Aqua Palooza with the Rock Falls River Chase is a two-day, family-friendly summer celebration filled with water sports, live entertainment, and hands-on fun in Rock Falls!
More details to come.
Cardboard Regatta
Build it. Float it. Race it!
The Rock Falls Cardboard Regatta challenges teams to design and build their own boat using cardboard and other approved materials, then put their creation to the ultimate test on the water. Whether you’re racing for speed, creativity, or bragging rights, this unique event is all about teamwork, imagination, and having fun on the water.
Cardboard Regatta Forms – Please fill out and send to travel@visitrockfalls.com. Make checks payable to Rock Falls Tourism. Any questions call 815-622-1106
Race Rules
- Come up with a team name or boat name.
- Ages 5 and older are permitted in the boat. Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult (18 or older) in the same boat
- Teams must have a minimum of two (2) people in the boat and up to (2) additional people are allowed at the start line to assist with boat launch.
- It is mandatory that all competitors wear a life jacket while racing
- All competitors and crew members must wear suitable footwear (aqua socks or tennis shoes before getting into the water
- No consumption of alcoholic beverages before or during the race is permitted. Race officials reserve the right to disqualify any entries whose participants are suspected of being under the influence
- All boats must be made of corrugated cardboard, including both the hull and superstructure. You can sometimes get cardboard from an appliance store or big box distributors. Any thickness of corrugated cardboard is permissible
- The boat and paddles must be made of ONLY corrugated cardboard, duct tape and adhesives. No pretreated cardboard or reinforced cardboard tubes. NO Styrofoam, metal, wood, plastic, rubber, fiberglass or inflatable devices.
- Boats must be propelled by the use of cardboard paddles. Paddles must meet the same construction requirements as the boats. No motors, feet kicking, hand-paddling, etc.
- Boat may have a maximum width of 48” wide and maximum length of 10 ft
- Boats must permit the crew to remain fully on top of the vessel. (You are not permitted to have dangling extremities)
- The boat’s passenger area must not be enclosed above the occupant’s shoulders so as to interfere with escape should the vessel begin to sink. Try and keep it under 24 inches high.
- Decorating the boat: Boat design is left to the builders. Let your imagination take over, as long as the decoration does not aid in the floatation. You may use water-based latex paint or acrylic paint to provide both color and waterproofing. No oil-based paint.
- Teams are NOT allowed to patch or alter their boat between races
- If a team’s boat sinks you are out of the race
- Race must begin and end with 2-person crew intact
- You must take your boat (and its pieces) with you at the end of the event
- Boats and paddles must be made PRIOR TO THE RACE. They will be inspected by the staff at check in. If illegal items are found before, during and after, your boat will be disqualified. **ANY RULE NOT SPECIFICALLY COVERED ABOVE WILL BE LEFT TO THE DISCRETION OF THE JUDGES**
- It is the competitor’s responsibility to act in a sportsman like fashion, avoid collisions at all times and obey the rules and safety guidelines. Overly aggressive contact and/or un-sportsmen like conduct will not be tolerated and will result in disqualification at the sole discretion of event organizers. Examples include but are not limited to:
- Purposely obstructing or interfering with another competitor, boat, or crew.
- Causing damage or bodily harm to another competitor
- Use of profane language toward any person or competitor
- The racecourse will begin at the boat docks and proceed south in a clockwise circular route.
- Judges reserve the right to divide entrants into heats, depending on the number of vessels. Planned heats will be as follows:
- 5 years to 12 years old
- 13 years to 17 years old
- 18 years and older
- Prizes for the following categories:
- Fastest Boat in all 3 age groups (must finish race)
- Most Dramatic Sinking – stick around even if you didn’t finish race
- Most Creative Design