Cardboard boats return to Seneca

WATKINS GLEN--After a two-year absence due to COVID, Watkins Glen Promotions will bring back the annual Waterfront Festival for its 27th year Saturday, June 18 at Seneca Lake Harbor Park. Along with the classic cardboard boat regatta, there will be live music, food, vendors from around the region and more.
"We are very excited to finally have it back," said Watkins Glen Mayor Luke Leszyk. "This event showcases our beautiful waterfront and is another reason for visitors to enjoy the lake and our village. I want to thank Watkins Glen Promotions for all the work they do to put this together. Without them, this event would not happen."
The festival is slated to kick off at 11 a.m. and the regatta will begin at 2 p.m.
"We are delighted to have the Waterfront Festival back afloat this year as we had paused during the pandemic," said Laurie DeNardo, chair of the Waterfront Festival Committee and village trustee. "This is our 27th year and we are elated with the overwhelming response as everyone is ready to be back to normality."
In the regatta, the award categories include: fastest elapsed time - adult class, fastest kids boat - under 12, fastest teens boat - 13 - 18, Don Brubaker best construction award, best sinking, best boat name, people's choice and best theme.
"We are thrilled to be back in action to kick off Father's Day weekend with this wonderful event," said Stacy Husted, president of Watkins Glen Promotions.
And while the absence of the festival was felt by many, if anything DeNardo said she hopes those participating will use all that pent-up energy and cardboard to give an amazing show to those in attendance.
"While the COVID pandemic put us on 'pause' for the last two years, we know that lots of mail-order cardboard has been piling up in basements and garages," DeNardo said. "Now is the time to use that material to build the ship to zip through our waterfront course."
The schedule of events includes:
9-11 a.m.- Boats arrive and are arranged for display by volunteers on site.
11 a.m.- Festival opens; Concourse de Cardboard open to the public.
1:30 p.m.- Captains' Meeting
2 p.m.- Cardboard Boat Regatta begins
5 p.m.- Live music with the band Rust
8 p.m.- Festival ends.
The event is free to attend. Additional information can be seen at https://watkinsglen.com/waterfront-festival/.