Whatever Race News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Augusta summer celebration moves from Capitol Park to newly renovated Mill Park The event included several other changes, including live music meant to appeal to an older audience. 4 of 4 Vanessa Tyler, 6, of Augusta, gets a flag painted on her face Saturday during Kennebec River Day at Mill Park in Augusta. Photo by Elise Klysa AUGUSTA — The annual festival held in Augusta every summer has come a long way from its roots, as a raucous race down the Kennebec River in rafts made of any available material. The Whatever Race was stopped years ago — some participants had taken to drinking alc...

Back when I was an Augusta kid, we used to have a total blast every summer watching  the Whatever Race on the mighty Kennebec River. When the river was cleaned up in the mid 1970s, some wacky fun lovin' locals decided this would be a great way to celebrate it.  People would build and decorate wild crafts and ride them from Augusta to Gardiner. It was anything that floats and no vessels powered by motors were allowed to participate. The one day race evolved into a weeklong festival called Whatever Week. I had never heard about this other annual wild water race in the Bangor area until a coup...