CHARLESTON, W.Va. –Despite the heat, a large crowd turned out Thursday for the opening night of the 2026 Charleston Sternwheel Regatta in Charleston.
Rock singer Melissa Etheridge, known for songs including “Come to My Window” and “I’m the Only One,” and country music star Wynonna Judd, known for “She Is His Only Need” and “I Saw the Light,” kicked off the entertainment Thursday on the Moses Auto Group Stage on Kanawha Boulevard.
The regatta continues through Sunday, with a variety of musical acts taking the stage.
Charleston native Tina White said she is glad to have the regatta back, recalling attending it when she was younger.
“What I think is exciting, is that this is something that happened when I was growing up and it was like a rite of passage, school was over, we would have Regatta, it was flooded, the streets were flooded, they would have great acts, and it brought people together,” White said.
She credited Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin with bringing back the regatta in 2022 after a 13-year hiatus. The event has been held annually ever since.
In addition to the concerts, attendees enjoyed food, drinks and a variety of activities along Kanawha Boulevard.
White attended the regatta with friends, enjoying drinks and taking photos in front of a backdrop near the event entrance.
White said she was impressed by the variety of musical acts scheduled for the regatta, even though many of them rose to fame in the 1990s.
“I mean this is the year of the Gen Xer, and I am a Gen Xer so tonight you have somebody that was very popular in that time period, the 90’s as they had their heyday, maybe late 80’s, tomorrow night you’ve got Bobby Brown and Bow Wow and Montell Jordan, again in that same era, and the last night we have Bret Michaels and Lita Ford, so it’s a Gen Xer’s dream,” White said.
She said that although many of the performers rose to fame in the 1990s, the lineup still attracts people of all ages.
“But it brings people together, because it’s real American music, it’s country, it’s rock, and then that R&B, the real start to R&B and rap, so I think it’s awesome you can have that for free so you’re not paying a big ticket,” White said.
The crowd included people of all ages who came to enjoy the music and the festival atmosphere.
White said it was great to see such a diverse crowd.
“I think you’re bringing out an older crowd, because there’s people of the generation before us here, I’ve seen a lot of boomers, and kids just like to get out and have fun, there outside, so that’s great,” she said.
Since returning in 2022, the regatta has generated millions of dollars in economic impact for Charleston.
White said the regatta is a great event for the city.
“It’s wonderful for Charleston, I love seeing the people be able to get out and free the entertainment and just bring that economic value to Charleston too,” she said.
A full Regatta schedule can be found at charlestonregatta.com/schedule.