Bradenton draws massive crowds for 11th annual River Regatta event

BRADENTON, Fla. - Start your engines for one of the biggest boat racing events of the year.

"There's no brakes on these boats. It's all throttle driven. So once they get going, man, it's pedal to the metal," Michael Dongilli, production manager of the River Regatta, said.

The backstory:

It’s Bradenton’s 11th annual River Regatta, Manatee County’s largest spectator event.

"We average over 100,000 spectators each year here coming down to see this," Dongilli said.

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"It's a family free event. That was one of the most important things, and just thanking Manatee County, city of Palmetto, city of Bradenton for what they do, and all of our councils and commissioners that really work to make this that safe free event," Gene Brown, mayor of Bradenton, said.

Dig deeper:

For the first time, the Florida Formula One Powerboat championships are gracing these waters, where the stakes are high and the boats fly.

"That's the top of the line. These are the fastest inland boats in the world that can top out at roughly 130 miles an hour on the straightaways. More than likely, we won't get there this time, but they'll be going pretty fast," Dongilli said.

Plenty of family entertainment is also available on land, including canine tricks and magic shows.

What they're saying:

"They really love to make the audience happy, and this is when they're at the absolute happiest of their little lives," Danielle Wagner, owner of Team Zoom Canine, said.

No matter what you’re here for with the River Regatta, there’s something for everyone.

"Pretty much any age group is going to find something to enjoy when they're down here today," Dongilli said.