Canoecopia’s History & Future, with Darren Bush
6-minute read
Paddling enthusiasts throughout North America likely know about Canoecopia, the massive paddlesports expo held in Madison, Wisconsin every March. We recently sat down with Darren Bush, the driving force behind Canoecopia, to get an inside look at its history and future.
A whole crowd of happy paddlers at Canoecopia 2025
Darren has been with Rutabaga Paddlesports, the expo’s host, since 1990, and its sole owner since 2007. While he’s in the process of selling Rutabaga so he can focus on a completely different career, he’ll remain involved as long as he needs to for a smooth transition for both the store and the expo.
But we’ll let you hear more about that from Darren himself. Here’s our interview with Darren Bush:
BENDING BRANCHES: Tell us a little of the history and growth of Canoecopia.
DARREN: Canoecopia started with “meet the folks who built the boats.” The presidents and the founders of the boat companies would come to the old shop down on Park Street with a trailer full of boats. They would have people come in to talk about them and buy a boat.
And then it grew. In the beginning, we had one speaker room when it was at the Dane County Forum. We eventually moved it to Alliant Energy Center, and now we have 8 or 9 speaker rooms going for the entire event.
We get between 15 and 20 thousand people from all over the place. COVID knocked us back a little bit, but we were back to our old numbers again two years ago. It’s the biggest in the United States. And I don't think there's any other place that does anything like this.
BRANCHES: What type of paddler benefits the most from the event?
DARREN: All of them. Experts are fun, but if I really have to decide, I'd say it's beginners. They can start with, “I don't know anything,” and go to classes on how to pick a kayak, where to go first, safety, and things like that. And then they go out to the vendor hall to buy the product and know how to use it, so they feel comfortable.
A splendor of canoes
The alternative is they go to the hardware store or whatever and buy a $299 kayak. And they don't know what they don't know, right? And then they go in April when it's warm, but the water's cold, and they tip over and bad things happen.
So our goal with Canoecopia is to educate people. If we teach them how to use stuff, they're gonna be grateful for that. So it's not a hard sell. It's a “we want everybody to be safe.”
BRANCHES: How do the vendors benefit the most?
DARREN: Well, they sell stuff, which is obviously the case. But the real benefit is that it's kind of the bellwether of the industry. It’s the first time consumers are seeing their product. And because it's in March, the vendors get to be there and watch how people react to their product.
A lot of times, the owners, CEOs and sales managers of the company are there just to watch. They might interact with customers a little bit, but mostly they're watching them interact with the product.
Last year, we had over 200 businesses in the 100,000-square-foot vendor hall. The speakers' rooms hold another 50, and the lobby is full of about 40 non-profits.
The Branches team at Canoecopia 2025 (photo courtesy of Bending Branches)
BRANCHES: There's been news recently about your plans to sell Rutabaga. Will Canoecopia continue under new ownership?
DARREN: It's gonna keep going with the same level of customer service that I've had. The right person will get it. That's my commitment to the store and to the staff that this is going to continue to have the same ethos. I’m not gonna sell it to some millionaire who wants a plaything.
I decided that part of the community is the business and part is Canoecopia. They need to stay linked. So when I transition out and a new person comes in, they will be doing Canoecopia. I also don't want it to be the Darren show. I want it to be the Canoecopia show.
I'm working on the 2026 event now. I'll hold the new owner’s hand through it and show them how to do it. And if something happens in September and they’re really confused, I can come back. But I'll do whatever it takes to make sure this thing succeeds.
A Canoecopia clinic, 2025
BRANCHES: You’re deeply involved in chaplaincy and hospice work. How has that connected to your work at Rutabaga?
DARREN: People have asked me, “What's the number one thing that's important in hospice work?” I say that people need to be seen, be heard, and be loved. Wait a second. That's true for everything.
When I'm in the shop and there's someone who's clearly struggling with pain or whatever, I say about half the time, “Just go outside and sit on the dock. Whether you buy a boat or not isn't as important as the fact that right now you're suffering. So let's figure out how to get around that.”
I have to look in the mirror every day and feel good about what I do. So I can't be that person who sells out. Whether you buy a boat from me or not isn't as important as the fact that right now you're suffering.
That's what my life is. It's just gonna change who I do it with. I just want people to be happy and at peace, and if I can help with that, great.
[Darren is selling Rutabaga to become a part-time hospice chaplain.]
BRANCHES: Do you have any personal paddling goals for the near future?
DARREN: For 2026, it's decompress. I've got several trips booked to Italy. I'm writing a book. For 2027, I'm starting to talk to friends about, “Okay, we've been saying for years we're gonna paddle together. Finally we get to do this.”
Darren and his wife, Stephanie
If You’ve Never Been to Canoecopia
If you’ve never been to Canoecopia, March 13-15, 2026 is your next chance! It will take place, again, in the Alliant Energy Center Exposition Hall in Madison, Wisconsin.
There are two main parts of this huge event. The first is the main hall filled with canoes, kayaks and paddleboards, plus outdoor gear and clothing. Many of the vendors introduce their newest products at this event and offer some great discounts.
(We’re there every year, so be sure to stop in and say howdy!)
The second part is the education that all participants have access to. There are over 100 presentations and clinics on topics from gear to skills to destinations to camp cooking to anything you can imagine about the paddling world.
Join paddling enthusiasts from all over the world who come to this event annually for the event itself, as well as the joy of being with others in the paddling community.
Learn more and register here • Follow Canocopia’s Facebook page
Our thanks to Darren Bush for his time in this interview and for the years he’s invested in the paddling community! You’ll find Darren on Substack and Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Canoecopia and Darren Bush, except where noted.
What paddling questions can our friendly Customer Service team help you with? Contact us at 715-755-3405 or bbinfo@bendingbranches.com, or choose our online chat option.
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