CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The schedule for one of the most anticipated events in the Kanawha Valley this year, the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta, has been released.
Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin, alongside members of the Charleston Regatta Commission, unveiled the packed schedule at Haddad Riverfront Park Thursday morning, for the five-day event scheduled for Thursday, June 30 to Monday, July 4. The schedule brings a mix of nostalgic favorites and brand-new events as officials are anticipating a quarter-million people to visit the capital city.
Major entertainment will be available throughout the event including:
· Thursday Night – Everclear with opening acts Fastball and The Nixons
· Friday Night – The Four Tops & The Temptations with opening act The Unit
· Saturday Night – Martina McBride with opening act Chucky Ray Lilly with The Grip
· Sunday Brunch – Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. & Bob Thompson
· Sunday Night – Rick Springfield with opening act Hair Supply
· Monday Night – West Virginia Symphony Orchestra
VIEW: Entire 2022 Charleston Sternwheel Regatta schedule
The event was a staple in Charleston from 1971 to 2009. The 2022 Regatta will be the return from the hiatus.
“It just gets me so excited. It’s an emotional day for so many of us, especially our sternwheel families who remember that this is a time for people to be in Charleston, connect and to show off,” Goodwin told the media following the presser.
Charleston officials said they expect around 250,000 people to come to Charleston in the five days of the Regatta and for the event to total a $10 million return on investment.
Tim Brady, CEO of the Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) told MetroNews there is buzz everywhere for the event, including outside the West Virginia border.
Brady said the CVB will be doing business outreach in the coming months to make sure businesses are ready to the crowds.
“You’re talking about tens of thousands of people descending on the city in five days. Those are people that are staying in hotels, eating in restaurants, shopping in stores, buying gas. It’s the revenue they generate and the taxes we generate,” Brady said.
Other major events taking place throughout the event include:
· Wheelwash Craft Beer Festival – Thursday at 5 p.m.
· Battle of the Bands – Friday at 1 p.m.
· Firecracker 5K (presented with the Childhood Language Center) – Saturday at 8 a.m.
· Motorcycle Show (presented with Biker Mafia) – Saturday at 10 a.m.
· “All Fired Up” Youth BBQ Challenge (presented with Capitol Market) – Saturday at 11 a.m.
· BMX/Skate Exhibition – Saturday & Sunday at 11 a.m.
· Anything that Floats Race (presented with United Way of Central WV) – Saturday at 1 p.m.
· Weiner Dog Races (presented with Fix’Em Clinic & KCHA) – Saturday at 2 p.m.
· Funeral Parade – Saturday at 3 p.m.
· Youth Anything that Floats Race – Sunday at 10 a.m.
· Car Show (presented with Hot Diggity Dog) – Sunday at 10 a.m.
· Sternwheel Boat Races – Sunday at 1 p.m.
Officials with the Regatta and city are keyed on making the event as family-friendly as possible. The events for the youth include a kid’s zone filled with inflatables, art projects, games, face painting, and the fan-favorite carnival returns for all five days of the Regatta
Other youth events include:
· 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament will take place Thursday, Friday & Saturday
· Educational opportunities, courtesy of the Sewell Mountain Sailing Association & Kanawha County Public Library
· Regatta Movie Night will take place Friday night
For a full schedule of events, visit the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta Facebook page.
Goodwin noted that before, during and a few days after the event, there will be traffic concerns in the downtown area. Details on closures will be announced closer to the event.
“Kanawha Boulevard is going to be shut down for more than just those five days. We are looking at a 10-day shutdown at Haddad and Kanawha Boulevard. it’s going to be very hard to get to surrounding side streets,” Goodwin said.
