Several big changes coming for 2018 Bradenton Area River Regatta

There are lots of changes in store for the 2018 Bradenton Area River Regatta, including a 100-foot-high Gondola Ferris Wheel. And the Green Bridge will probably remain open for pedestrians to watch the Zambelli International fireworks show.

Mike Fetchko, ISM USA president and event organizer, said the Ferris wheel is capable of holding eight to 10 people in each gondola car and has appeared at events in every major city across the country. The attraction, which will show off a spectacular view of the Manatee River from 100 feet high, begins at noon Feb. 2 and runs through the end of the regatta on Feb. 3.

“It was a big hit with everyone at our Pittsburgh regatta,” Fetchko said. “It’s a state-of-the-art Ferris wheel and is LED lit. It will offer an amazing view of the Manatee River from the Palmetto side. Usually they won’t do an event for anything less than three days, but we got them here for two.”

Fetchko said all of the permits have been completed for the regatta by Caleb & Grimes, a Palmetto law firm. They’re still working to allow spectators on the Green Bridge to watch the fireworks show, sponsored by Manatee Memorial Hospital.

“We’re very close to finishing that up,” Fetchko said. “We’ll be moving the fireworks so we can get people on that bridge to see them. It was one of the biggest things we saw in the exit polls, so we are working hard to make that happen and it will happen. We are also working with a new sound company to enhance our sound system across the entire bridge. It’s the same company that did the World Rowing Championships at Benderson Park, so we are excited to bring that talent aboard.”

Musical headliners

Chuck Negron, the former lead singer and co-founder of Three Dog Night, will headline the musical entertainment on the Bradenton side of the river beginning at 5 p.m. Feb. 3 after a full slate of local musicians perform throughout the day.

Three Dog Night sold 60 million records in the 1960s and 1970s before disbanding in 1976, but Negron continues to bring that Three Dog Night sound to fans across the world and has an album scheduled for release next summer.

In Palmetto, beginning at 5 p.m., Vegas McGraw will take the stage. A Tim McGraw tribute artist by the name of Adam Tucker, he is a consistent headliner in Las Vegas, promising to “thrill and captivate” audiences at every show. Tucker has opened for country music superstars Taylor Swift, Trace Adkins, Charlie Daniels, Blake Shelton and more.

More changes coming

Last year’s experiment of moving the Hydrocross Jet Ski championships to the west of the Green Bridge didn’t go over well with race fans, according to the exit polls, so they will be moved back to the east side where the Formula 2 hydro boats race. Race officials and the announcers also will be moved from the Bradenton day dock to the center span of the bridge.

Following the water races and before the fireworks, the regatta will introduce a new event featuring area high school drum lines. The “Battle of the Bridge” will showcase the marching drummers in a contest marching from the north side of the bridge to the south. Fetchko said four high schools have committed, “but we are hoping to get them all.”

The Battle of the Bridge is expected to begin around 5 p.m.

A lot of the same entertainment will return, but Stunt Dog Productions, based in Los Angeles, will take over the dog show. Stunt Dog Productions has been seen on many of the late-night television talk shows and it will be its first Florida appearance as the company expands to an east coast operation.

It is scheduled to put on a Frisbee show on the Riverwalk lawn in Bradenton, and also will appear in the amphitheater where its top canine trick dogs will put on shows throughout the day — with the help and a little twist from the Manatee Players. The Tampa Bay Lightning and University of South Florida Bulls will have a presence on the Palmetto side, offering activities for kids.

What’s not changing

The Bradenton Marauders and Pittsburgh Pirates will continue their Kids Zone activities on both sides of the river, and Sarasota Trolley will provide two trolleys to traverse spectators across the bridge for free throughout the day of the regatta.

The Hernando DeSoto Historical Society once again is organizing food vendors and will host a secure beer garden on the Palmetto side of the river at Riverside East Park with proceeds going toward its charitable efforts.

More announcements are expected in the coming weeks as the countdown to green flag racing on the Manatee River gets closer. Firkins Automotive returns as one of the primary sponsors along with Manatee Memorial Hospital and Synovus Bank. Joining the sponsorship list this year are LECOM and Bealls.

This story was originally published November 21, 2017 at 1:34 PM with the headline "Several big changes coming for 2018 Bradenton Area River Regatta."