Crystal Lake cardboard regatta brings cardboard watercraft, spectators to the lake

Spectators and boats crowded Main Beach and the waters of Crystal Lake for the Crystal Lake cardboard boat regatta over the weekend.

The crowd looked out over the lake while the boats were out on the lake, facing the beach on the other side of the regatta path. The path started at one end of Main Beach, turned early into the lake, turned back toward the shore and ended at the other end of the beach.

The races kicked off about midday, and the Crystal Lake Strikers performed before boats took to the lake.

[ Photos: Crystal Lake cardboard boat regatta 2024 ]

Baxter and Woodman took First Place in the regatta, while Mario Circuit took home the people’s choice award. The kiddie cup went to Rowell Boys, Ornery Mule Racing took home the Stars & Stripes award, Kwikie Boat went to Birthday Buoys and Most Creative Theme went to Latitude Adjustment, a Jimmy Buffett-themed cardboard watercraft. Edgebrook Explorers was named best movie theme, Snoopy Float took home the Best TV Show award, Best Cartoon went to Gare Bear, Crystal Lake Shipwrights won Best National Park and Most Enthusiastic Crew went to Emmett Engineering Enderdragon.

“I did like the Gary one,” spectator Patti Wiese said, adding that a Perry the platypus boat was the favorite last year.

One of the SpongeBob-themed boats, Bikini Bottom Buccaneers, won its heat. Zak, Austin, Charles and Griffen Krause were on the boat.

“I had no idea this was a thing” until this year, Austin Krause said.

Zak Krause said he was participating in the regatta with his nephews. As for the boat’s inspiration, SpongeBob is 25 this year, and “Who doesn’t like SpongeBob?” he said.

Austin Krause said it’s “very tiring trying to row” a cardboard boat, and the group cared only about finishing. Their time was 2:49 this year, according to the online results. The other boat in the heat, Brood XIII, did not finish, but won the Most Spectacular Sinking award. Brood XIII was the cicada brood that emerged in northern Illinois earlier this year.

As for Bikini Bottom Buccaneers, “we plan on coming back,” Austin Krause said, but details were “TBD.”

The regatta started in 1985 and had been run by the America’s Cardboard Cup Regatta Foundation, according to the cardboard regatta website. After that organization struggled to get volunteers and weathered a COVID-19 pandemic cancellation, the Crystal Lake Parks Initiative Foundation took over the event.

Attendees Allison Lichtenheld and Lindsey Allen noted that history, and Lichtenheld said she won the kiddie cup. She said it was a “cool event for our community.”

Allen said she grew up watching the regatta, but Saturday was her first time bringing her kids to the event. She said her parents live in Crystal Lake, while she resides in Huntley.

“I’m so glad they brought it back,” Allen said, and that her kids are going to “talk about this 30 years from now.”

Lichtenheld said “it’s like living in a vacation town,” adding later that Crystal Lake “truly is a special, special place.”