I too will not be attending. Plan to be in the SW at that time. Who would have thunk it?

Hello, all--

I'm not sure if word has gotten out beyond Madison, but Darren is closing Rutabaga by the end of 2025.

He'll keep running Canoecopia, but he's getting out of retail to pursue a new career in hospice chaplaincy.

Not sure what the long-term impact on the Copia will be, but it is interesting news.

He said he needs to get rid of inventory, so I'll head over soon to see what kind of deals he has going.

It's kind of sad to lose our best retail outlet for paddle sports here in Madison.

Here's an article from Paddling Magazine:

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I saw a similar thing happen a few years ago when Midwest Mountaineering closed in Minneapolis. They ran Spring and Fall Outdoor Adventure Expos with speakers and exhibitors similar to Copia. They were never on the same scale as Copia. When they closed, the owner made a similar pledge to keep the Expos. I think they had a Spring Expo, then announced it wasn’t viable to keep it going. Basically, without the retail store, it didn’t make financial sense to continue. I enjoyed speaking at their Expos also. I’m not doubting that they will have a Copia next year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it may be the last. It’s a huge financial commitment to run the show. I have decided to not apply to be a speaker next year.

I am not trying to discourage anyone from making Copia plans. By all means plan to attend Copia. Who knows? I may decide closer to time to take it in. I’m just not willing to do the advance work.

If they hold it, I'll go.