Utah Lake Festival Regatta 2026, Cancelled...or ???

Where did the Utah Lake Festival, Keelboat Regatta originate?

For the sake of historical accuracy, I would like to begin at the beginning. Our first boat (not counting the 4-way partnership in a Catalina 22 which was a huge learning experience), was a Catalina 25 swing keel, brought up from Arizona in AD 2000 and splashed in Utah Lake. Just for context, this was back when both breakwater jetties ran parallel to each other, the Visitors Center was old and run down and the concrete parking pad operated as a concessionaire ice skating rink. This was back when park entry fees were $5 (?) per car.

The Provo Marina Big Kahuna back then (1998), was Gordon Nickle, who sailed a tan Catalina 25 swing keel, with all the bells and whistles. A very skilled sailor and a very helpfull fellow around the marina. Gordon finally moved up to a Catalina 30 and re-located up to the Great Salt Lake...and then on out to San Diego.

This left quite a leadership hole in our Provo sailor's communittee. We had many improvements (necessities) that were pressing, but without Gordon's leadership skills, the needs were kept on hold. 

To get more Esprit de Corps injected into our sailing community, I started looking into an offering listed in the Utah Summers Games catalogue. "Sailing" back in 2008, was offered by USG in multi-hulls, and small (Lasers and Sunfish) mono-hulls. I was focoused on larger (18'-30') "keel boat" competitions, having had some experience up at the Great Salt Lake Yacht Club, Wedensday night beer can races.

A threesome of sailing affecianatoes, Brett Bingham (Utah Sailing Association), Reed Farnsworth and Bonneville Sailing, started an annual race series branded "Utah Summer Games Regatta" in 2008. We may have had all of 8 mono-hulls, and a number of multi-hulls entered. These humble numbers do not begin to indicate the success all participants felt after the last blast of the finish horn was sounded.

The regatta's next big evolutionary milestone would be from the Utah Lake Commission. They offered to sponsor the race. Up untill Eric Ellis took the reins of the commission from Reed Price, all fundraising for door prize swag came from Bonneville knocking on doors, begging for in-kind swag, focused on sailing safety and enjoyment. Before West Marine shut its doors in SLC, they helped with some pretty sweet sailors stuff.

In the interest of time, I'd say we had a pretty good series of regattas, until it became too much. For those of you who have not yet reached your "Golden Years", you really can't appreciate the effort it takes just to do simple every day things. I was ready to call it quits. Then Melanie Evans, one of Bonneville's instructors convinced me that the regattas must go on. People were looking forward to them. They had become something bigger than the sailing school. They were a Utah Lake "fixture". And in the same breath, Melanie said she would keep the Utah Lake Festival Regatta alive. It was, and still is my philosophy, that no one should shoulder such a responsibility, if it interferes with time away from family. Those of us who have the great priviledge of owning a boat, can go sailing anytime we want. We don't need a regatta to enjoy sailing. Yes it's fun to sail in a race, but I think it's fair to say we're talking about icing on the cake here. Right now is that time in Melanie's life, where family comes first. Priorities matter. It takes real courage to own up to what is really important.

So another new dawn for the regatta is approaching. Lets see what happens. If anyone out there feels they can take the bull by the horns and make a better/stronger Utah Lake Regatta, contact Kelly Cannon-O'Day at the Utah Lake Authority and we can move forward. 

Nothing is as constant as change...so the regatta will be morphing again.

An e-mail from Kelly Cannon O'Day (Utah Lake Authority) explaining the morph.

 The sailboat regatta was separated from the Utah Lake Festival because the festival has grown immensely over the past couple years. Last year, we had around 6,000 attendees. This year, we're looking at having 8,000. With everything that putting on a festival that large entails, the ULA simply does not have the time nor resources to have the regatta on the same day as the festival. This was my decision after discussing it with other ULA staff. The ULA is still interested in supporting the regatta through both sponsorships and planning/executing the event in the future. By separating from the festival, ULA can devote proper time and resources to ensure it's a successful event. 

That being said, the ULA is still willing to help with the regatta, if not this year then in the future. If someone else from the sailboat community is willing to step up and plan the regatta this year, I would love to talk more about how we can support that effort. I'd also be interested in discussing the possibility of the ULA taking on the regatta completely and making it an official ULA event. 

Please let me know if there are any other questions you have. You can also reach me at 801-836-0679. And please forward my contact information to anyone else in the sailboat community who has questions or concerns. 

Maybe let's focous on the Summer Sailstice 2026.

This event does not require permitts or professional support officials.

This is a social sail, not a race/competition.

We can celebrate sailing with sailors all over the world for this event on June 20-21, 2026.

Sail your boat over to Pelican Bay, Friday (June 20) after work, find a slip and spend the night. 

Who was Ted Turner?

RIP

Origins of the Wooden Boat Festival

Get your tickets now

WHAAAAAT??

Go Team Jackalope!

Remember the neighborhood!

Before using this newly positioned dock in the Utah Lake Marina, (outer harbour), you may want to sound out the depth, if you have a deep draft keelboat. I have received no "Attention to Mariners" information from the park on this new development.

Upcoming regattas and events

Interesting info on fire extinguishers.

PURE MUSICAL GENIUS