Act quickly, less than half of the 200 available seats remain.

Join us for an evening celebrating the pioneers, leaders, and champions of Southern Appalachian whitewater. The 2026 Induction Ceremony and Celebration brings together the paddling community for a social hour, dinner, and the formal induction of this year's class — all at the French Broad River Academy South Campus, next door to the newly opened Taylor's Wave whitewater park in Woodfin.

Highlights:

Social hour, followed by buffet Mexican dinner, followed by induction ceremony.
Advance registration required; space is limited to 300 people.

Our event site is next door to Taylor's Wave, the new in-stream whitewater park on the French Broad River. The wave may be formally open to the public for surfing by event time — we'll keep you posted as we get closer. Either way, the view from the upstream bridge is worth a quick look, so consider arriving early.

Dinner by Mamacita's — a taco bar with vegetarian options — is included with your $25 ticket. We have capacity for 200 guests, so register early to secure your spot.

Sam Fowlkes - Hall of Fame Class of 2022