A campus staple won’t look the same this year. There will be no canoes in the Indianapolis Canal this fall as IUPUI’s annual Regatta race will take on a new form due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While changes are being put in place, the Regatta Steering Committee has been hard at work to ensure this year’s event still brings the campus together.
In place of the canoe race and the week-long festivities that surround the action-packed day on the canal, the steering committee has implemented several events throughout the fall semester that will focus on Regatta’s core values of tradition, service and collaboration. Each month, three events will be held with one traditional event, one service event and one event in collaboration with another student group taking place.
“We chose the categories of tradition, service and collaboration because we as a committee felt that these themes symbolize what has made Regatta such a prominent campus event,” said Aiysha Amjad, associate executive director of administration for the steering committee. “Therefore, by including elements of traditional Regattas, we hope to provide students with fun and safe activities that help this semester feel a little more normal.”
It hasn’t been easy for the Steering Committee -- comprised of IUPUI students -- to navigate the pandemic and what it means for an event that traditionally draws a crowd of 11,000 people to the canal. After a temporary halt on preparations, the committee shifted gears towards planning a semester’s worth of events through bi-weekly Zoom meetings and still found a way to incorporate some staples of Regatta week.
The Regatta Royalty contest, pet costume photo contest and a virtual twist to the cardboard boat race will all be featured, and the committee even found a way to still have an actual boat race this year.
“It’s not Regatta without a boat race so we will be hosting a motorized toy boat race that you and a friend can sign up to compete in and race your boat through an obstacle course,” said Amjad.
“We wanted to provide opportunities to build community in a primarily virtual setting,” said Joe Hayes, assistant dean of students and director of Campus Center and Student Experiences. “The spirit of competition can be found in the events planned as well as some of our traditional favorites like Regatta Royalty and the pet costume contest.”
Community partners have also been a huge influence on the traditional Regatta experience, and through collaborative events with other student organizations, Regatta will still partner with several local non-profits such as Coburn Place, Indy Humane Society and IUPUI’s own Paws’ Pantry.
“We hope that students find our events to be enjoyable, and we want to be able to make an impact in our community with our service events,” said Amjad. “Our goal is that we as an IUPUI community feel that togetherness beyond being physically close to each other.”
Students hoping to learn more about Regatta and get involved can visit regatta.iupui.edu for detailed information about the 2020 Regatta experience. Event information can also be found on The Spot, and Regatta is active on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @iupuiregatta.