Head of The Charles - The JQ List

Looking to experience a truly Brahmin-Bostonian tradition? Head to the Head of the Charles. The largest two-day regatta in the world, the Head of the Charles is an opportunity to not only witness rowers from all corners of the globe compete for victory, but also to see Boston at its best.

View from the Harvard boathouse during HOCR

What is it?

The Head of the Charles is a crew regatta that takes place every October in Boston on the Charles River. Spectators can view the races on either side of the river all weekend. Many people bring chairs and sit back on the riverbank and enjoy the crisp fall air. Most years we are lucky and the Head of the Charles is held on a picture perfect New England Autumn weekend.

However, this year the weekend was a little less photo shoot ready.

But a little rain isn’t going to stop Boston from enjoying its favorite fall tradition!

What to Wear

The Head of the Charles is probably as preppy as it gets. I mean the best viewing place is the Harvard Boathouse after all! So go crazy!

Brooks Brothers is the official apparel sponsor, so be sure to grab the limited edition gear next year!

Get out your Nantucket Reds, Sperries and Brooks Brothers! Brahmin is definitely the vibe.

Defs needed one of these this year.

Where to Eat

Since the regatta runs for 3 miles down the Charles River, there are many spots in both Cambridge and Boston that are perfect for grabbing a bite anytime throughout weekend. But for something out of the ordinary, head to Le Laboratoire’s “Sensorial Experience”.

Le Laboratoire is a “cultural lab”, founded in Paris, now headquartered in Boston, that focuses on cultivating interdisciplinary ideas. They fuse, art, architecture and even food in their work! The Sensorial Experience was a great way to celebrate HOCR weekend!

First, you are welcomed by touring the exhibits.

Then, a woman hands you gimlet and proceeds to explain that she will be turning some chocolate and tequila into vapor.

Typical Saturday night in Cambridge–breathing in some chocolate.

The machine creates the vapor with sonic waves!

To summarize, so far we have experienced sights and tastes, so naturally the next step is scents! There was an experimental machine that generated scents on command–basically the scented candle of the future!

Afterwards you get to try an “air based shot of energy”, we tried the mocha flavor.

A day that starts off very Brahmin and ends very Cambridge is a fun day!