Record attendance reported at Regatta

Published: Jul. 8, 2024 at 5:49 PM EDT

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Charleston Mayor Amy Goodwin says the Sternwheel Regatta was a success and the record numbers came from many hours of planning to give the city what they wanted.

“What brought people back is what they asked us to do, is to provide them with the things they loved about the Regatta,” Goodwin said.

The mayor said what truly makes the Regatta so special is the 750 employees who work behind the scenes to make everything possible.

“These employees are really what make the Regatta so special. Yes, having everybody come into town, having everybody spend their time and their valuable dollars with us is certainly important. But what makes me so proud is to see what happens behind the scenes,” Goodwin said.

During the next couple of weeks, Goodwin says they will look at sales, vendors, and the numbers from hotels to make their official calculations and assessment.

“But it takes us a couple weeks to get those numbers in. So we are really excited about sharing those with you soon,” she said.

The main goal Goodwin has is to see the community happy and enjoying themselves every year.

“If you’re happy, if you’re having a good time, that does bring me joy. It brings us joy, and that’s what the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta is all about,” she said.