‘The sillier the better:’ Nanaimo’s Silly Boat Regatta ramps up, volunteers needed

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The Silly Boat Regatta has seen a wide variety of entries over the years, with not all of them making it across the finish line. (Image Credit: File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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'The sillier the better:' Nanaimo's Silly Boat Regatta ramps up, volunteers needed

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She said 36 teams from Vancouver Island will be competing this year, along with their usual family activities going on between building and racing, starting at 10 a.m.

Prior to a noon cake-cutting ceremony, legendary Canadian children’s entertainer Fred Penner will be performing at 11:30, including leading the crowd in Happy Birthday to honour 40 years of silly boating.

Howland said they wanted to do something special to celebrate four decades.

“Fred had been here many, many years ago, and so we reached out and asked if he would come back and do our 40th anniversary celebration with us, and he said yes.”

Silly but safe, with boaters in the water making sure all Silly Boat contestants can make it back to the shore safely after they circle a buoy. (Image Credit: File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

She said the event would never have made it to 40 years without the help of a small army of volunteers, with lots of positions available for those who want to lend a hand.

“Our main positions are set up in the morning from 6 a.m. till 9 a.m., and then different stations like we have the Wacky Snack Shack and the root beer gardens, and our waterfront store that we’re always looking for more volunteers to help in there as well, and then it’s always to clean up, packing everything up, and loading it all back in the truck.

NCDC provides programs and services, supporting over 1,900 children, youth and families on the mid-Island every year.

This year’s fundraising goal is $125,000.

More information on the 2026 Silly Boat Regatta, including how you can help out, can be found at sillyboat.com.

This year’s Silly Boat Regatta holds extra meaning following the recent death of Michelle Kocourek, former CDC resource development officer, who served as a longstanding, tireless advocate for the non-profit organization.

The first Silly Boat Regatta was in 1984, launched by radio station CHUB AM 1570, the predecessor to 102.3 FM The Wave, to raise funds for Show You Care Society.

The organization provided financial aid to families of children who needed to travel for kidney transplants.

NCDC became recipients of the Silly Boat Regatta fundraising after the Show You Care Society shut down a few years later.

Volunteers are still needed for this year’s Silly Boat Regatta, bringing huge crowds to Maffeo Sutton Park every year. (Image Credit: File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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