Batteau Festival Watch Party

Step back into the 1700s as we watch from the riverbanks and see if we can catch a glimpse of of batteau boaters gliding by. From approximately 2-6 p.m., the boaters will pass by Powhatan State Park in the last stage of their 8-day journey from Lynchburg to Maidens Landing, which is just downstream from the park. Discover the rich history of these iconic Virginia boats and if you're lucky, witness them in action! Bring a chair or blanket to sit on, and snacks if you'd like.

According to Worldwide Classic Boat Show:
The James River Batteau Festival is an 8-day journey down the James River from Lynchburg to Maidens Landing using recreated late 18th & early 19th century cargo boats called James River Batteaux. Modern era batteau crews have hand built replicas of the 18th & early 19th century flat wooden cargo vessels once used to haul tobacco. Since 1986, they have traveled on an 8 day journey from Lynchburg, Virginia to Maiden’s Landing in Powhatan, Virginia. Today the annual June event is sponsored by the Virginia Canal & Navigations Society.

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