Daily Journal

Countdown to Regatta weekend has begun

Pre-sale parking passes now available

Spectators watch the final F200 race of the day on Aug. 31, 2024, during the Kankakee River Valley Regatta. The racing event, sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association, was the first on the Kankakee River since Labor Day weekend in 2013.

Spectators watch the final F200 race of the day on Aug. 31, 2024, during the Kankakee River Valley Regatta. The racing event, sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association, was the first on the Kankakee River since Labor Day weekend in 2013. (Daily Journal/Tiffany Blanchette)

By Tiffany Blanchette

Boats will roar on the river once again as the Kankakee River Valley Regatta returns for Labor Day weekend.

The city of Kankakee tradition, which returned in 2024 after over a decade hiatus, features speed boat racing as well as food trucks and a beer garden along the riverbanks at the River Road Park Sports Complex, 2500 Pirate Road, Kankakee.

Gates open Friday at noon with test runs from 1 - 5 p.m.

Gates open at 9 a.m. on Saturday with testing and practice at 10 a.m., followed by the Opening Ceremony at noon.

On Sunday, gates also open at 9 a.m. with the Championship Finals starting at noon.

Parking passes can be purchased for Saturday and Sunday for $25 per day, per car during the pre-sale, or at the gate for $30 per day, per car. Motorcycle passes are $15 per day, no pre-sale available.

Passes may be purchased online at bit.ly/KRVRegatta.

Friday parking is free, and entrance to the Regatta each day is also free outside of parking costs.

The weekend hosts over 100 boat drivers and crews from the U.S., Mexico and Canada, with thousands of spectators visiting throughout the weekend, according to event organizers.

For the full schedule and more info, visit kankakeeriverregatta.com.

Volunteer opportunities are still available at kankakeeriverregatta.com/services/volunteer.

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Tiffany Blanchette

Tiffany Blanchette

Tiffany Blanchette has been a photojournalist with the Daily Journal since 2014 and Photo Editor since 2018. She has won awards for her work from the Illinois Press Association and the National Press Photographers Association. She enjoys covering everything from news to sports in the very community she grew up in.