COVID-19 could cancel 2021 Bradenton Area River Regatta. Cities face decision deadline
Local government officials in Manatee County have until Oct. 15 to decide whether the area can host the Sixth Annual Bradenton Area River Regatta in February, according to the event’s organizer.
The uncertainty about the area’s largest spectator event is due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Right now planning is full steam ahead and we are planning for the 2021 Bradenton Area River Regatta to happen,” said Mike Fetchko, president of ISM USA. “We have a little time to work with but we’ll have to have a decision by Oct. 15. As of right now, the race is still on the Formula 2 schedule.”
The regatta, made up of boat races on the Manatee River and other events on the river’s banks, is scheduled for Feb. 8.
Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston said he is optimistic but acknowledged that it may be challenging given the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic and the organizer’s deadline.
“What we are doing is watching the pandemic and we’ll see what will happen,” Poston said. “We want to make sure people are safe. Of course we want it to happen. We all want it to happen and it’s a great thing for our city, but safety has to come first.”
Given the nature of the event, there isn’t a way to get around the pandemic and social-distancing guidelines as other smaller events have in order to move forward. The cities of Palmetto and Bradenton canceled the Fourth of July Fireworks show over the Manatee River, rescheduled it for Labor Day and then ipostponed the show indefinitely.
“I don’t believe it’s likely going to happen,” said Palmetto Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant. “It would be wonderful if this pandemic would magically end by Oct. 15 and we could have this event but at the rate we are struggling through this, I’m leaning on the side of it not happening.”
Manatee County on Friday surpassed 10,000 coronavirus infections since the start of the pandemic. There have been at least 248 deaths in the county.
Poston said the bottom line is that it can’t be a government decision.
“This won’t be a government decision, it will be a medical decision so we’ll take guidance from that,” he said. “We’ve never seen anything like this before so we’re going to have to figure it out, but it will be safety first.”