Rejuvenating the Regatta
MUDDY CREEK TWP — In its 16th year at Moraine State Park, the Regatta at Lake Arthur is looking to
increase attendance. “There's quite a bit that's new,” said event planner Holly Muchnok of East Wing Events in Gibsonia.
The regatta will be Saturday and Sunday.
The Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau hired Muchnok to organize and rejuvenate the regatta, which has suffered from declining attendance for several years. Before this, volunteers mostly organized the event.
This year, there are several new features. Muchnok said probably the biggest addition is the “SummersCool” tent, which is made possible by a $10,000 grant from the Urban Land Institute.
The grant is paying for free lessons in different activities, including camping, windsurfing, kayaking and dragon boating.
Next to that tent will be the Lake Arthur Lily Pad tent, which features children's activities.
Also new will be the Reunion Village, where four businesses and groups will have hospitality tents.
Muchnok said there is room for this particular area to grow.
Musical acts will play both days.
The stage where they will play will be powered by fossil-free energy.
Muchnok said visitors will have the opportunity to get on a bicycle and pedal to help power the stage.
“It's a really neat thing,” Muchnok said.
Traditional features of the event, such as the car cruise, sailboat races and Nautical Nature boat tours, will return. The event also will have nearly 60 food, business and craft vendors.
“There's going to be a really nice selection of local crafts,” Muchnok said.
As per tradition, Saturday will end with a fireworks at 9 p.m. On Sunday, the event will end at 6 p.m. with a butterfly release in
memory of loved ones who have passed. This is new this year.
And, Muchnok said, there will be beach volleyball and swimming available.
Almost every activity will take place on the South Shore, with the exception being the 18-mile MECA race on Sunday, which begins on the North Shore and involves biking, trail running and canoeing.
In the past, volunteers would collect donations from attendees as they
entered the park. This year, donations will be taken at a welcome booth. Muchnok said this was done to keep traffic flowing smoothly at the park entrance and to make sure that entry is free.She noted that most activities are free.“I would say 90 percent of what we're doing is completely free,” Muchnok said.She is hoping for 5,000 to 10,000 visitors this year. When the event began, it could attract 40,000, but it shrunk to about 3,000 in recent years.She said if attendance continues past 10,000 in coming years, the event may need to expand to the North Shore or other locations.Dustin Drew, park manager, is optimistic that the changes will increase crowds.“I think we're going to draw a huge crowd this year,” he said.The event is a great way to show off the park, he added.“It really is a showcase of what we have to offer,” Drew said.Muchnok agreed, saying the park is a big resource for Butler County.“If you don't know Moraine, you don't know what you're missing,” Muchnok said.For information or to register for activities, go to www.lakearthurregatta.org.
