Josh Lester lifts his dog, Jade, onto the sternwheeler The Hobby as his other dog, Blakley, waits to board Lester's boat, Nannie Jean, tied up between The Hobby and the Travis Lee (right) on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. The boats are tied up at Haddad Riverfront Park for ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä's 2025 Sternwheel Regatta, which starts Thursday.
Stagehand Loralei Griffiths of Studimo Productions, of Ashland, Ky., adjusts stage lights on Wednesday, June 2, 2025 on the Regatta Stage set up on Kanawha Boulevard next to Haddad Riverfront Park in preparation for the Regatta musical acts beginning Thursday night.
Vendi, a Bernedoodle owned by Braelyn White of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä, wears the costume it won first place in during the All Breed Dog Costume Parade at Magic Island held before the Wiener Dog Races as part of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä's annual Sternwheel Regatta Saturday, July 6, 2024.
Wyatt Earl slices steak for his sliders, which was his entry in the All Fired Up kids grilling competition, which was part of the 2024 ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Sternwheel Regatta.
This is a composite image of the music headliners for the 2025 Regatta festival in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä. From left are: Carly Pearce, Harry Wayne Casey of KC and the Sunshine Band, Busta Rhymes, and Jefferson Starship.
Cathi Viars (left) and her daughter, Baylee, then 17, both of Logan, march in the Funeral Parade on Capitol Street on July 6, 2024, during the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Sternwheel Regatta.
Josh Lester lifts his dog, Jade, onto the sternwheeler The Hobby as his other dog, Blakley, waits to board Lester's boat, Nannie Jean, tied up between The Hobby and the Travis Lee (right) on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. The boats are tied up at Haddad Riverfront Park for ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä's 2025 Sternwheel Regatta, which starts Thursday.
CHRIS DORST | Gazette-Mail
Get ready to man your sternwheelers. The Capital City classic — the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Sternwheel Regatta — is back. The four-day festivities begin Thursday and feature live music, sunset boat tours, hot dog eating contests, sternwheel-boat races and much more.
The Regatta started in 1971, with just five sternwheelers. After a pause following the 2009 edition, the festival returned in the summer of 2022, and it continues to be a ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä festival staple.Ìý
This year, Regatta runs through Sunday, with most events taking place on ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä's Kanawha Boulevard around Haddad Riverfront Park.Ìý
New this year are sternwheeler sightseeing tours, including a one-hour cruise,Ìý²¹ sunset tourÌýand a dinner cruise. Each will begin at Haddad Riverfront Park and include a guided tour along the Kanawha River on a classic sternwheeler.
Stagehand Loralei Griffiths of Studimo Productions, of Ashland, Ky., adjusts stage lights on Wednesday, June 2, 2025 on the Regatta Stage set up on Kanawha Boulevard next to Haddad Riverfront Park in preparation for the Regatta musical acts beginning Thursday night.
CHRIS DORST | Gazette-Mail
Additionally, each night at Regatta will feature performances at the Haddad Riverfront Amphitheater with mainstage musical acts on Kanawha Boulevard. Scheduled headliners are:
Grammy Award-winning country artist Carly Pearce, followed by fireworks
Disco group KC and the Sunshine Band
Rapper Busta Rhymes
Pop band Jefferson Starship
This is a composite image of the music headliners for the 2025 Regatta festival in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä. From left are: Carly Pearce, Harry Wayne Casey of KC and the Sunshine Band, Busta Rhymes, and Jefferson Starship.
Courtesy photo
Mountaineer Food Bank is partnering with ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä law firm Hendrickson and Long to encourage donations of money and food during Regatta. Hendrickson and Long will match the first 1,000 nonperishable food items donated and the first $1,000 donated through Sunday. Donations may be dropped off at 214 Capitol St.
Wyatt Earl slices steak for his sliders, which was his entry in the All Fired Up kids grilling competition, which was part of the 2024 ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Sternwheel Regatta.
Steven Keith for the Gazete-Mail
Noon: Youth barbeque challenge. Capitol Market,Ìý800 Smith St.
Vendi, a Bernedoodle owned by Braelyn White of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä, wears the costume it won first place in during the All Breed Dog Costume Parade at Magic Island held before the Wiener Dog Races as part of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä's annual Sternwheel Regatta Saturday, July 6, 2024.
CHRIS DORST | Gazette-Mail
8 a.m.:ÌýFirecracker 5K. Magic Island Park along the West side of Kanawha Boulevard. Registration at: bit.ly/Firecracker5KRunWalk
9:30 a.m.: All-dog costume contest and wiener dog races. Magic Island ParkÌý
Cathi Viars (left) and her daughter, Baylee, then 17, both of Logan, march in the Funeral Parade on Capitol Street on July 6, 2024, during the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Sternwheel Regatta.
CHRISTOPHER MILLETTE | Gazette-Mail
1:30 p.m.: Funeral Parade. Capitol Street
3 p.m.:ÌýSternwheel Slamboree. Haddad Riverfront Park
Sunday:
10 a.m.: Car show. Haddad Riverfront Park
10 a.m.: Open skate. Skate Park
Noon:ÌýThe Great Rubber Duck Race. Haddad Riverfront Park
