CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A festival that was a staple in the area will be making a comeback after 13 years.

The Charleston Sternwheel Regatta returns June 30-July 4 this year, on the Kanawha River in Charleston, West Virginia.

Mayor Amy Goodwin and members of the Regatta Commission announced the entertainment lineup and event schedule on March 31.

“Public support for the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta has been overwhelming,” Goodwin, who had campaigned to pledge to bring the event back, said in a press release. “People across the region, and some who have traveled in Regatta’s past, have been asking for this event to return since the day I took office.”

The Sternwheel Regatta was started in 1971 when 12-year-old Nelson Jones approached the town’s mayor with the idea of ​​having a race between five sternwheel boats on the river. The event expanded to two days within two years and continued to grow until its peak in the late 1980s when it lasted 10 days.

Major artists frequently headlined the event, including Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Gloria Estefan, Reba McEntire, Billy Ray Cyrus, Charlie Daniels, Joan Jett and Cheap Trick. The largest estimated crowd for the regatta was the Beach Boys in 1986, which drew 200,000 people to the river.

The event, which was one of the biggest entertainment festivals east of the Mississippi, eventually faded, before ending in 2009.

Goodwin said this year’s event features lineup, which is a mix of “old favorites and new upcoming favorites.” Familiar events from the regatta past also return, including the New Orleans-style funeral parade, Anything That Floats race and sternwheel races.

“Charleston Regatta, Inc. has worked diligently to deliver an event that will not only bring great fun and excitement to our city, but will also have a significant economic impact,” said Alisa Bailey, president of

Charleston Regatta, Inc. “We anticipate thousands upon thousands of event attendees and millions of dollars in tourism spending in Charleston.

The headliners are as follows:
• Thursday Night – Everclear, featuring opening acts Fastball and The Nixons.
• Friday Night – The Four Tops and The Temptations, with opening act The Unit.
• Saturday Night – Martina McBride, featuring opening act Chucky Ray Lilly with The Grip.
• Sunday Brunch – Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. and Bob Thompson
• Sunday Night – Rick Springfield, with opening act Hair Supply.
• Monday evening – West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Major events taking place throughout the event include:
• Wheelwash Craft Beer Festival – Thursday at 5 p.m.
• Battle of the Bands – Friday at 1pm
• Firecracker 5K (presented with the Childhood Language Center) – Saturday at 8 a.m.
• Motorcycle Show (presented with Biker Mafia) – Saturday at 10 a.m.
• “All Fired Up” Youth BBQ Challenge (presented with Capitol Market) – Saturday at 11 a.m.
• BMX/Skate exhibition – Saturday and Sunday at 11am
• Anything that Floats Race (presented with United Way of Central WV) – Saturday at 1 p.m.
• Weiner Dog Races (presented with Fix’Em Clinic and KCHA) – Saturday at 2 p.m.
• Funeral parade – Saturday at 3 p.m.
• All That Floats Youth Race – Sunday at 10 a.m.
• Car Show (presented with Hot Diggity Dog) – Sunday at 10 a.m.
• Paddlewheel Races – Sunday at 1 p.m.

Throughout the regatta, events will be available for young people, including:
• Kids zone filled with inflatables, art projects, games, face painting and more
• Fan-favorite carnival returns for all five days of the regatta
• The 3 on 3 basketball tournament will take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday
• Educational opportunities, courtesy of Sewell Mountain Sailing Association and Kanawha County Public Library
• The Regatta Movie Night will take place on Friday evening
All events will be free to the public.

– For a complete schedule of events, visit the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta Facebook page at facebook.com/charlestonsternwheelregatta.