July 27-29, 2012

Sailboats from across the U.S. head to Harbor Springs each July for a summer tradition: the Little Traverse Yacht Club's Ugotta Regatta. Hosted by the Little Traverse Yacht Club (LTYC), the Ugotta Regatta brings together some of the best sailboat racing in the country on Little Traverse Bay and takes place the weekend following the second of the Mackinac Races (Port Huron to Mackinac or Chicago to Mackinac).

The Ugotta Regatta begins with one design racing on Friday followed by a tour of the bay course on Saturday and windward-leeward racing on Sunday. The weekend's festivities kick off bright and early Friday morning with a fun tradition: a long line of happy people beginning at sun up outside Irish Boat Shop to purchase the 2012 Ugotta Regatta t-shirt. Each year, the shirt design changes and with a limited number produced, the lines begin early so that the shirts can be had.

Friday night finds a welcome to Harbor Springs celebration at the Irish Boat Shop. On both Saturday and Sunday mornings, the Little Traverse Sailors Race Program hosts a pancake breakfast, open to the public, at the Yacht Club. One highlight of the breakfast: the Junior Racers flip less-than-perfect pancakes over their shoulders to land on the roof of the sail shed behind them.

LTYC hosts parties at the Yacht Club both Saturday and Sunday afternoon for Regatta participants. With approximately 85 sailboats participating in the Regatta, the event brings to Harbor Springs hundreds of crew members and their families. Race watchers either head out onto the water in power boats or watch from the Petoskey State Park or Petoskey's Sunset Park.

LTYC's Ugotta Regatta is a fun celebration on the gorgeous waters of Little Traverse Bay where some of the best sailing in the country just happens to be!

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