RegattaCentral

Stonewall Regatta began in 1994 during preparations for Gay Games IV in New York City. About a year before the games, DCSRC learned the host organizers had dropped the planned rowing event from the sports line-up. DCSRC quickly put together a regatta at the Orchard Beach Race Course in Pelham Bay State Park, site of the 1964 Olympic Rowing Trials. In honor of the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in Greenwich Village in 1969, considered the start of the gay civil rights movement, this event was named 'Stonewall Regatta.'  The event was such a success that DCSRC decided to bring it home to Washington, DC, where it has since been held every June. Since 2004, the regatta has been held on the Anacostia River out of the Anacostia Community Boathouse, and typically coincides with DC Pride festivities. 

The Stonewall Regatta demonstrates the commitment of DCSRC to bridging gaps between communities by building an inclusive environment and educating the public not only about rowing, but also the contributions by the GLBT community and DCSRC.  The event promotes true sportsmanship in an open and inclusive environment, created not only by the participants themselves, but also by the event sponsors, volunteers, and spectators.

Stonewall does not just highlight and promote rowing in the GLBT community. The regatta also helps kicks off the circuit of adult sprint race competitions in the mid-Atlantic region and draws rowers of all stripes from the Washington area and beyond, welcoming anywhere from 400 to 500 athletes. Past regattas have included teams from Austin, Boston, Chicago, Hampton Roads, Columbus, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Richmond, and San Francisco; as well as from Canada and Europe. Join us as the tradition of Stonewall continues this year!