This weekend at Moraine State Park, people of all ages will be able to do whatever floats their boat ... literally.

The ninth annual Regatta at Lake Arthur, an event designed to acquaint people with Moraine State Park and the lake, will offer activities for the young, old and everyone in between Saturday and Sunday.

"It's a great family event," said Jack Cohen, executive director of the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau and a member of the regatta board of directors. "We really want to show the beauty of the park."

Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday and continuing until 6 p.m. Sunday, the regatta will offer water, land and air events plus children's activities at the Lake View and McDanel's boat launch areas of the park, which is off Route 422 in Portersville.

Highlights will include the Whatever Floats Your Boat race, sailboat races and games of dead fish polo, a combination of water polo, canoeing and dodgeball. Visitors can ride in a hot-air balloon, helicopter and a canoe. Children's activities will include fishing tournaments and visits by Annie the Barn Owl.

New to the regatta this year is the wooden kit building clinic, where kids will be able to build boats, bookends, tool boxes and other wooden items. The clinic will be sponsored by Lowe's on Saturday and Home Depot on Sunday.

While the younger children are making model boats, older youngsters can try out real boats on the lake at a demonstration by Playthings, Etc.

"We really wanted to make this a family event," Mr. Cohen said.

Local bands Primate and Native Import and other acts will provide entertainment at the Lakeview Area stage throughout the festival. The Moraine Marketplace, which will include 20 new craft, food and business vendors this year, will be open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. both days.

A Zambelli fireworks display, which has become a regatta tradition, will be held at dusk Saturday.

All of the events are designed to let the 60,000-plus visitors take in the natural beauty of the park.

"There are a lot of breathtaking views," Mr. Cohen said. "During the morning hours, when you're watching the sailboat races and in the evening when you watch the fireworks over the lake, it's just great. I spend the weekend there with my family. It really is fun."

The regatta, which costs $40,000 to $50,000 to stage, is able to return each year because of donations from local businesses, rotary clubs and the Cranberry Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Cohen said.

"When the community is behind you and it realizes the importance of the regatta, it really lends itself to a great event," he said.

For more information, visit www.moraineregatta.com or call 1-866-856-8444.