THE DAM BOAT RUN AT LAKE MURRAY
The 2026 Dam Boat Run will return to the waters of Lake Murray May 28–30, 2026, bringing another weekend of high-performance boating, waterfront entertainment, and charitable fundraising to one of the Southeast’s fastest-growing boating events. Hosted around the lake’s popular marina and restaurant destinations, the annual event has quickly become a major attraction for performance boaters and lake enthusiasts from across the region.
The Dam Boat Run was created with a three-part mission: provide a safe and family-friendly boating experience, promote Lake Murray and South Carolina tourism, and raise money for local charitable organizations making a direct impact within the community. Since launching in 2023, organizers say the event has already generated more than $100,000 in donations benefiting organizations throughout the Midlands area.
Beneficiaries for the 2026 event include The Big Red Barn Retreat, Richland County Sheriff's Department, and Camp Discovery. Funds raised throughout the weekend help support veteran services, community outreach initiatives, and programs serving children and families across South Carolina.
The event’s headquarters will once again center around Lake Murray Marina, where participating boaters will receive reserved marina slips for both Friday and Saturday nights as part of the registration package. Organizers note that the marina setup helps create a centralized atmosphere for participants throughout the weekend while also giving spectators excellent opportunities to view the boats up close.
Standard registration for the 2026 Dam Boat Run is currently priced at $450 per boat and includes participation for the captain and first mate. Each registration package also includes a captain’s bag featuring two official Dam Boat Run UV performance shirts along with access wristbands for the weekend’s scheduled events and meals.
Participants will receive access to Friday evening’s captain’s meeting hosted at Liberty on the Lake, along with Saturday morning’s dockside breakfast at Lake Murray Marina. Saturday’s schedule also includes a lunch stop at Martin's Landing before the evening banquet and one of the weekend’s most talked-about social events — the Liberty on the Lake Bikini Contest.
Additional wristbands for crew members and guests are available for $40 each, allowing larger groups to participate in the meals, entertainment, and evening activities throughout the event weekend.
While the official 2026 route and lake stops are expected to be announced in early May, organizers continue emphasizing safety as a major focus of the event, including mandatory life jacket requirements during the organized run.
Beyond the boating itself, The Dam Boat Run continues to build a strong reputation for combining performance boating culture with charitable impact. With support from volunteers, sponsors, and returning participants, organizers say the event continues growing each year while helping showcase Lake Murray as one of the Southeast’s premier boating destinations.
As anticipation builds for the 2026 edition, the Dam Boat Run is once again shaping up to deliver a full weekend of spectacular boats, organized lake cruising, dockside entertainment, and fundraising efforts benefiting causes throughout the South Carolina community.