Many thanks to all who attended for another wildly successful Palmer Fest! Check out these photos and fun stats from this past Victoria Day long weekend in our ultra-high-tech festival review: Palmer Fest—By the Numbers.

On the May 24 weekend, the Paddler Co-op in Palmer Rapids, Ontario, was transformed into tent city and party central as nearly 400 paddlers and exhibitors made their homes under the pines.

For the next 48 hours, the sun shone, temperatures soared, the bugs stayed away and paddlers of every skill and discipline enjoyed the warm water, friendly instructors and challenging rapids of the beautiful Madawaska River. More event info here.

“I think this one will go down in history as the best Palmer Fest ever,” was a sentiment repeated by many of the sixth annual Rapid Media Palmer Fest's participants and exhibitors. The thank you emails are flooding our inbox (it’s okay, keep them coming) as Palmer Festers tell us about their awesome weekend experience.

And now, what you've been waiting for...

Palmer Fest By the Numbers

330 – Participants enrolled in whitewater canoeing and kayaking clinics

145 – Participants trying whitewater for the first time

30 – Kids participating in whitewater kayaking clinics

14 – Kids in daycare so that parents could participate in on-water clinics

45 – Number of instructors teaching at Palmer Fest

9,000 -  Dollars paid to instructors for teaching at Palmer Fest

1 – Number of instructors who didn’t show up (you know who you are)

28 – The daily high in degrees celcius

26 – Degrees celcuis warmer than last year’s daily high at Palmer Fest

7.25 – Kegs of Steam Whistle downed on Saturday night

.75 – Kegs of Steam Whistle downed by Rapid Media and Paddler Co-op staff Sunday night

690 – Dollars raised by Paddler Co-op Silent Auction for KidActive canoe and kayak camps

73 – Hamburgers eaten by Rapid Media staff at Paddler Co-op BBQ

500 – Dollars donated by Rapid Media to the recreation centre rehabilitation project in Palmer Rapids

50 – Length of Confluence Sales Rep Andrew Sterling’s boat trailer in feet

5’6” – Height of Andrew Sterling (on his tip toes)

3 – Number of encores played by The Fireweed Company

28 – Number of exhibitors at Palmer Fest

43 – CMS running through the Madawaska River this Palmer Fest

120-200 – CMS usually running through the Madawaska River this weekend

475 – Number of whitewater canoes and kayaks on the Madawaska River during Palmer Fest clinics

0 – Number of fistfights that broke out due to the high volume of paddlers on the river

50 – Per cent of people who learned to roll in two-hour rolling clinics

22 – Trucks and other 4x4s parked in “wimpy car” parking area (you know who you are)

0 – Cars that needed to be pulled out of parking area

2 - Number of paddlers who were rude to local residents

2 - Number of different paddlers who say this and apologized to local residents on behalf of all paddlers

1 – Number of bikini bottoms found near campfire Sunday morning

16 - Number of takes to shoot the 15-second intro to Rapid Media TV episode four

See lots more images from the festival in our Palmer Fest Photo Album and be sure to upload your own pictures from the weekend to the Gallery. Also, watch for a Palmer Fest Special in the next episode of Rapid Media TV.

We'd love to hear about your weekend so please leave us a note in the comments section below. Thanks again for a great Palmer Fest 2010 and see you all next year!

Photo Credits Virginia Marshall