Sports
Head of the Charles brings 12,000 rowers to the river for 2026 regatta
The three-day rowing event opens Friday, with its first race scheduled for 7:35 a.m. More than 12,000 athletes are expected to compete across 74 events along the Charles River.
The Head of the Charles Regatta opens Friday, Oct. 16, bringing thousands of rowers to the Charles River in Cambridge and Boston for three days of racing and crowds along the banks.
The first race is scheduled for 7:35 a.m. Friday, starting near the DeWolfe Boathouse. The annual regatta features 74 race events and draws more than 12,000 athletes from around the world, as well as hundreds of thousands of spectators, according to event information.
The regatta was first held on Oct. 16, 1965. It has grown into what organizers describe as the world’s largest three-day rowing event.
Spectators can watch at several points along the course, including the singles and doubles launch area at Magazine Beach, the River Street and Western Avenue bridges, and Weeks Footbridge. Races are also scheduled to be livestreamed Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to about 5 p.m.