Light Up the Cove

The 4th Annual Light Up the Cove will bring Ohio River boaters together Friday, September 4, 2026, for an evening of raft-up fun, illuminated boats and live music at Party Cove near Utica, Indiana.

Presented by Admirals Anchor RV Boat Sales & Marina, the Labor Day weekend gathering is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at Ohio River Party Cove. The event is part of the larger Party Cove Raft-Up weekend, giving boaters an opportunity to tie up, decorate and light their boats and spend the evening on the river with other crews.

Live entertainment will be provided by the River City Yacht Club Band, which is scheduled to perform throughout Friday evening. The Louisville-area group specializes in yacht rock and soft-rock favorites from the 1970s and 1980s. The band's official 2026 calendar lists Light Up the Cove from 6 p.m. until 11:59 p.m. on September 4.

Light Up the Cove is centered on recreational boating and the social atmosphere of Party Cove rather than competition. Boaters can raft together for the evening, enjoy the live music from the water and illuminate their boats as darkness falls over the Ohio River.

The event also serves as the Friday-night kickoff to a larger Labor Day weekend of boating activity at Party Cove. Current promotion for the weekend references additional raft-up activities following Friday's Light Up the Cove gathering.

No admission or boat-registration fee is currently listed for the 2026 Light Up the Cove event. Organizers have also not published a formal boat-launch location, required arrival time or specific raft-up instructions, so participants should follow the official event discussion for updates as September approaches.