SARATOGA — Organizers of the annual cardboard boat races in the Hudson River this Saturday are hoping for a record number of entries Saturday in Schuylerville.

The races are part of the town of Saratoga Historical Week that began last Saturday with the Turning Point Festival.

Schuylerville Historian Kristina Saddlemire said she and her Saratoga counterpart, Sean Kelleher, revived the Historical Week tradition three years ago.

“The week had been a tradition for about 100 years and then it fell by the wayside,” she said. “We brought it back and in the past three years it’s grown with more and more organizations getting involved as partners.”

The Hudson Crossing Park Board of Directors joined the festivities last year although they had sponsored two previous cardboard boat events.

Marlene Bissell is president of the board and said the boat races are aimed at increasing awareness of the Hudson Crossing Park project as well as raising funds.

The park is on an island between Saratoga and Washington counties which now offers recreation facilities but someday could be home to a $20 million environmental education center.

“We’re looking for exposure for the park, but [the boat races have] become a really fun time for everybody.”

She said past races have drawn 20 to 30 boats and hundreds of spectators.

“It’s a unique concept in our area although other places also have cardboard boat races,” she said.

Participants create watercraft in five categories and then put the boats in the river for a competition of seaworthiness.

The categories are: pre-built cardboard boats; pre-built recyclable boats; kids’ paddle for children 7 to 12; boats built on site that morning and boats with the most sailors.

Duct tape is popular with many of the boat builders.

Bissell said prizes such as beach towels are awarded to the winners of the races. A prize is also offered to the team that offers the biggest bribe to judges. The bribe is a donation to the park project, it’s not kept by the judges, Bissell said.

Saddlemire said other events for the rest of the week include walking tours in the village and special events at the Schuyler House on Route 4 which is run by the Old Saratoga Historical Association and owned by the National Parks Service.

“We’ve been very pleased with the attendance at events through the week,” Saddlemire said. “We’ve had good weather most days and people have been getting out to the programs and events.”

A full listing of events is available on the town’s Web site, www.townofsaratoga.com.