The 7th annual Cardboard Boat Regatta, the popular crowning moment of the Chester River Waterfront Festival, is scheduled for Saturday, September 21 at Wilmer Park. Crews can now register for the race and start designing their cardboard dream boats.
Both the Festival and the Regatta are hosted by the Center for Environment & Society at Washington College. The regatta is open to individuals, businesses, schools, civic groups and non-profit entities in Kent or Queen Anne’s County, Maryland. Participants must be at least 12 years of age.
Information on how to register and how to build a boat that floats is found on the Center’s website, https://www.washcoll.edu/
“Register your crew early and start building a boat out of cardboard, wood glue, chalk and duct tape,” says Thornton. “Add several coats of latex-based paint and you’ll be ready to go. On the day of the race, you’ll paddle furiously around the markers and try to cross the finish line in record time.”
There are prizes worth a combined $650 at stake, as well as bragging rights. Even the sinkers can qualify for the Titanic Award or the People’s Choice Award. Sink or float, the experience is guaranteed to provide great fun on the Chester River and to build camaraderie and team spirit with your crewmates.
All boats go on display at noon on race day. Captains and crew meet at 2:30 p.m., the popular boat parade begins at 2:45 p.m., and the race starts at 3 p.m. sharp along the Leila Hynson Pavilion of Wilmer Park.
The Chester River Waterfront Festival will run from noon to 4 p.m. that day. On tap along with the Cardboard Boat Regatta are river cruises aboard the 46-foot Callinectes, sailing, kayaking and canoeing on the Chester River, good food and family fun, exhibits on watershed ecology, pony rides, and live music by the Michael Butler Band. The Festival is free and open to the public.
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