People lined the shores of Lake Arthur on Saturday during the 21st annual Moraine State Park Regatta. Events included Nautical Nature tours, sailing races and live music.

MORAINE — The 21st annual Moraine State Park Regatta made a splash this weekend as large crowds of visitors celebrated 49 years of the park.

And while officials said they won't know until later this week the impact the cancellation of the Three Rivers Regatta in Pittsburgh had on attendance, new offerings at the Moraine event aimed to make it one of the most successful yet.

Bob and Lori Murrell stopped by the regatta Saturday to celebrate something else: their 14th wedding anniversary and 18 years together.

“We were afraid to jump into the water,” Lori said.

“(But) the water's nice,” Bob added.

Saturday was the first time they visited Moraine together. “I've driven over that bridge 1,000 times,” Bob said. “Never (stopped).”

The Murrells have been to 41 states and are working through their bucket lists. They like new experiences and trying different things, and that's part of why they stopped by the regatta.

“We always enjoy doing things we've never done before,” Bob said.

The Murrells especially enjoyed watching the Dock Dogs performance. They thought the show was “hilarious” and could be popular on television. They also made plans to take a pontoon tour and watch live bands before finishing their anniversary celebration with dinner.

The regatta may become a tradition for them, they said. “This is amazing,” Bob said.“We'll come back,” Lori said.“The goal is to celebrate Moraine,” regatta coordinator Amanda Becker said. “Not just this weekend, but all through the year.”Becker, a Middlesex Township resident who visits Moraine throughout the summer, noted different ways the regatta encourages year-round visitors.Sailing races are historically popular during the regatta. New exhibits like the Workforce Development Tent also draw crowds. UPS representative Wendy Starkey was part of planning the Workforce Development Tent. “So far … it's been rather successful,” Starkey said. “It's not (just) about finding an applicant. It's also a networking event.”Northwest Region State Game Warden Jacob Olexsak spoke with a dozen individuals Saturday who wanted to know about the state's deputy game warden program. “I've had a few people stop by (with) legitimate inquiries,” Olexsak said. “All of the people that we've talked to have been here with their family.”Becker wanted the tent to show visitors they could make connections while celebrating the park.

Lake Arthur features prominently in many of the Moraine State Park Regatta activities.