Regatta draws thousands to Bradenton, Palmetto riverfronts. ‘Another great one.’
On Saturday, powerboat racing fans and anyone looking for a great day near the water could be seen on and near the Green Bridge from Bradenton to Palmetto.
Organizers of the annual Bradenton Area River Regatta estimated it would again draw tens of thousands of people to the area this weekend.
Though dark clouds hovered over the bridge during most of the early Saturday events, it didn’t turn anyone away.
In its eighth year, the regatta has grown from just a formula-two boat racing event into an all-out extravaganza with an array of food and drink vendors, kid activity zones, powerboat races, water performers and live music.
It also has evolved into a showcase of two cities, Bradenton and Palmetto, and how much each area has developed, said vice president of ISM USA and event organizer Michael Dongilli.
“They had just finished the Riverwalk, and the idea was to create an event around that where people can come and gather,” Dongilli said. ”See what’s happening in both cities, experience the quality of life, then continue to come back.”
The regatta is one of the largest free events in Manatee County, and with festivities on both the Palmetto and Bradenton side, attendees get a taste of what it’s like to spend a day on the riverfront.
“We bring a world-class entertainment experience here. It’s all free,” Dongilli said. “Even the trolleys that take guests back and forth across the bridge are free, so people can come out and enjoy the day, enjoy the experience, and not have to worry about the cost.”
It was entertaining, especially for American Power Boat Association (APBA) Formula 2 racing fans. The Bradenton regatta is the opening event for the APBA F-2 and is one of the most heavily attended events on the circuit.
Fans got to see three of last year’s biggest point-getters in the APBA F-2 compete against each other for the first time. “So we expect a really phenomenal race,” said Dongilli.
The bulk of the powerboat racers that competed on Saturday were from Florida, but some, like Jimmy Kerr from Michigan and Tyler Welch from Minnesota, traveled to Bradenton just to compete.
The regatta has been known to draw crowds of thousands of people to the area. Dongillie told the Bradenton Herald on Saturday while standing on a pier on the Bradenton Riverwalk that he anticipated well over 100,000 people to have come out once the day was done.
“It should be another great one,” he said.
After each year’s event, an independent survey and audit are done to measure the economic impact and how many people actually attended.
“We didn’t know it’d be successful like it was from the get-go,” Dongilli said. “By the second year, we had already surpassed 100,000 spectators, with a $10 million dollar economic impact that boosted the urban core.”
The morning of the regatta began at 8:30 a.m. in Palmetto with the DeSoto Little Angels fishing event, which kicked off the festivities. At midday, there was powerboat racing, sword swallowing by The Distinguished Daredevils, and stunt dog shows in Bradenton.
Both cities had a main stage where, regardless of what end you were on, live music could be enjoyed as well as activities for the kids and food and drink vendors.
World champion Kirsten Smoyer performed a flyboard show in the evening.
After 7 p.m., the night finished with a choreographed drone light show for all to see.
This story was originally published February 12, 2023 at 10:35 AM.
