MADISON, Wis. - Most rivers and lakes in the area may be frigid, but that makes it the perfect time to travel to Canoecopia in Madison, Wis., to be immersed - figuratively speaking - in everything to do with kayaking and canoeing.

Think of a Thanksgiving cornucopia overflowing with fruits and vegetables. Canoecopia is overflowing with canoes, kayaks, paddles and other paddling-related equipment and information.

Billed as the world's largest paddlesports exposition, the show March 7-9 at the Alliant Energy Center includes 2 1/2 days of speakers and product demonstrations in the convention hall and presentations in the pool at the adjacent Clarion Hotel.

The 100,000-square-foot retail area in the main hall has everything imaginable - and a few things you can't imagine - related to paddling, plus representatives of guide services, schools and destinations.

This is an event for beginners and experienced paddlers alike. It's an opportunity to see new products, ask questions, learn new things and be inspired.

The show is put together by Rutabaga, a canoe/kayak shop on the south side of Madison. Megan Pfeiffer of Rutabaga, whose business card says "Jane of All Trades," said 400 exhibitors and vendors and 50 to 60 speakers will attend.

"The energy is really powerful," Pfeiffer said as she described what it's like to have 23,000 paddlers who have been "cooped up all winter" descend on Madison for the weekend.

At any given point, there will presentations going on in eight different rooms and adjacent exhibition areas.

For those who hope there s'more to camp food than freeze-dried beef stroganoff and GORP, you're in luck. This year there will be a competition between cooks using camping stoves and cook sets that Pfeiffer calls "The Aluminum Chef Culinary Cookoff." The idea is to "show people you can create wonderful dishes" while camping, using common food from the store, she said.

"There's a great education aspect to the show that we're proud of," Pfeiffer said.

Speakers cover everything from canoeing in the Ozarks to circling Ireland in a kayak, trips for teens to paddling with physical handicaps and skills including rolling, rescues, fishing and photography. The speakers are the big attraction for Lorrie Prothero of Clinton. She and her husband, Float, go through the speaker schedule and mark which ones to attend. If two look good at the same time, she said, "he'll go to one and I'll go to another."

Her advice, in addition to marking the schedule, is to "be there before the door opens - be first on the floor."

Marty Seigel of Bloomington said, "Sometimes it's fun to hear experts contradict other experts. It gives you permission to paddle as you please."

David Stjern of Springfield, who, like Seigel and the Protheros, is a member of the Mackinaw Canoe Club, likes learning new things or how to improve an existing skill. But, "Just as importantly, vicariously sharing paddling trips to exotic locales I am unlikely to ever visit."

Among the "exotic locales" to be featured at this year's Canoecopia are the South Nahanni River in Canada's Northwest Territories, Scandinavia's Norwegian Sea, Baja California and the Orange River along the border of South Africa and Namibia. There are also programs about the Boundary Waters in Minnesota, the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior, the Lower Wisconsin River system and, even closer to home, "The Art & Science of Coordinating After-Work Paddle Trips."

All the action isn't necessarily at the Alliant Center or even related to Canoecopia. The Bike-O-Rama show is going on at the same time at the arena just southeast of the main building. And, check out the vehicles in the parking lot. There are commonly many cars with boats on top carrying a "for sale" sign.

Stjern and the Protheros usually like to include a trip to The Paddlin' Shop, another Madison store, which allows test paddling of boats if the adjacent Yahara River is unfrozen. They are located at 202 S. Dickinson St.

A party and film premiere of "Toxic Waters," a story of wild rides down rivers in North and South America, will be at 8 p.m. March 8 at the High Noon Saloon, 701 E. Washington Ave., in downtown Madison.

"It's hard to get people to start going to it (Canoecopia)," Lorrie Prothero said, "but, when people do start going, they keep going."

This year will be the seventh or eighth time she has been there. Stjern and his wife, Mary, will be going for the ninth time.

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Tips for your 1st time at Canoecopia

By Lenore S. Sobota | lsobota@pantagraph.com

Planning your "expedition" to Canoecopia:

Choosing a good parking spot is as important as choosing a good campsite on a paddling trip. If you intend to shop, select a space near the exit doors (toward the middle to left side of the building) rather than close to the entrance on the right side. You won't have as far to "portage" your packages.

Before the doors open to the main exhibit hall, you can check out booths in the hallway representing government agencies, paddling clubs and other organizations.

Once the doors open, make a quick run through, signing up for good raffles and collecting freebies. This is also the time to check the sale tables and special deals, which will be picked over by the last day.

You don't need to shop. The speakers alone are worth the trip. In fact, you should get a schedule and mark which speakers you want to hear.

Go to any presentation with Kevin Callan, even if you have no intention of going to the place he talks about. This Canadian canoeist and guidebook author is hilarious. This year's topic is, "Kopka River: Ontario's Unsung Canoe Route."

Broaden your horizons - kayakers should attend at least one program that emphasizes canoes and canoeists should attend at least one presentation on kayaking, quiet water paddlers should check out a whitewater presentation and vice versa.

Cloth carrying bags are available to hold all your goodies. You can put your name on duct tape to mark your bag and place it on a shelf when you leave the sales area to listen to a speaker. That way, you don't have go through the checkout line and run to your car with your items.

Remember where you placed your bag. In a sea of identical bags, they can be difficult to relocate - especially after they have been shifted to make room.

Don't be intimidated by long checkout lines. They move rather quickly. But don't wait until too late in the day to pay for merchandise.

Just like on a canoe or kayak trip, you need to eat regularly to survive Canoecopia. There is food for sale. However, it also helps to bring a few energy bars and find the water fountains. Most important, seek the food demonstration areas, where you can score free samples.

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If you go

What: Canoecopia Paddlesports Expo

When: March 7-9

Where: Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis. Take Interstate 90 to U.S. 12/18 westbound; go about four miles to the John Nolen Drive exit.

What to expect: The emphasis is on canoeing and kayaking with presentations in seven convention center rooms and the swimming pool in the adjacent Clarion Hotel, product demonstrations and exhibitors representing manufacturers, destinations, guides and outfitters, schools, government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Hours: 4 to 9 p.m. March 7; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 8; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 9.

Admission: Adult, $10/day, $15/weekend; children 17 and under, free.

Parking: $4.75

Need a break?: If riding on two wheels also floats your boat, the Bike-O-Rama sale is going on at the same time at the adjacent arena. Admission is free and you have already paid for parking.

More information: www.canoecopia.com