KENNEWICK, Wash. – The Tri-Cities Water Follies is making waves in Columbia Park, as tons of people line the banks of the Columbia River to see those rooster tails flying.
When you come down to the Tri-Cities Water Follies, you never know who you’re going to meet. Just walking along the street a couple of super fans have been attending this event since the 60s and 70s.
Casey Marvin, was only three months old when he attended his first Water Follies.
“My first time at a Tri-Cities race was in 1976,” said Marvin.
He comes down from Seattle every year to attend.
“My favorite memories of the past were obviously the piston boats,” said Marvin. “The Griffon Bud is just being as loud as it can be, but my favorite boats were the Atlas Van Lines.”
Marvin wasn’t alone as a long-time boat race attendee.
Neil Bergman has been coming to this race for over 50 years and says he’s pretty much seen it all.
“The Pay ‘N Pak flipping,” said Bergman. “It looked like a playing card up in the air, and unfortunately Dean Chenoweth killed right out there, but there’s a lot of memories and nearly all of them were good.”
Marvin tells me the Tri-Cities is the best place to watch a race.
He says he and Bergman make the trip every year from the west side and according to Marvin the Tri-Cities fans are some of the best.
“The fans are like no others,” said Marvin. “I’ve been to tons of different boat races across the country and the Tri-Cities fans are just tremendous.”
Both Marvin and Bergman tell me they both will be heading to Seafair next because there is no way they are going to miss the chance at seeing the Gold Cup.
