Waupaca Boatride Volleyball Tournament

🏐 Waupaca Boatride Volleyball Tournament – Event Overview

The Waupaca Boatride Volleyball Tournament is one of the largest outdoor volleyball events in the world, combining competitive play, community spirit, and a full weekend of festival-style fun. Held each summer around the second weekend of July at Brighton Acres in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, this iconic event attracts thousands of players and spectators from across the country and beyond. Visit Oshkosh+1

📅 2026 Dates: July 9–12, 2026 (tournament week runs with clinics and divisions before and after the main dates) Waupaca Boatride+1
📍 Location: Brighton Acres, Oshkosh, WI — a spacious outdoor venue with courts, camping, food vendors, and entertainment. Waupaca Boatride

What Makes It Special

The Boatride has become legendary in the volleyball world for its inclusive, festival atmosphere and competitive formats:

• Grass Triples as the Main Event: The heart of the tournament is the men’s and women’s grass triples divisions — played over multiple days with skill-based brackets from Open down to recreational levels. Waupaca Boatride

• Multiple Formats: Beyond grass triples, the tournament features grass doubles, co-ed quads, sand doubles (including an AVP Tour Series stop), juniors divisions, and more — giving players of all ages and styles plenty of ways to compete. Waupaca Boatride+1

• Clinics & Community Activities: Thursday kicks off with juniors and adult clinics, adaptive sessions, and social gatherings that help players hone skills and connect. Waupaca Boatride+1

Event Atmosphere & Extras

The Boatride is more than a volleyball tournament — it’s a long weekend experience:

• Thousands of Teams & Courts: Recent events have welcomed over 3,000 teams and featured hundreds of courts, making it one of the biggest outdoor volleyball festivals in the world. Spectrum News 1

• Camping & Weekend Vibes: With ample camping on site, food trucks, beer options, merchandise, and live entertainment, players and spectators alike can relax and enjoy the community atmosphere between matches. Visit Oshkosh

• Free Spectator Access: Fans and family members can enjoy watching the action with no admission fee (parking fees apply). Waupaca Boatride

Who Can Play & Divisions

The tournament welcomes players of all skill levels and ages, from highly competitive Open teams to recreational and juniors groups. Divisions include:

• Open, AA, A, BB/B, and Recreational levels

• Masters & age-based categories

• Sand and grass formats

• Co-ed quads and junior divisions Waupaca Boatride

Players typically register through VolleyballLife.com and must meet any membership requirements based on the division (e.g., AVP Silver membership for some sand divisions). Waupaca Boatride

History & Culture

Originally started in 1984 in Waupaca, Wisconsin as a doubles event, the Boatride grew quickly and shifted to a triples format to maximize participation. After moving through several host cities, the tournament found a long-term home in Oshkosh, where it’s become a beloved annual tradition — often described by participants as a family reunion with volleyball. Waupaca Boatride