The Big Paddle: Two Cities, One River

Riverways Collaboration and the Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild will co-host The Big Paddle: Two Cities, One River on Saturday, September 6, 2025, from 7:30 AM to 2:00 PM, with a rain date of Sunday, September 21. This 10-mile paddle up the Delaware River will start at Pyne Poynt Park in Camden, New Jersey, and finish at Pleasant Hill Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The event celebrates the region’s shared love of the river while promoting more recreational opportunities in urban natural areas.

The Big Paddle welcomes kayakers and canoers looking for both adventure and community connection. Rest stops and on-water support will be provided along the route, and the day will conclude with a celebration at Pleasant Hill Park. Participants can bring their own kayak, rent one, or join a crew aboard 9-person voyager canoes for a unique group experience.

Riverways Collaboration is a consortium of nonprofit organizations—including Bartram’s Garden, The Center for Aquatic Sciences, Discovery Pathways, Glen Foerd, LandHealth Institute, and UrbanPromise USA—that work together to connect communities to waterways and increase safe, equitable access to the Philadelphia-Camden on-water trail network.

The Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild, co-host of the event, is dedicated to preserving and sharing maritime history through hands-on experiences aboard its historic vessels, Jupiter and Gazela Primeiro. Together, these organizations invite the public to join in a memorable day on the water, celebrating the Delaware River as a vital resource that links two cities, their communities, and their shared history.