42nd annual ‘Head of the Hooch’ takes over Tennessee River

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Chattanooga held the 42nd annual ‘Head of the Hooch’ on the Tennessee River this weekend.

It has been known as one of the biggest rowing regattas in the country for the last 18 years.

The streets were flooded with people from all over the country.

“This is the 42nd annual Hooch and we’ve been in Chattanooga since 2005. This weekend we’ve got 2,200 boats that were racing this weekend. We got high schools colleges and then clubs that are from around the country. We’ve got I think it’s five 5,500 athletes that are here this weekend from 30 states represented and 184 different clubs, clubs, colleges, high schools that are here to race for the weekend,” Regatta director Mike Connors said.

While the event is entertaining itself, it also draws people in because of the unique vendors that set up along Chestnut Street.

“We’re the second largest regatta in the country now next to the head of the Charles which is in Boston. The event has grown here over the last now 18 years that it’s been here and the estimate is that it has about a $9 million impact on the economy for a Chattanooga over the weekend,” Connors said.

The regatta has benefited Chattanooga economically since its introduction.

However, the surrounding attractions are also what brings in people from all over the country.

“It’s an all-volunteer organization so everything is put on between the Atlanta Rowing Club was really where they started down in Roswell,Georgia. It kept outgrowing its venues until it landed here in Chattanooga in 2005. And then we partnered with Lookout Rowing Club here in Chattanooga, and so the two of us the two organizations work together to put this on,” Connors said.