Provided
BaseCamp returns to Winona at the wondrous workshop of Sanborn Canoe on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Among stacked canoes and paddles, this camp features makers, music, and Minnesota merriment. BaseCamp is presented by Sanborn Canoe and Northern Glasses. Both brands are committed to “using their businesses to leave the world behind better than they found it.”
Each year, they invite folks to celebrate summer, Minnesota roots, and the notion that good things take time to make by hand. Events like BaseCamp remind us that the spirit of Minnesota can be felt in even the smallest ripple of a canoe paddle and that goods made by hand have the power to connect us to maker and the community that is built around those goods.
The day includes local bites and sips including Winona’s Island City Brewing and Emiliani Coffee and a maker marketplace of goods from across the region. Tour the Sanborn Canoe shop and watch just how those remarkable canoes and paddles are crafted. If getting out on the open water is your definition of summer, hop on a shuttle and head to the Minnesota River where you can spend a little time on the water in a Sanborn Canoe.
We spoke with Sanborn Canoe founder Todd Randal about why this event means so much to him. “I love the energy in the air when a bunch of people get together to celebrate something they love,” he says. “There haven’t been many opportunities for that in the past couple years so I’m especially excited for that this year. Beyond that, I’m really proud of the artists and craftsmen who work in our shop and the incredible things we make together. Inviting people into that space to share what we’re creating is a real joy. That’s true as well with the various vendors who’ll be joining us for the day. They put so much of themselves into their work you can’t help but get excited about it. That’s true whether it’s talking about folks making a sandwich, a wallet, a baseball bat, or a cup of coffee. Yeah, it’s going to be a fun day kicking off a Minnesota summer. “
A portion of all sales are invested into Friends of the Boundary Waters and Winona Outdoor Collaborative, two non-profits that share in Sanborn and Northern Glasses’ belief that experiencing the outdoors is a right and privilege that every generation deserves.
Find more details at sanborncanoe.com/base-camp and watch my previous At The Makers Table interview with Randal here.
