Hardy's Race for the Lake draws crowds to Lake Decatur

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — The final day of Hardy's Race for the Lake boat races is Sunday. The races have been taking place throughout the weekend at Lake Decatur, bringing families out for good food and fun.

"For a lot of people, this is a huge nostalgic event. If you were born and raised in Decatur, so many people grew up coming to the boat races, and when we didn't have them, it was sort of like something was missing from summer," said boat race committee member Susan Keane.

Now that the boat races are back for a third year, Keane said the races are a great way to kick off the summer. People from all over the country come to the Soy City to enjoy the festivities.

"We have so much to offer that people don't know about. We can make this a destination because there truly is so much to do," Keane said.

Boat racer Sean Bowsher said Decatur has a rich boating history dating back decades. Bowsher played a key role in bringing the races back to the lake. He said the event brings a significant boost in revenue to the city.

"Not only is this the boat race, we have 15 or 16 vendors. We have 30 or 40 arts-and-crafts vendors. There's plenty to do in Decatur. You just have to want to do it," Bowsher said.

Vendor Bistro To-Go teaches students from Richland Community College about culinary arts and customer service. Chef Brian Tucker said the diverse atmosphere enhances the learning experience.

"It's amazing because the more people we get here from all over the place, the more students get to interact with customers who have different tastes and expectations," Tucker said.

Organizers will begin planning next year's boat races later this year, and many said they are already looking forward to the next event.