Borden Light Marina Charity Poker Run
The 20th Anniversary Borden Light Marina Charity Poker Run is scheduled for Saturday, August 1, 2026, in Fall River, marking two decades of one of New England’s best-known charity poker run events. Hosted by Borden Light Marina and centered around The Tipsy Seagull, the annual event combines high-performance boating, waterfront parties, charity fundraising, and weekend-long entertainment across Narragansett Bay and surrounding waterways.
Organizers announced that the 2026 event will celebrate the poker run’s 20th anniversary and will once again feature multiple days of activities beginning Thursday, July 30, with a public block party in downtown Fall River featuring boats, DJs, food trucks, lawn games, and waterfront entertainment.
Friday evening’s schedule includes the Captain’s VIP Cocktail Reception at Morgan's Cantina, where participants, crews, and sponsors will gather for drinks, appetizers, and a retrospective celebration covering the event’s 20-year history. Organizers also confirmed the return of the poker run lunch stop for 2026, which had previously been absent in recent years.
Saturday’s poker run activities begin with registration from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. followed by the mandatory captain’s meeting at 11:00 a.m. Boats are scheduled to depart shortly afterward, with organizers promoting the event’s traditional “Start Your Engines” launch at 12:30 p.m. Participants can expect a large collection of offshore performance boats, catamarans, V-bottoms, and center consoles throughout the run.
The event weekend also includes one of the region’s more well-known poker run party atmospheres, highlighted by the Saturday afternoon bikini contest hosted at The Tipsy Seagull. Evening activities continue with dinner, poker hand scoring, raffles, auctions, and awards presentations at Pier 52.
Organizers announced cash payouts of $3,500 for first place and $1,000 for second place along with awards for Best Looking Boat and Best Looking Crew. Registration for a captain and first mate is listed at $750, increasing after July 31, and includes access to the Friday VIP party, Saturday lunch stop, and dinner events.
The charity poker run has become a major annual fundraising event over the years, raising significant donations for organizations including Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island, The Greg Hill Foundation, and the Boys & Girls Club of Fall River. According to organizers, the 2025 event raised approximately $70,000 for charitable causes.
Sunday’s activities are expected to conclude with a weather-permitting Fun Run to Block Island, with participating boats departing from The Tipsy Seagull docks during the late morning hours.
Additional event information, registration details, sponsorship opportunities, and hotel accommodations for the 2026 Borden Light Marina Charity Poker Run are available through The Tipsy Seagull Poker Run Page.