Festival Park, High Point – Oak Hollow Lake will welcome over 600 rowers and thousands of spectators from across the southeast region of the United States to the 2019 High Point Autumn Rowing Festival on Saturday.
A record 182 boats have entered to race the winding 5,000 meter race course.
This puts the event close to capacity according to race director Gene Kininmonth, who says the festival will be the biggest rowing event ever held in North Carolina.
Kininmonth says High Point’s rowing festival has now become a boutique rowing destination.
“We have a big increase in the number of rowers coming in from Tennessee and Virginia. They come with their families and stay overnight. This will give a nice boost to the local economy.”
At the mid point of the race crews will row around a three story tall inflatable duck. “They want to row around the duck,” says Kininmonth.
Participation numbers in rowing continues to climb in North Carolina and High Point is at the epicenter of this remarkable growth. With the festival near capacity due to limited dock space, the High Point Convention and Visitors Bureau recently granted the city $98,000 to install a floating dock and race course at Festival Park. The dock will allow the rowing festival to double in size in 2020.
In addition to scenic views of the rowing on Oak Hollow Lake, spectators will enjoy listening to Carolina Beach Blast music and feast from a number of food trucks serving coffee, slushies, burgers and tacos.
WANT TO GO? Races begin at 9am. The regatta is open to the general public and admission is free. Parking is $5.
WHERE? 1841 Eastchester Drive, High Point, NC 27265
