The 50th Annual Lakeside Event

Canada’s Longest Running Light Aviation Meet

August 8th, 2026  •  Rain day: August 9th

Mt. Swansea & James Chabot Beach, Lake Windermere (Invermere, BC)

Register to Fly Now

Our StoryHalf a Century of Flight

"Another fantastic sunny & hot year in the forecast for the 50th ANNUAL LAKESIDE EVENT! Wow, who can believe it’s been 50 years? Max and myself-Frank have been organizing this for the last 25 years with the help of so many great people in the Invermere paragliding and hangliding community. It will be held again In Invermere, BC at James Chabot Beach."

What started five decades ago has grown into the longest-running hang gliding and paragliding meet in North America. Hosted by the Columbia Valley Hang Gliding and Paragliding Society, the Lakeside Event draws top-tier pilots from across Western Canada and around the globe, alongside thousands of spectators who gather on the shores of beautiful Lake Windermere.

Whether you are launching from the peaks of Mt. Swansea to test your precision landing skills, or relaxing on James Chabot Beach enjoying the action, the Lakeside Event is a legendary summer tradition built on community, aviation, and pure fun.

The Lakeside Events is family friendly, join us to watch from James Chabot Beach.

Lakeside Even

What to ExpectThe Spectacle

From 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, pilots will launch from Mt. Swansea and descend over Lake Windermere, aiming for precision targets right on James Chabot Beach.

Lakeside Even

What’s Included:

  • The Target Landing Contest: Put your skills to the test against Western Canada’s best pilots.
  • Prizes & Glory: Trophies and special prizes up for grabs for Hang Gliding & Paragliding accuracy, plus the legendary “Big Splash” trophy.
  • Post-Flight Celebration: Wrap up an incredible day of flying with a dinner, official awards ceremony and live music at the Lions Hall up at the CrossRoads.

Not a pilot? Come watch! Relax on the beach, enjoy the festivities with live music at the Lions Hall, and cheer on the pilots.

Join UsRegister to Fly

Secure your spot for the historic 50th annual fly-in. Registration fees go directly toward supporting the event and maintaining the upper hiking trails, summit facilities, and landing zones at Mt. Swansea.

BIG AFTER PARTY.

We have again booked the Lions Community Hall. We will be providing a great meal and will be bringing back the Electric Squirrels rock cover band. This will start at the community hall at 6 PM. Awards will be presented after dinner.

Early Bird Registration Before August 7th $80 CAD
Late Registration August 7th and after $100 CAD
Additional Guest Awards & Dinner Ticket Per person $30 CAD

Entry Fee Includes

How to Register (2 Simple Steps)

1

Send Your Registration Details via Email

Drop a line to with these essentials:

  • Full Name
  • HPAC #
  • Phone Number
  • HPAC Rating & Membership number (minimum is a P2/H2 rating)
  • Wing type (HG or PG), model and color
  • Since when are you flying
  • What is your local flying site

If you are visiting from outside of Canada and you do not have HPAC insurance you can purchase a temporary insurance at the event registration.

This year we started to “Recommend” a P3/H3 rating to land at the Lakeside Event. P2/H2 are welcome but encouraged to land in the new field at James Chabot beach. As you potentially fly over water lifejackets are strongly recommended.

Pilots should be minimum P2/H2 rated to fly in the Lakeside Event, Valid HPAC membership with insurance is required, Extra dinner and party tickets required for adults and for children.

2

Submit Your Payment via E-Transfer

Send your fee ($80 early bird / $100 late) via Interac E-Transfer to .

A quick reminder: Please remember to write your full name in the e-transfer notes so we can easily pair your payment with your email info.
3

Join Us

We will be meeting at Rocky River Grill on Highway number 93 just before the turn off into Invermere at 6 PM to 8 PM on Friday night for pre-registration. This is also an opportunity for anyone wanting to come socialize and have some food and beers.

We will be meeting at James chabot Beach the next morning at 8 AM for the pancake breakfast. We will do our orientation meeting at 9 AM and head up to the top of the mountain right after that.

Accommodations Where to Stay

Unserviced camping is available at the Old Lakeside Pub beside where we land. There’s also a full service camping available right where the community party is being held, called the Lake Windermere Lions Club Campground. Otherwise there is accommodation available in town but book early because they fill up quickly in the summer months.