Cardboard Boat Regatta returning to Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival lineup

CEDAR RAPIDS — Sinking after the 2011 race, the popular Cardboard Boat Regatta is returning to the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival lineup on June 8, 2024.

The event will be held in Robbins Lake, as part of the Ellis Family Fun Fest along the waterfront in Ellis Park, 2550 Ellis Blvd, NW.

Competitors will navigate an “out and back” circuit from the marked starting bank, skirting the designated buoy in Robbins Lake near the community gardens, before returning to the bank. The race format features head-to-head heats of two boats, with each run timed to completion, or until a vessel succumbs to a watery demise.

“The Cardboard Boat Regatta holds a special place in the hearts of our community and has long been a cherished tradition of The Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival,” Marnie Schultz, events and marketing director, said in a news release.

The regatta is open to teams of two to eight people per boat, with participants ages 16 and up. Teams are encouraged to create themed boats. Entry fee is $40.

For details, go to freedomfestival.com/calendar/cardboard-boat-regatta or email info@freedomfestival.com.

That day’s Ellis Family Fun Fest, orchestrated by the Cedar Boat Club, will feature a pancake breakfast fundraiser for the boat club’s annual fireworks, a carnival fun zone, a car- and watercraft show, Five Seasons Ski Team exhibition show, food trucks, and the Cardboard Boat Regatta, concluding with a family-friendly concert in the park.

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