Last reminder to build boats for the Sand Creek Regatta

By Ben Olson
Reader Staff

The annual Sand Creek Regatta has set this year’s date for Saturday, Sept. 12, giving those wishing to enter the beloved local event a deadline to finish their boats.

The “competition” is really just a celebration of community, with locals building homemade rafts from scraps and — if they float — paddling them from the Bridge Street Bridge to Cedar Street Bridge and back. 

For those interested in getting a boat ready for the event, you have until race day on Sept. 12, so get those hammers swinging. Boats must be crafted from scraps and random supplies and must be powered by humans. That means no sails or motors. Also, no repurposing already floating vessels (for example: you can’t take a canoe and add items to it). Finally, there must be at least one adult 18 years or older on board.

Last year, the introduction of the “Sacrifice a Tourist” event took place prior to the starting gun, where a self-proclaimed tourist walked to the edge of a plank, uttered some final words and was summarily shoved into the water. This is a way to honor our tourists for contributing to the local economy while also scratching that itch we’ve all had to toss a tourist in the lake. (C’mon, you’ve all thought about it.)

Sacrificial victims receive a free T-shirt and a gift certificate for dinner and drinks at Eichardt’s Pub. If any tourists reading this will be in Sandpoint on Sept. 12, please contact Reader Publisher Ben Olson at [email protected] if you’d like to be considered for this year’s victim. (Don’t worry, we won’t hurt you… much.)

Visit facebook.com/sandcreekregatta for more info, or you can always contact us here at the Reader if you have any questions.

In the meantime, get started on your crafts, and we’ll see you all on Sand Creek on Sept. 12.