Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta
Regatta Events
The 2023 Regatta events will begin on Friday, September 1 when the vintage race boats and hydroplanes begin to arrive in Wheeling. Our Regatta registration trailer opens at 10:00 AM at the top of Heritage Port and remains open until 5:00 PM. The pits are open on Friday so if you’d like to see the vintage boats up close and have great chances to talk to the drivers, join us in Heritage Port any time on Friday.
Our opening ceremonies begin at 9:45 AM on Saturday and Sunday. The first heats of hydroplanes roar away from the dock at 10:00 AM. If you are anywhere in Wheeling and begin to hear a loud roar, you are probably hearing our race boats! Heats will continue until noon at which time our course is closed for river traffic to come through. The heats begin again at 2:00 PM and last until the heats are completed. They MAY run until 6 PM but could be completed earlier. Please come early to watch!
| Friday, September 1 | |
| 10:00AM - 5:00PM | Raceboat Registration. Heritage Port pits open to the public. |
| Saturday, September 2 and Sunday, September 4 | |
| 9:45 AM | Ohio River closed to through traffic; buoys placed and course set. |
| Opening Ceremonies | |
| Blessing | |
| United States/Canadian National Anthems | |
| 10:00AM - Noon | Heats of Vintage Hydroplanes and Raceboats on the Ohio River |
| Noon - 1:30PM | Lunch Break |
| Free autograph session with raceboat drivers. FREE posters to the first 100 people! | |
| Free Live Music - TBA | |
| 1:30PM | Heats of Vintage Hydroplanes and Raceboats on the Ohio River |
| 6:00PM | Ohio River opened to regular river traffic. |