Business

Riverfront Roar rippling through Marietta this weekend

MARIETTA -- The Riverfront Roar kicked off its festivities Friday night, coinciding with downtown Marietta's First Friday celebration for July.

The event started at 6 p.m. Friday. There were around 15 food vendors there as well as six non-food vendors.

Friday night hosted the vendors and a concert. There were no races Friday night, but there will be races on Saturday and Sunday.

Also on Saturday, there will be more live music in the evening, in addition to the races during the day, and fireworks at night. The racing on Saturday will take place from 1-5 p.m.

On Sunday, there will be a car show in addition to the races from 1-4 p.m.

Rick Smith, Chairman of the Riverfront Roar board, mentioned that there were 38,200 people from all three days last year.

"We expect to have around the same number this year," Smith said.

This year's racers come from a variety of diverse places, from Michigan to Florida.

Randy Partch is a racer from Port Charlotte, Fla. Partch will be racing in boat number 66 and is on team Liquid Revolutions. This is Partch's third powerboat racing season; the Riverfront Roar will be Partch's fourth race this year and 27 race in his powerboat racing career. Partch has traveled to many places to race, including Missouri, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Before starting his powerboat racing career, Partch was into motocross racing.

"I had to stop because my body couldn't take it anymore," said Partch. "It wasn't until I saw a (powerboat) race in Colorado that I got into it.

"The feeling is hard to describe," said Partch in reference to the feeling of racing. "It's such a rush and free."

Also on Friday night was Marietta Main Street's First Friday. This month's theme was Christmas in July. Businesses in downtown Marietta celebrated the first Friday of the month as well as an early Christmas. Citizens of the community were able to come to downtown Marietta to shop in local stores, paint shirts in the Armory lawn and enjoy the atmosphere of the Riverfront Roar.

The activity schedule for the Roar includes:

SATURDAY

* 11 a.m.: Boat racing warmups, street vendors open (estimated)

* Noon: Beer garden opens

* 1 p.m.: Racing begins (estimated)

* 5 p.m.: Racing ends (estimated)

* 6 p.m.: Music starts

* 9:30 p.m.: Fireworks

* Midnight: Music ends

SUNDAY

* 9 a.m.: Car show begins (Armory on Front Street). Participants can register the day of, starting around 8, with a nominal entry fee.

* 10 a.m.: Racing warmups (estimated)

* 11 a.m.: Beer garden opens

* Noon: Racing begins

* 4 p.m.: Racing ends, trophy ceremony (estimated)

Clara Noelle can be reached at intern@newsandsentinel.com.