Remembering the Coeur d'Alene Regatta
Photo courtesy of MUSEUM OF NORTH IDAHO The first Coeur d’Alene Regatta was held in early July 1913, when this photo was taken.
Long before Ironman came to the Lake City, there was the Coeur d’Alene Regatta.
The Coeur d’Alene Regatta, once the city’s most popular sporting event, will be the subject of a lecture and media presentation by Robert Singletary Thursday, July 27, at 7 p.m. at Coeur d’Alene Public Library.
Sponsored by the new Chamber of Commerce in 1913, by the 1920s, the Regatta was one of the most popular attractions in the Inland Northwest.
After the great success of the first Regatta, which was held near the City Beach, a large stadium was constructed on the east side of Tubbs Hill.
The Regatta was canceled during World War I. After the war, in 1919, it was moved back to City Beach. A new grandstand along the beach area was designed to seat up to 12,000 spectators.
In addition to motor boat racing, which was the main attraction, the Regatta featured lumberjack ball games on logs, canoe racing, surf riding, canoe tilting, tub racing in costume, log rolling contests, and a variety of swimming a diving contests.
After the Regatta was moved back to the park area, the event, which was centered around the Fourth of July, became more popular than ever. Several new activities were added to the event schedule such as band concerts, a parade of water crafts, and a carnival. The city park offered picnic accommodations for up to 20,000 people. The Coeur d’Alene Regatta was in operation until the beginning of World War II.
This presentation is part of the Inland Northwest Milestones Lecture Series sponsored by the Museum of North Idaho and the Coeur d’Alene Public Library. It is free to the public.