STAFFORD — On July 20, prepare to set sail at the 15th annual cardboard boat regatta at Aquia Landing Park.
On Saturday, July 20, teams of adults and children take to the Potomac River to race in boats made completely of cardboard.
Anyone interested in trying their hand at building and sailing their very own cardboard vessel should register online at staffordparks.com by July 12. There is a registration fee of $10 per boat, and all ages are welcome to participate.
Boats should be built from cardboard, glue, tape, and paint, and be large enough to carry at least 2 passengers. They will be judged for design, and then contestants will race them for trophies.
Before the contestants can set sail, their boats will be judged in a multitude of categories, including the best design and crew costuming, best team effort, most creative, most likely to sink (also known as the Titanic competition), and most likely to float. Prizes will be awarded for beauty, design, and creativity.
The judging will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the awards themselves will be announced at noon.
Following the boat judging and award ceremony, the actual races will begin at 12:30 p.m. The race categories will depend on the boats entered as well as the competitors. Categories may include ages 7-14, 15-50, 51+. Another category may be specifically for parent and child (no younger than 4 years old) competitors.
Other race categories will be based on the boats themselves; one such race would be exclusively for “luxury liners,” or boats with at least a 4-man crew.
“I love seeing the pure delight on everyone’s faces as they enthusiastically launch their cardboard vessels into the water,” said Kris Clemet, with Stafford County Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities:
The event takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 20 at Aquia Landing Park, located at 2846 Aquia Landing Road in Stafford. Admission to the event is free, and concessions will be available.
