AUGUST 3, 2017 // 11
Continued from Page 10
In addition, the Regatta includes sailboat
races, a concert, and a movie night and
barbecue in Warrenton.
Children can make floats for the Kiwan-
is Junior Parade, held 5:30 p.m. Thursday,
Aug. 10. The float that wins first place will
be invited to partake in the Grand Land
Parade.
Regatta is a time to celebrate the new
queen and the hard work the princesses
have done, which includes giving speeches,
making appearances and attending parades.
Court members are Sydney Ordway, Megan
Postlewait, Rebecca Sprengeler and Mack-
enzie Strain.
McMahan said the Regatta court builds
character and confidence.
“Being a princess was like, ‘You can
do it,” she said. “There’s nothing like
walking around, all matching with our
sashes, pins and crowns, and all the little
girls … saying, ‘That’s a princess, that’s a
princess!’”
As queen, McMahan has been someone
for the princesses to rely on for advice and
guidance. “It’s nice to form the sisterhood
with the girls.”
McMahan described her meetings with
the
Regatta members as a happy place and
r
a chance for them to separate themselves
from difficulties in their lives.
‘Representing our community’
Travers, who retired from the U.S. Coast
Guard in 2016, said he wanted to be presi-
dent because Regatta is a meaningful event,
and he believes in its mission.
“I was fortunate to get selected,” Travers
said. “I thought, ‘This is a fun group of
people.’”
As president, Travers is in charge of co-
ordinating meetings and fundraising events,
making sure there are enough staff and
volunteers, and working with the Regatta
court. “This community is absolutely amaz-
ing,” Travers said. “People are so giving, so
thoughtful. Regatta means a lot.”
There are 15 people on the Regatta
board, including Dan Arnoth, who has been
involved in Regatta since 1989.
To him, Regatta means heritage, he said.
“I fell in love with the float and the court
and have been doing it ever since.”
Before becoming a board member in
1992, Arnoth was an escort to the court
and president. He has been involved with
Regatta for 18 years and now organizes the
Grand Land Parade. “I’ve done every event
for Regatta. You name it, I’ve done it,” he
said.
Arnoth was also involved in the Astoria
Regatta’s award-winning float. “It’s been
very successful,” he said.
Most notably, the Astoria Regatta Festi-
PHOTO BY DANNY MILLER
The parade marches down Exchange Street during the 2016 Astoria Regatta Grand Land Parade in downtown Astoria.
PARADE PRIDE
This year, the Astoria Regatta Festival
Float, presented by Columbia Bank,
earned first place for commercial entries
in the Portland Rose Festival Starlight
Parade and for a community festival in
the Long Beach Loyalty Days Parade.
The 2016 Regatta Queen, Aubrey
McMahan, sat on the Columbia Bank
love seat while the princesses stood
on the side of the float. It also received
the Clatsop County Community Award
in the Warrenton Fourth of July Parade
and the Mayor’s Trophy in the Ilwaco
Kids Loyalty Days Parade.
The float will be featured in the Grand
Land Parade during the Regatta festival
with the 2017 queen sitting on the love
seat.
val Float earned first place for commercial
entries in the 2017 Portland Rose Festival
Starlight Parade.
“I feel we’ve reached our goal represent-
ing the community,” Arnoth said. CW
PHOTO BY JUSTIN GRAFTON
Astoria Regatta Board Member Dan Arnoth, right, with Bürgermeisterin Christiane Staab, 2016
Grand Last Parade grand marshal