Oklahoma Regatta Festival Oct.3rd-5th

[metro]

It's that time of year again folks.................

Rowing on a grand scale
Journal Record
September 23, 2008

OKLAHOMA CITY – The pressure is on for director Mike Knopp and the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation. But they figure, “What’s not to enjoy about that?”

The foundation and Oklahoma City University will host the Oklahoma Regatta Festival Oct. 3-5 on the Oklahoma River. The regatta festival was named the 2007 Rowing Event of the Year by Rowing News.

“Our goal is to always have this at a high level and make it an upscale event,” said Knopp, who also coaches the rowing team at Oklahoma City University. “It’s nearly $500,000 to put on the event and we have to raise that money through sponsorships and partners. We believe the impact it has on the city is well worth it.”

Knopp said 38 corporate teams, 40 collegiate outfits and club teams from around the country – as well as a few international guests – will participate. Last year the event was longer and a crowd of 50,000 came to watch, and this year he expects better than 30,000.

“Last year it was estimated to have a $4 million economic impact; a lot of people came to town for this,” he said. In its fifth year, the regatta has shown some impressive advancement, he said. “Last year this turned into one of the largest events in the history of OCU,” Knopp said. “It’s really grown in size and we want it to be a premier event for Oklahoma City.”

The festival is not only about rowing. It’s about music, art and plenty of food, he said. “You don’t have to know anything about rowing to enjoy yourself,” Knopp said. “Every year we try something different to make it better.”

A portable grandstand will be erected next to the river for the audience to see the top rowers, including Olympic gold medalists. “The first year we had it, we were really surprised Harvard showed an interest,” he said. “Now they are back for the fifth year, and there are many other top-notch teams.

The Women’s Eight and Men’s Eight gold medal winners will be here, and it’ll really be exciting to have them come out.”

The event kicks off Friday night, Oct. 3, with Blu Party, which will feature wine tasting, music and rowing. The Head of the Oklahoma will be contested Saturday morning from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The area will be illuminated and one of the largest television screens in the country will be brought in. Fireworks, a laser show and Shogun lights will be featured.


A rowing team is shown on the Oklahoma River with the sunset in the background. (Courtesy photo)

[CCOKC]

I have been to this a few times and it is a great time. A few years ago I actually got to hold an Olympic gold medal. I'm a sucker for all things Olympics.

[sroberts24]

i am going this year for the first time, I'm excited

anybody have any info on the other boat houses? when they plan on building, final designs, anything?

[metro]

sroberts, you may want to check out one of the other threads talking about the other boathouses, many articles have been posted, some with projected timelines, etc.

[metro]

BUMP - Just a reminder that the Oklahoma Regatta Festival starts today and goes throughout the weekend. This is a signature event in Oklahoma.

[Luke]

I'm so excited to go tomorrow night! Food, rowing, fireworks and lasers! Can't go wrong with that.

[metro]

Now we just need "sharks with a giant freakin laser-beam attached to their heads" swimming in the Oklahoma River. Extreme rowing Dr. Evil style.

[Architect2010]

Whoa. So last night I was driving south on I-35 just north of the river and me and my friends are caught off guard by this awesome green laser light flashing across the sky. As we drive over the river we are like, "WHOA" by all of these mesmerizing moving colored lights. It was really amazing and so cool. It was like a mile long club with flashing lights. lol.

The Lincoln Bridge looked cool also because of the LED lights under it. They should keep those lights there all year long. It'd make up for the ugliness of I-35.

;P

[metro]

Lincoln (actually Byers Ave.) bridge, those LED lights are there all year. They put them up last year.



More info and pics:
http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-are...+lights+og%26e

[FritterGirl]

I was down at the boat house earlier today. For anyone going to the VIP event tonight, prepare to be WOWED!!!

[Luke]

Does anyone know what the schedule is for tomorrow? Rowing competitions? Fireworks? Lasers? I wanna get down there for dinner and then watch some rowing and then watch the show. I couldn't find anything.

Thanks.

[dalelakin]

Does anyone know what the schedule is for tomorrow? Rowing competitions? Fireworks? Lasers? I wanna get down there for dinner and then watch some rowing and then watch the show. I couldn't find anything.

Thanks.

OKC BOATHOUSE FOUNDATION CHAMPION SERIES EVENT

[gmwise]

I'm excited about the new boathouses.
I can't wait to see the new pedistrian bridge as well.

[Luke]

OKC BOATHOUSE FOUNDATION CHAMPION SERIES EVENT

Yeah, I went there a few days ago and looked that site up and down. Except for seeing "Festival Hours Saturday: 10am-10pm" it wasn't that helpful. I don't know what the order of events are. Like who is rowing at 5 or 6 pm? What time do the night sprints start? What time does the fireworks start?

I'll be there all evening so I'll watch whatever is going on, but I would kind of like to plan.

Just curious.

[CCOKC]

I drove by about 7 this evening and could not believe all the cars in line to get to the boathouse. It looks like this event is going to be highly attended.

[okcustu]

again The Oklahoman proves it self to be lame; however they are diversifying they now suck at event planning. they over hyped the "Today Tomorrow" laser light fireworks show. the announcer kept plugging it as spectacular; it simply a slideshow with one of those windows media player time warpy backgrounds at the end. The lights were okay, but they shot off fireworks maybe every 3-4 minutes. And the embers blew in audience members eyes (including mine).

[jbrown84]

What does that have to do with the Oklahoman?

[Luke]

The Oklahoman sponsored the night spectacular. More likely, the Regatta folks set this up and then looked for sponsors. The Oklahoman probably had absolutely nothing to do with setting up the show, but went ahead and sponsored it.

Just a guess, but some don't need much of an excuse to get onto the Oklahoman...for whatever reason.

[jbrown84]

I'm sure you're correct.

[okcustu]

Considering the fact that I go to OCU, I think I would know a little about how it's put on. The Oklahoman, I would imagine gathered the picture for the rather juvenile slideshow (it's not like lighting companies store a bunch of pictures of the Oklahoma River in their office. The Oklahoman or any responsible sponsor doesn't just give someone money and say here go use this. People from both worked on and I'm sure T O people got a look at the show before Friday.

[edcrunk]

i've never been, is there a charge to get in?

[okcustu]

nope its free so is parking and the food prices arent to bad either

[jbrown84]

People from both worked on and I'm sure T O people got a look at the show before Friday.

So if they thought it sucked, as you did, they should have pulled their sponsorship a couple days before the event?

[okcustu]

people's standards are different all i can say is there was a mass exodus after a few minutes

[okcustu]

i mean the laser light effect which they put too late in the show was nice, but the hype, lack of fireworks, and cheesy visuals (and embers) made it bad
but i dont want to seem nagging the Regatta overall was great can't believe I never gone before