The Head of the Hooch Is Ross's Landing's Last Big Weekend for a While. Here's Where Chattanooga's Riverfront Goes Next.

This weekend the Head of the Hooch finishes at Ross's Landing for the last time until the park is rebuilt. When the final crews cross the line on Sunday, the South Shore gets ready for about 18 months of construction. The center of the downtown riverfront moves across the Tennessee River to Coolidge Park, Renaissance Park and Frazier Avenue.

The Walnut Street Bridge reopened on Oct. 3 after its own 18-month closure, so the walk to the North Shore is open again just as the riverfront starts leaning on that side of the river. If you plan to spend riverfront time downtown before the new Ross's Landing opens, the North Shore is where you'll be spending it.

Three Dates That Move the Riverfront North

The changeover happens in a few steps over the next month.

The order matters. The regatta was booked before construction could start, and the next large public event downtown is already set on the north bank. The Hooch itself will race on the North Shore in 2027.

The Bridge Came Back Just in Time

The Walnut Street Bridge restoration replaced parts of the steel and all of the wood decking. The city estimated that more than 20,000 people walked the new Alaskan cedar planks on reopening day alone.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported what the closure meant on the far end of the bridge. Geno Wallace, president of the North Shore Merchants Collective and owner of Geno's Salon, told the paper, "It's almost like a weight has been lifted." Gail Rich manages In-Town Gallery, the artist co-op on Frazier Avenue. She told the paper that walking over on the Market Street Bridge never drew people the way the Walnut Street Bridge does, and that foot traffic makes up a large share of the gallery's sales.

"It varies from year to year, but I dare say 80% of our business is foot traffic."

Rich told the Times Free Press that business has been booming since the bridge reopened, and the gallery has put Walnut Street Bridge items in its front windows. For the next year and a half, those North Shore shops will be the closest neighbors to the parts of the downtown riverfront that stay open.

There was one goodbye on reopening day. Chattanoogan.com reported that Julie Darling Donuts closed at 121 Frazier Ave. on Oct. 3 after 16 years. A later report said new owners plan to reopen the shop at the same address and keep the current recipes.

Watching the Hooch This Weekend

According to Chattanoogan.com, the Head of the Hooch has called Chattanooga home since 2005. Officials say it draws more than 6,500 athletes and brings in an estimated $12 million a year. This is a head race, so boats start roughly 15 seconds apart and are ranked by time over a 4,500-meter course, about 2.8 miles, that ends at Ross's Landing Park. Racing starts Saturday morning, and boats begin launching about an hour before the first start. Admission is free.

The regatta's spectator guide lists four main places to watch:

• Ross's Landing Park. The finish line, with grandstands, crew tents and the Chattanooga Market. This weekend is your last chance to watch a finish from here until the park reopens.
• Walnut Street Bridge. Boats pass about 350 meters from the finish, right below you. After 18 months of closure, this is the spot most people haven't stood on in a while.
• Coolidge Park. The quieter North Shore option, with boats heading to the start and a view across to the finish. Bring a chair.
• The Chattanooga Riverwalk. Follow the race on foot or by bike. Rentals through Bike Chattanooga carry a 60-minute limit before overage fees apply.

Driving is the hard part. The regatta's parking and access page says road access at Ross's Landing is controlled from Wednesday at 10 a.m. through late Sunday afternoon. Water-filled barriers block all four entrances from about 9 a.m. Friday until about 4 p.m. Sunday, so spectators should park off-site or take a short free CARTA ride. The free electric shuttle runs continuously along Broad and Market streets between Shuttle Park North at Broad and 3rd, a block from the venue, and Shuttle Park South at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo at Market and 14th. If you're watching from home, the regatta also streams the races live.

What Closes After the Last Boat Crosses

The city's project hub posted an update on Oct. 29. It says construction documents are 100% complete, River City Company has secured the funding to begin, and work is set to start in late November and last 18 months. Back in March, a city economic development official told Chattanoogan.com that "the whole South Shore will go under construction." Chattanooga-based P&C Construction is the construction manager.

The closure tested the Hooch. Chattanoogan.com reported that organizers had looked at Columbus, Ga., as a backup. Then on Oct. 8, River City Company president and CEO Emily Mack said, "The Hooch has made the decision to remain indefinitely in Chattanooga." Officials said the regatta will stay through at least 2030. The city's project page says regular stakeholder meetings are underway and that the city is helping major event organizers with contingency plans and other venue options for 2027.

What the 18 Months Are Building

The Riverfront Parks NEXT plan, shown on the city's project page, would give Ross's Landing more reasons to visit on an ordinary weekday:

1. A full-service restaurant on Chestnut Street and a casual Pier Café with public restrooms, one at each end of Ross's Landing.
2. A play zone beside an upgraded pier.
3. Multi-use sport courts, seating and art under the Olgiati Bridge, the Highway 27 span.
4. A larger floating commercial dock that brings the public closer to the water and still serves boats.
5. Shade trees, native plants and open lawns called "The Valley," designed to hold large events, plus traffic-calming speed tables on Riverfront Parkway.

These additions explain why the closure is worth it. Today Ross's Landing comes alive for big events. The finished park is designed with restrooms, food, shade and play space so it works on a regular Tuesday too.

A North Shore Fall Calendar

Until then, the downtown riverfront schedule runs mostly through Coolidge and Renaissance parks. WDEF reported that Chattanooga's first Renaissance Faire was a one-day event in Coolidge Park in May. The fall edition on Nov. 14–15 spreads across both North Shore parks, with three stages, more activities and artisan demonstrations.

For the rest of November, here's a simple plan:

• This weekend: Watch the Hooch from the bridge or Coolidge Park. Take the shuttle downtown and walk across.
• The following weekend: Go back to the North Shore for the Renaissance Faire, which spans both parks.
• Any afternoon: Walk the bridge to Frazier Avenue and stop in at In-Town Gallery, where the windows are full of Walnut Street Bridge pieces this fall.

If a weekend beside the Tennessee River has you thinking about land of your own, whether that means water frontage, room for animals or a porch that looks out on the valley, the team at Home and Farms Realty would be glad to help you find it. Let's Connect.