The Canoe Kayak Nova Scotia TOB125 Parade of Paddlers, ascending the Pijinuiskaq / LaHave River on September 22, 2024. Photo: Town of Bridgewater.
The LaHave River will once again be filled with colour later this month as the Pijinuiskaq Paddle Festival returns for its second year.
The event builds on the success of 2024’s inaugural Parade of Paddlers, which drew more than 170 people onto the water.
Organizers say this year it has grown into a two-day festival with clinics, cultural programming, and the main group paddle.
Economic Development Officer Donna Hatt says the community response made it clear the event should become a tradition. “Year one was such an overwhelming success. The colours, the excitement, the energy on the river – people immediately asked if we’d be doing it again.”
The festival kicks off on Saturday, September 20 with clinics run by Cape LaHave Adventures. Beginner and advanced workshops will be offered in kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, rescue skills, and adaptive paddling. “This is really about helping more people learn how to safely access the river,” Hatt said.
On Sunday, September 21, the Parade of Paddlers departs from Shipyards Landing at 11:30 a.m.
The route is about two kilometres long, passing under both of Bridgewater’s bridges before returning to the waterfront. Paddlers are asked to check in by 10 a.m., with welcoming remarks at 11.
Organizers are also emphasizing the river’s cultural significance. Members of the Labrador family will return to open the event with song and ceremony, honouring the Mi’kmaq name for the river, Pijinuiskaq, meaning “having long joints or branches.”
Donna Hatt with the Town of Bridgewater says the second annual Pijinuiskaq Parade of Paddlers will improve on the success of the inaugural event. Photo: Evan Taylor.
Alongside canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards, larger craft will make the event more accessible. “Thanks to our partnership with the South Shore Multicultural Association, we’ll again have the 10-person canoes, and this year a dragon boat is joining as well,” Hatt said. “It means people who might not feel confident going out alone can still take part.”
The parade is free to enter.
Spectators are encouraged to gather along the waterfront or at Pijinuiskaq Park downtown to cheer paddlers on.
Organizers hope the weekend will build on the town’s connection to the river, offering both a fun spectacle and a reminder of the waterway’s heritage and recreational value.
