HOSR Regatta Celebrates Competition, Community and Rowing History on Philadelphia’s Schuylkill River: October 24 & 25, PHILADELPHIA, PA —
When October arrives in Philly, a spotlight shines on the Schuylkill River. On October 24 & 25 nearly 9,000 rowers from across the country
and around the globe will descend on Philadelphia for the 56th Head of the Schuylkill Regatta (HOSR), transforming the historic Schuylkill River into one of
the largest stages in American rowing for a weekend that celebrates competition, community and the enduring traditions of the sport.
As Philadelphia marks the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026, the Head of the Schuylkill offers a distinctly Philadelphia way to celebrate the occasion—on a river where generations of athletes have competed, communities have gathered and American rowing
history has been written.From high school athletes racing the Schuylkill for the first time to collegiate, championship, masters, adaptive and veteran competitors, the two-day regatta brings generations of rowers together on the same 2.3-mile course through Fairmount Park. An additional 20,000 to 30,000 spectators are expected to line the riverbanks, taking in racing against one of the most recognizable backdrops in rowing: Philadelphia’s historic Boathouse
Row.
“The Head of the Schuylkill is more than a race—it is a gathering of the community,” said Jennifer Wesson, Executive Director of the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta. “For 56 years, athletes have come to Philadelphia to test themselves on this river. What makes the weekend
so special is seeing first-time competitors, Olympians, masters, high school athletes, families, coaches, volunteers and generations of rowers all sharing the Schuylkill together.”
56 YEARS — AND STILL MOVING FORWARD
What began as a Philadelphia fall race more than half a century ago has become a weekend
when the rowing community comes together—not only to compete, but to reconnect.
Many Athletes come from around the world chasing medals and some simply hoping to finish
their first Head of the Schuylkill. There are former competitors returning as coaches, parents,
referees and volunteers. There are crews carrying decades of tradition and young rowers
beginning traditions of their own. For one October weekend, all of those dreams, ambitions and
stories meet on the same river.
“We are proud of where this regatta has been, but we are equally excited about where it is
going,” Wesson said. “Whether we are welcoming a young athlete to the Schuylkill for the first
time, preserving the story of someone who raced here decades ago, or helping the next
generation find its place in rowing, HOSR is about creating a memorable experience and
keeping this incredible community moving forward.”
Race schedules, competitor information, spectator information and additional details are
available at HOSR.org.
A PHILADELPHIA TRADITION SINCE 1970
The Head of the Schuylkill Regatta began in 1970 with an estimated 180 competitors. More than
five decades later, it has grown into one of the largest rowing competitions in the United States
while remaining deeply connected to the Philadelphia rowing community where it began.
That connection takes on special meaning this year as the nation has just commemorated 250
years, HOSR will welcome athletes and visitors from across the country back to the city where
the American story began— to a river that remains one of the most historic rowing venues in the
country and the beginning of the next 250. The 56th HOSR will bring that history to life—not
behind museum glass, but through thousands of athletes competing on the same water that has
helped shape generations of American rowers.
Racing will span two full days and feature nearly every corner of the sport, including high
school, collegiate, championship, masters, adaptive and para events, singles, doubles, fours
and eights.
But the HOSR experience extends well beyond the racing.
The Three Angels Statues Festival Area will once again serve as a gathering place for
competitors and spectators, while thousands of families, alumni, teammates and rowing fans
line the river to cheer crews toward the finish.
NEW IN 2026: PRESERVING ROWING’S HISTORY
This year’s regatta arrives just weeks after the official launch of The Rowing History Project, an
initiative of the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta created to discover, preserve and share the
photographs, objects, voices and stories that tell the history of rowing.
Born on the banks of the Schuylkill and rooted in Philadelphia’s extraordinary rowing heritage,
the Project began in 2020 as part of HOSR’s 50th anniversary. It has since grown into a broader
effort inviting rowing clubs, organizations, athletes, historians and communities across the
country and abroad to help preserve their own pieces of rowing history.
Its national launch during America’s 250th anniversary year provides a fitting opportunity to look
at history not simply as something to commemorate, but something each generation has a
responsibility to preserve and pass forward.
At the center of the initiative is a growing virtual museum that will bring together historic
photographs, documents, race programs, trophies, equipment, video, audio and oral histories—
making materials that have often remained hidden in boathouses, archives and personal
collections accessible to the broader rowing community.
The Project will also continue recording the voices of the sport through The Rowing History
Project Story Booth, at the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, where members of the rowing
community can share their memories and experiences.
The idea is simple: Share your story. Preserve our rowing legacy. www.rowinghistoryproject.org
INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION
The 56th HOSR will also mark another first when the regatta formally recognizes Jada Smith of
Ocean City High School as the inaugural recipient of the Christopher Blackwall Scholarship.
Created in honor of longtime HOSR leader Christopher Blackwall, who spent more than 30
years helping build the regatta into the event it is today, the annual $2,500 scholarship
recognizes a high school senior who demonstrates academic excellence, athletic achievement
and a commitment to personal growth.
Smith, a rower and student leader who plans to continue rowing at the collegiate level, will be
formally recognized during the regatta weekend. The scholarship represents an important
extension of the HOSR mission: celebrating rowing’s history while investing in the people who
will carry the sport forward.
HONORING THOSE WHO MAKE THE SPORT POSSIBLE
This year, HOSR will also honor the memory of Richard E. Dougert, former Chief Referee of the
Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, whose dedication and leadership left a lasting impact on the
regatta and the rowing community. HOSR plans to establish the Richard E. Dougert Referee
Scholarship to help offset the costs associated with becoming a new rowing referee—continuing
Dougert’s legacy by supporting the next generation of officials who make fair and safe
competition possible.
CLUB COLORS: Light Show for HOSR Friday, October 23, Saturday, October 24, and
Sunday, October 25, from sunset to sunrise (6 pm – 7 am)
Fairmount Park Conservancy, manager of the Boathouse Row Lighting Program, is celebrating
the HOSR and the boat clubs that power the row with a special light show called “Club Colors.”
The show will cycle through the club colors of the following boathouses: Fairmount Rowing
Association, PA Barge Club, Crescent Boat Club, Bachelors Barge Club, University Barge Club,
Malta Boat Club, Vesper Boat Club, University of Pennsylvania, Penn AC Rowing Association,
Undine Barge Club, Philadelphia Girls Rowing Club, and the Sedgeley Club.