Organizers preview 2026 Independence Day Regatta on Schuylkill River

Five thousand rowers will take over the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia for three days of racing this weekend for one of the country's oldest sporting traditions.

Organizers and city leaders held a press conference Thursday to preview the 2026 Independence Day Regatta.

The Independence Day Regatta begins Friday morning and continues throughout the weekend. The finals are Sunday afternoon. Organizers say admission is free and the event will include food trucks and other vendors along Kelly Drive for fans.

The regatta moved from the Fourth of July weekend to the final week of July to accommodate Philadelphia's America 250 events, the FIFA Men's World Cup festivities at Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park and the Round-of-16 World Cup match on July 4th.

Organizers say it was the first time since the regatta began in 1858 that the race moved from July 4.

The 2026 rowing competition features 5,000 athletes and nearly 100 teams from 18 states and other countries.

This is a developing story and will be updated.