Lake Natoma is dotted with boats on a daily basis, but never so busy as it is during the annual Regatta Month. Beginning this year on Friday, April 30, and running every weekend through the end of May, the lake and surrounding businesses are swamped with people drawn to a series of championship rowing events. For many of the businesses closest to the Sacramento State Aquatic Center, the annual month long event is a financial watershed.
Izzy Brookshire from the Aquatic Center points out that, while the college events bring substantial groups of teams from all over the nation, high school championship events bring even bigger crowds to the area. “Kids always travel with a family group that wants to see them race, mom and dad and the siblings and grandparents.” High school teams come from all over the state to participate in those events, and the college level races draw participants from all around the country.
Where do the athletes stay? Where do they eat? All up and down Highway 50. Brookshire says that many of the area hotels advertise their proximity to Lake Natoma. “The Fairfield Inn advertises itself as less than six miles from the Lake, and the Marriot Rancho Cordova that it is 4.3 miles to the Lake. The Comfort Inn on Folsom Boulevard and the Hawthorne Suites on Tributary Point Road are walking distance.” Many local hotels and motels also advertise discounts on rooms for team blocks of ten or more.
“It’s been busy, but joyful,” said the desk clerk at Comfort Inn. The Hawthorne Suites, just across the intersection from the Aquatic Center, reports that all Friday and Saturday nights for the month of May are sold out.
Across 50 on Hazel Avenue, The Old Spaghetti Factory sees an almost 50% increase in their Friday night business during Regatta Month. Manager Carri Takehara has been through several years of races and says, “Regatta Month has a completely positive impact on our business. On most Fridays we serve 900 dinners, but on those weekends we add another 700 on top of that. Last year we had to start prep early in order to prepare on those days.” But, she adds, “Everyone is so wonderful. It is a win win for us, they really want the food and we really want to serve it to them.” Most athletes choose not to eat in the restaurant, ordering bulk servings of pasta instead that they take to the hotel rooms and share with teammates. Takehara reports that the biggest weekend of all for the restaurant is Mother’s Day, which adds celebrants to the already increased crowd.
Regatta Month only happens once a year, but Izzy Brookshire points out that, “In the fall we draw from all over the country again for the one day Head of the American race.” Another profitable weekend looms.
Regatta Month Schedule
- April 30 WCC & DIII Rowing Championships
- May 1 – 2 WIRA Rowing Championships
- May 8-9 Southwest Junior Rowing Championships
- May 15 Pacific Coast Rowing Championships
- May 16 PAC 10 Rowing Championships
- May 22 Gold Rush Masters Regatta
- May 28-30 NCAA Women’s National Rowing Championships
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