The Brookville Canoefest traces its roots back to 1963, born from a fierce local passion for competitive racing along the scenic Whitewater River.
Though heavily associated with Brookville today, the original racing tradition originated in Metamora, Indiana, serving as a thrilling point-to-point race. Paddlers originally launched into the river’s West Fork near Metamora, battling downstream through a challenging, natural 16-mile stretch of the Whitewater Valley. It was during these gritty early years that Brookville legend Al Brown created the event’s iconic traveling trophy for the traditional C-2 Standard and Aluminum race winners. Hand-engraved with every champion’s name dating back to that inaugural 1963 launch, this massive monument to paddling history is widely considered one of the largest and most legendary canoe racing trophies in the world.
As the regional landscape evolved, particularly with the mid-1970s construction of the Brookville Lake reservoir, the race adapted its path. Over time, organizers established a transition to the river’s East Fork spillway corridor, shifting the competitive epicenter closer to Brookville. The event ultimately codified its modern 6.6-mile championship course, launching below the reservoir tailwater and stretching down to Cedar Grove.
For decades, this event remained a pure, hard-fought test of endurance under strict United States Canoe Association (USCA) rules, cementing the Whitewater Valley’s reputation as a premier destination for competitive midwestern paddlesports long before it transformed into a modern town festival.