Sponsored by Protect American River Canyons (PARC), the 2026 World Tour Paddling Film Festival includes many international award winners. Photo courtesy of Auburn State Theatre


AUBURN, CA (MPG) - Cinema at the State presents The 2026 World Tour The Paddling Film Festival this July. The Paddling Film Festival has been showcasing the very best paddling films since 2006. Be inspired to explore rivers, lakes and oceans, push extremes, appreciate wild places and embrace the paddling lifestyle. Then, go paddling. We’re pretty sure you’ll want to.

Sponsored by Protect American River Canyons (PARC), the 2026 World Tour Paddling Film Festival includes many international award winners. Including the Winner of Best Canoeing Film, “1,000 Miles To Tuk” where Niki Choo and her partner take on a 1,000-mile journey from the Pacific to the Arctic testing their endurance, their bond and the limits of what’s possible. The winner of Best Instructional Film, “How to Self-Rescue On a Paddleboard” demonstrating how to safely get back on your paddleboard and to shore in the event of a spill. The winner of Best Short Film, filmed on the South Fork of the American River in California, "Patso" about a celebration of what is possible when we embrace the river community around us. The winner of Best Documentary, "A Little Bit Different," a compelling documentary that follows a group of Afghan refugees and U.S. teens through a shared transformative river rafting expedition on the Main Salmon River in Idaho.

Other featured films include, "Riverbound – The Storybook Has Just Begun” about Yak, a former pro guide and expert kayaker who becomes a paraplegic after a canyoning accident. Can packrafting give him the freedom to run rivers again? And the special jury mention film, “Gabon Uncharted," a wild, unfiltered and occasionally damp exploration of what happens when online legends are dropped into offline chaos.

Be inspired to explore rivers, lakes and oceans, push extremes, appreciate wild places and embrace the paddling lifestyle. Photo courtesy of Auburn State Theatre

The 2026 World Tour Paddling Festival takes place on Friday, July 24 at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m. The festival will be located at the Auburn Veterans Memorial Hall on 100 East Street in Auburn, CA. Tickets are $15 with a $2 fee and the festival is expected to run 1 hour and 58 minutes. 

You can purchase tickets online at auburnstatetheatre.org or call 530-885-0156