendors to learn more about our waterways and green spaces. Stick around for some refreshments and raffle prize drawings!
All youth participants must be accompanied by an adult.
**Each Eco-Paddle tour is limited to 15 participants each.
7:00 AM - Paddle Eco-tour Lite #1; (registration required) Tour Guide: Paul Leuchner - Check in and launch from East River Marsh; This tour will have all the wildlife viewing but with less paddling. It is meant for beginners or those who are more interested in learning about the habitat. This tour will take up to 1 hour and is for people aged 12+. Please be ready to depart from launch site 10 minutes prior to start time.
7:00 AM - Paddle Eco-tour #2; (registration required) Tour Guide: Joe Menter - launch from beach; The eco-tours #2 and #3 begin at Beaver Island beach and are a bit longer and more strenuous than the Eco-tour Lite. They are meant for more intermediate to advanced paddlers. These tours can take up to 2 hours. All Eco-tours are designed to be smaller in size, so everyone can hear the guide interprets plants and animal life as they guide the group through habitats around Beaver Island. Spaces are limited so please register early and only if you know you can attend. Both Eco-tour #2 & #3 are for people age 12+
7:30 AM - Paddle Eco-tour #3; (registration required) Tour Guide: Erin Redding ~ launch from beach
8:00 AM - Hike Eco-tour; (registration required) Guides: Edward Fuchs; The Eco-tour Hike will be lead by members of the Niagara Frontier Botanical Society, it will begin at shelter 2B and walk to River Lea and the Allenton Farm. From there it will continue down the East River Trail, to the Kayak launch and then return to shelter 2B. The expert guides will identify and discuss trees, shrubs and flowering plants along the way. It is an easy walk on level ground. This hike is limited to 16 participants.
8:00 AM and 8:30 AM - Kayak Trial Sessions; (registration required) Instructors: Liz Nelson & Holly Henderson; launch from beach; These sessions are offered by NY State Parks staff, who perform regular learn to Kayak sessions throughout the summer. If you have ever wondered what it would feel like to sit in a kayak in the water, now is your chance to experience just that! Our expert trainers will walk you through how to get into a kayak and how to paddle correctly. Kayaks and PDFs will be provided. These sessions are offered to anyone age 10 and up and are limited to 10 participants at a time. Please register for one of the two sessions.
8:00 AM and 9:00 AM - Sport Fishing Sessions; (registration required) Ladders to the Outdoors: Meet at Sledding Hill; Experienced fishermen will be on hand to answer questions and show you how to fish, all equipment is provided and NO fishing permit is required. Please register for one of the two sessions.
NEW!! 9:30 AM - 10:00 PM - Historical Boat Anchorage by Buffalo Maritime Center & Niagara Frontier Antique and Classic Boats Chapter; ?View and hear about antique & classic motorboats and historical paddling craft, including an 8-person voyager canoe and a birch bark canoe, that will be anchored right off the shore of the launch site. You will have an opportunity to see the boats up close as the Fun Paddle route will paddle right past them.
NEW! 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM FREE E-Bike Trials; Bert’s Bikes & Fitness will be onsite offering free e-bike trials at the Paddles Up Niagara event. If you have ever thought about purchasing an e-bike now is the perfect time to try it out! Take one for a spin around the very safe environment of Beaver Island State Park.
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM - Exhibitors & Vendors; visit the organizational partners that will be exhibiting important water safety equipment & information, sharing environmental resources and other interesting facts about our unique and precious natural resource that surrounds WNY, our Great Lakes and the Niagara River! Participating organizations include; Adirondack Mountain Club Niagara Frontier Chapter, Dick's House of Sports, Bert's Bikes, Wegmans, Citizen Coalition for Wildlife & Environment, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, WNY Land Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Black Rock Riverside Alliance, WNY PRISM, Department of Environmental Conservation, Niagara Frontier Surfrider, Ladders to the Outdoors, Buffalo Museum of Science, Erie County Climate Action, CW Native Botanicals and Buffalo Maritime Center.
10:30 AM - Fun Paddle!! (registration required) The large Fun Paddle leaves from Beaver Island beach goes past the Marina, around Little Beaver Island, and then back to the launch site. This session is unique because it is a very large group, possibly the largest in NY State all launching at the same time! We have safety paddlers to help guide the group along the route and the Park Police and GI Fire Department on motorboats to keep motorboats away from the paddlers. All youth participants under age 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Free admission to Grand Island Historical Museum at River Lea! Paddles Up participants will have the opportunity to step back in time and see what it was like living on Grand Island during the 1800's, when Grover Cleveland's uncle, Lewis Allen, built the mansion, that is now called River Lea. If you have been inside River Lea in the past, you may want to make another visit because it has gone through some changes with new displays. To follow recent developments with the museum and historical society visit: http://www.isledegrande.com/historicalsociety/historicalsociety.php
For more information on this event visit: https://www.niagararivergreenway.com/paddles-up