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Yacht Fest, Tour de Coles Expected to Draw Thousands to Old Main This Weekend
Summary
Mayor Scott James said Yacht Fest and the Tour de Coles kayaking event will bring thousands of visitors to St. Albans, with music, vendors and activities scheduled on Old Main Street.
Mayor Scott James said St. Albans is preparing for Yacht Fest and the Tour de Coles, an annual flatwater kayaking event, and expects thousands of visitors and roughly 1,800–2,000 kayaks on the river during the weekend.
“It's 1 of the biggest economic weekends for the city of Saint Albans between Yacht Fest and the largest flatwater kayaking event in the country, the Tour de Coles,” James said. He added organizers expect “1,800 to 2,000 kayaks going down the river.”
Why it matters: the two-day combination of the paddle event and downtown festival is a major tourism and economic activity for the city, affecting traffic, parking, public safety and business operations.
James described festival features including live music, food and beverage vendors, kids activities and a water slide; he also listed headline and tribute acts slated to perform during Yacht Fest (including a ZZ Top tribute band, the Groove Brothers Band and local performers). The mayor said weather forecasts were trending better for the weekend and encouraged visitors to check yakfestwv.com for schedules.
Ending: Officials asked residents and visitors to plan for crowding and road impacts and said event information will be available on the city's events calendar.
