Head of the Charles this weekend – NBC Boston

It's sure to be a busy weekend in both Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, as the 59th Head of the Charles Regatta begins Friday morning.

You can watch a live stream of all the weekend's events here.

Hundreds of thousands of spectators will come to watch the racing over the three-day event. And given this weekend's beautiful, unseasonably warm weather, those numbers are expected to be even higher than normal.

Public transportation is recommended, but if driving, note that Memorial Drive is closed in both directions from Western Ave to Fresh Pond Parkway from 7:00 a.m. Saturday to 9:00 p.m. Sunday. And there will be lane restrictions on Soldiers Field Road throughout the weekend.

With more than 11,000 rowers and 2,400 volunteers, this will be a busy and exciting event.

There will be a variety of activities, music, food, drink and shopping along the three-mile route. And spectators can watch countless races, from youth to collegiate to elite and masters races.

“The largest regatta in the world on an incredibly challenging course, on the Charles River with seven bridges and curves. I think the course itself is part of the whole story, but when you talk to rowers from all over the world who take part in the regatta, you see that we have people from 10 to 92 years old, and that's really true Homecoming for the entire rowing community, and I think that’s what makes it so special,” said Charles Executive Director Tori Stevens.

The Head of the Charles starts on Friday at 7:45 a.m. with the first rowing group.