Dates for this summer's Race Week have been set: the regatta, which is one of the largest sailing events in the Northeast and creates an early boom in Block Island's tourist season, is scheduled for June 22 to June 27.

The Storm Trysail Block Island Race Week XX presented by Rolex, as this year's event is officially known, is expected to bring about 220 competing boats to the Great Salt Pond. Storm Trysail, a 600-member sailing club formed in 1938, has hosted the event every other summer for 40 years after deciding to start an event modeled after England's famous Cowes Week.

According to Storm Trysail's web site, the event, which always falls in odd years, "is now the largest big-boat regatta in the Northeast, and the most prestigious inshore event in the United States."

"It's not as busy as Cowes, of course," said Dick Neville, Race Week chairman and future commodore of the club — something for which many Block Island residents may be thankful. But many competitors bring their families and rent houses for the week, giving what's often a slow part of the season for realtors and restaurant owners a boost.

"Block Island is such a great place because it's a little more low key, and people really enjoy that," Neville said. "You can combine racing with a family holiday," something he says is often hard to do in the world of competitive sailing.

Neville says the Great Salt Pond "is one of the world's finest venues for a regatta like this because it's so protected." Its narrow entrance and abundance of anchoring space, as well as a fairly deep draw, make it unique.

This year's Race Week will see the fleet split up into four groups instead of three, allowing organizers to schedule more races in case bad weather — which usually means no wind — holds up racing some days. As before, it will be based at The Oar in Block Island Boat Basin, where there'll be a marquee set up for evening parties and daily awards ceremonies close to the restaurant, as well as an information office.

Boat Basin manager Rally Migliaccio, a member of Storm Trysail, says he's already started to get bookings for Race Week. "Most of the boats come on June 21 and don't leave until June 28," he said. "Almost every single boat is here for six or seven days… they eat out a lot, they drink out a lot, they do a lot of shopping — it's a lot of fun. They're a nice group."

Among other preparations for what will be a hectic week, Migliaccio — who along with fellow club member Steve Draper helps organize the event on-island — says he will have to lay in at least 200 10-pound bags of ice every day during the regatta.

It's shaping up to be a busy season on the pond for Migliaccio, who says he's already fully booked for July 4.

Race Week draws competing boats from 24 feet to 80 feet long, as well as what Migliaccio calls "mother boats" that house crew members and family on the water but won't sail in the races. It typically draws boats from all along the Eastern seaboard. Sponsors this year, as well as Rolex, include Mount Gay, Lewmar and Jeep as well as marine companies and the Rhode Island State Yachting Committee, said Marcy Trenholm of Storm Trysail.

Storm Trysail's season kicks off May 23 with the 58th Block Island Race, which loops around the island from its starting and finishing lines near Stamford, Conn.