POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. - Why go anywhere else?

There will be sidewalk chalk and facepainting activities for the young ones, entertainment and social gatherings for the teens and even a chance to see the fireworks up close on the Ohio River.

And because this year's annual Point Pleasant Sternwheel Regatta was moved to the weekend after Independence Day, people on both sides of the river will have a chance to get a double dose of holiday fun, with the 2006 Regatta boasting a little bit of something for everyone.

Scheduled activities include a parade, live music, river cruises, kids activities, food vendors, karaoke, a queen pageant and fireworks.

According to Bill Wallace, chairman of the Regatta Committee, the two-day event will kick off Friday at 6 p.m. at the State Theatre with the 16th Annual Sternwheel Regatta Queen Pageant when 12 Mason County women will vie for the title of Regatta Queen.

Friday night also will see musical entertainment, and there will be two stages set up to please every listener's ear. The First Street stage will feature an evening of gospel music with several local bands, while the main stage at the Point Pleasant Riverfront Park will boast an evening of local talent, including Joey Wilcoxon, Paul Doeffinger and Two River Junction.

Saturday's festivities will kick off with a 5K run at 9 a.m. Registration is free and will take place 7:30-8:15 a.m., and the first 50 people to enter the race will receive a free gift. There will be prizes awarded for first, second and third place for males and females in each age division: 13-17, 18-30, 31-49, 50-65 and 65 and over. There also will be a wheelchair division in which prizes will be awarded for males and females placing first, second and third. The last division will be Mommy and Me, which is for any person pushing a child in a stroller. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place.

The race will be followed by the annual Sternwheel Regatta Parade at 11 a.m., beginning at the former Central Elementary School. Line-up will begin at 10 a.m. Wallace said last year's parade included more than 100 units marching down Main Street, and this year's promises to be as much, if not more, fun.

Directly after the parade, an entire day of kid's contests and events will take place along Main Street.

According to Heather Wood, Regatta committee member and pageant director, people will be able to check out more than just the Mothman statue in Gunn Park on Fourth Street during the day's events, and from noon-4 p.m., “Creation Station” will be in full swing at the park. Two tents will be set up, with the first tent specializing in children preschool to kindergarten ages. Kids will be able to use sidewalk chalk, finger paints, Play Doh, coloring sheets, facepainting and make-and-take animals on a stick. A second tent will feature art projects for kids in grades 1-3. Children can pick from make-your-own projects including bracelets, door hangers, name plates, animal creations, bookmarks, picture frames and shape art.

Wallace said music will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday on both stages, with Hidden Label performing on the First Street stage and Denis Chapman and the Gibson Quartet performing on the main stage. Following those performances will be country performer Nina Sharp at 8 p.m. on the main stage.

River cruises also are on tap for both days, with the Spirit of South Charleston offering an evening cruise that will depart from the riverfront park at 8 p.m. Friday. Hourly cruises will take place throughout the day Saturday, and at 8:30 p.m., the fireworks cruise will depart. Tickets for the Friday cruise are $15 per person, while tickets for the fireworks cruise are $20 per person.

The annual fireworks show will begin at dark, followed by karaoke to round out the evening and finish off this year's Regatta.