Opening days are holidays for Minnesotans who hunt or fish or love professional baseball. Now, some canoeists are carving out a day to celebrate paddling in the same way. Organizers of the Mississippi River Paddling Weekend of races and touring have rebranded the June 13-15 event as the “Minnesota Paddling Opener.” The aim is simple, said Todd Foster, a co-organizer with friend Scott Miller. “How can we get as many people out on the water on the great Mississippi River?” The original event, created four years ago, centers on a 145-mile race downriver from Brainerd. There also are shorter distances (43, 20, 12) to accommodate a variety of skills and interests. All of the paddling concludes at Mississippi Point Park in Champlin, where the city will be celebrating its annual Father Hennepin Festival. Learn more in the full report by Bob Timmons by tapping the link in our bio. 📸 Brian Peterson/The Minnesota Star Tribune #paddle #minnesota #outdoors