Every late October thousands of students from around the world come together to race in the Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR). White tents line the river, boasting everything from food stands and home remodeling estimates to handcrafted pottery. Heavy rainfall placed a damper on Saturday’s festivities, only making Sunday that much more exciting. While walking around the river, we stopped by vendors, inquiring about what HOCR means to them.
Avery Zoschak staffed a booth from Power Home and Remodeling that offered free home remodeling estimates. Zoschak noted on Saturday that business was slow. “The biggest issue today was booth placement,” he said. “We got shafted to the far end of the major foot traffic areas.” Zoschak managed to secure only one estimate, originally hoping for between six and eight going into Sunday. He mentioned that they typically conduct door-to-door sales and that the event’s demographic did not turn out to be quite what they were looking for. Zoschak noted that “the younger people at the event are not typically what we are targeting when trying to find customers.” A home remodeling business might seem like a strange presence on a college campus, but it does highlight the diversity of vendors hoping to find potential customers amidst the crowd.
Another booth we stopped by, the Rainbow Pottery Studio, was doing well on Saturday, estimating that 75 people had visited their booth by 3:00 pm. The booth was advertising for their shop on Newbury Street and showcased pottery for sale made by ten featured artists. The booth was spearheaded by Maggie and Charlotte Carroll, the daughters of the studio owner, Allie. This year they offered the unique opportunity for visitors to engage in on-site pottery painting, a departure from their usual pottery sales-only approach.“We’re not loving this rain, but we’re actually staying pretty busy,” Maggie said. They added that the rain had only a negative impact on their personal comfort rather than their pottery sales.
Leon Jendrasko from N&D Sports, a seasoned vendor at the Head of the Charles, provided a different perspective. Jendrasko grew up in Northern Maine, and told us, “I was raised by otters ‘till I was thirteen.” He has attended the regatta for nearly a decade and has been with N&D for a remarkable 28 years. N&D Sports attends around 60 regattas annually with the Head of the Charles being the largest. Jendrasko also runs the tents of N&D at major sporting events such as the Super Bowl and the Rose Bowl. He told us that the rain had definitely slowed the traffic in and out of their business, but was looking forward to the better weather promised on Sunday. Checking back with them the following day proved his predictions to be true, with the booth mobbed by tourists and students looking for HOCR merch.
Amidst the chaos and free snack offerings, we found a security guard holding 3 complimentary chip bags and a free coffee. He laughed at his own goodie haul and claimed that this was his first time working at the Head of the Charles, having actively avoided it for the last 25 years.
Sam Silverman showcased his talent on Anderson Bridge on Sunday, playing blues and rock on his electric guitar, and attracting passers-by to stop and listen as they enjoyed their day at the river. He remarked that business was going well, but stated that, “In my peak summer months like July, I average $50 per hour in tips.” As the fall season takes hold, the flow of tips slows down. The Head of the Charles is still a great boost to his business, reaching far more than he would on a typical fall day in Boston Garden.
The Head of the Charles is an event that brings people together. It is a key part of Cambridge’s history, and it would not be the same without the food, music, and chaos that ensues when people from so many different backgrounds come together. It brings out the regatta superfans, rowing communities from all over the world, as well as many others who have little experience with crew. It is an event that can be enjoyed by fighting for a prime spot on one of the many bridges that overlook the river or eating food on the sidelines and interacting with many of the local businesses.
While the races on the water are heating up, HOCR provides a unique mix of small and large businesses to stop by and enjoy a free snack, discover your new favorite local business, or just chat with some really interesting people. We saw last weekend that rain or shine, the Head or the Charles brings people of all ages, businesses of all kinds, and an energy that makes the event a great experience year after year.
Andrew Morrissey ’26 (ajmorrissey@college.harvard.edu) and Denny Gulia-Janovski ’26 (dguliajanovski@college.harvard.edu) write Sports for the Independent.