Under The Influence
No mention of the lakeside amusements and concessions can be made without bringing up a significant topic that, whether enjoyed or not, demands attention.
The consumption of alcohol at the Regatta is just as much a part of the history as the concessions and races themselves.
While in recent memory, there are very few - if any - incidents of severe inebriation, this has not always been the case. In fact, during the 1800's, it was common for men to go on drinking binges prior to, during, and after the Regatta, resulting in lost wages from employers and their families not receiving food for the week.
In 1828, the ladies of the city took matters in hand and did not attend that years Regatta, claiming they would not participate in an event that had such dangerous potential. Business owners also took up the "anti-Regatta" rally as work was not being done and business was being lost. Finally, a third source of opposition towards the Regatta came in the form of "temperance groups", such as the Total Abstinence Society, who believed that such activities harmed the very moral fabric of a person. In fact, looking back to the mid-1800's, pressure was so great that the Regatta had nearly been abolished due to the public outcry against public drunkenness.
