Quiet Water Symposium

The Quiet Water Society is a 501C3 corporation founded to educate the public and encourage participation in non-motorized outdoor recreation; to promote public concern for the water resources of the Great Lakes region; to support environmental stewardship and conservation of natural resources; and to plan and execute annual and special events for any or all of the purposes listed in this section.

The Quiet Water Symposium celebrates non-motorized outdoor recreation and a shared concern for our Great Lakes Environment.

At the Symposium visitors will find presentations by world famous authors, photographers, and expedition travelers. Other presentations may cover skills, safety, local and distant destinations. There may be presentations on bicycling, sailing, diving, and history.

The Symposium has a wide range of exhibits on the show floor. You will find clubs and nature centers. Handcrafted and historic watercraft will be on display. Biking, hiking and water trails are represented. Conservation and watershed groups are available. A number of outfitters and liveries are represented to support your outdoor adventures. We have a growing selection of outdoor oriented retailers as well.

Verlen Kruger Award: The Verlen Kruger Award is given annually to a person (or persons ) who has supported and promoted conservation and paddle sports in Michigan. If you would like to nominate a recipient for the Verlen Kruger award please click HERE.

Presentations and demonstrations: We are always looking for presentations for future Symposiums. If you would like to make a presentation at a future Symposium, please click HERE. Our current schedule allows for four (4) 1 1/2 hour presentations and eight to ten 45 minute presentations. Our schedule for the upcoming Symposium is usually set by October, but we are always looking forward to future Symposiums.

Volunteering: The Symposium could not exist without a dedicated staff of volunteers. There is always for need for volunteers involved with long term planning and promotion of the Symposium. There is also a need for day of the show volunteers. If you would like to volunteer to help with the Symposium, please click HERE

For more information, please check the tabs above. We will usually begin to update the current year page in June for the coming year. Please check the History page for earlier Symposiums.

Exhibiting: Would you like to exhibit at the symposium? We would love to have you. Thanks to the support of Michigan State University and Agriculture and Natural Resources Week, we are able to provide exhibit space to individuals and non-profit organizations at no cost. There is a fee (listed on the sign up form) for commercial exhibitors. Please sign up HERE.

E-mail us with any questions.