Dow Bay City River Roar 2012
Every July the roar of powerboat racing engines can be heard reverberating from the banks of the Saginaw River in downtown Bay City, Michigan. The Bay City River Roar is sponsored by Dow Chemical Company and one of the many events to attract a crowd to the area. It regularly draws thousands of spectators who find themselves wowed by the speed of the boats.
Music concerts are a featured event of the River Roar as well. On Friday the concert stage hosted rock bands Cinderella, Skid Row, and LA Guns in 2012. Shortly after the roar of the engines died along the banks of the river, the heavy bass beat of rock music shook the shores. Saturday evening hosted the likes of The Product, Wayland, Finding Clyde, and Pop Evil.
Friday opens the weekend with time trials conducted through-out the day. Saturday morning opens with more testing but by afternoon the powerboats are in full racing mode with heats taking place until early evening. Then Sunday follows up with testing and Finals.
Although tickets can be purchased to watch the races, a thrifty way to view the races is by donating a non-perishable food item for entrance to Vet’s Park on the west side of the river. Purchased tickets are required for the concerts, but the music can be heard on all of the sidewalks in the downtown shopping district. Many restaurants and pubs are available to host the hungry and thirsty. So for a weekend of fun, make plans to visit this exciting annual event.