Kearney Regatta

The Kearney Regatta is an annual celebration that many of the locals look forward to. Its not just them though, as hundreds of people come to this small town for this event. The streets are lined with vendors selling almost anything you can imagine. Last year I saw clothing, jewelry, fishing gear, art, toys, candy, and many food vendors to choose from. I am sure there were much more items available than what I saw and they were there all weekend long.

The Kearney Regatta also had several activities that anyone could participate in. Fun things such as a pie eating or hot dog eating contest. Don’t worry, there were both the kids version and then the adult version later. This way your children can participate and have a chance to win as well. There was arm wrestling, face painting, and I think I saw a dog competition as well. The point is, there was something fun for the whole family.

One of the highlights that received a lot of attention was the parade through town. Local business owners, organizations, and the fire department all participated. There were decorated vehicles and floats with people sitting on them, tossing candy to the kids while music was playing. Everyone stopped to watch and seemed to enjoy the show.

The highlight had to be the fireworks though. They were absolutely amazing and lasted longer than expected. It started just like any firework show but quickly picked up in speed, size, and volume. The fireworks were fired out over the bay just as it started to get dark. You can imagine the bang and sizzle as they fill the sky. Then you could actually start to feel the bang from some of the larger ones. The finale was as if a drummer was keeping rhythm on your chest as the momentum kept building and building. Then boom, boom, boom…silence. At least that is how I remember it.

If you have never experienced the Kearney Regatta, make sure you book your spot soon. Local vacancies book up pretty quick. Meanwhile, make sure to check out the photos from the weekend on our Facebook page.