EVENT: Compete in the Inaugural Lights Out Kids Simulator Classic, July 16
Lights Out Kids, the youth outreach program of the Lights Out Boston Angling Club, will host the inaugural Lights Out Kids Simulator Classic on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at The Flying Bridge Restaurant in Falmouth. The family-friendly event lets young anglers try their hand at state-of-the-art fishing simulators built to recreate the pull of a marlin or tuna offshore. The tournament takes place as part of the leadup to the SFC Cape Cod Invitational tournament and will give families a front-row seat to tournament week while their kids compete for team bragging rights.
Event Details
DATE: July 16, 2026, Noon to 5 PM
LOCATION: Flying Bridge Restaurant, 220 Scranton Ave., Falmouth, Mass.
ENTRY FEE: $17.85 per angler
REGISTRATION LINK: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lights-out-kids-simulator-classic-tickets-1992561108915?aff=oddtdtcreator#organizer-card
Young anglers will battle it out across three age divisions, and each will compete on behalf of either Team Lights Out Boston or Team Rhode Island Breakers, the club’s Northeast rival in the SFC. A champion will be crowned in each division, and scores for the two teams will be tallied for an overall team title. Age divisions include 8 and under, 9 to 12, and 13 to 16.
For Lights Out Boston AC owner Drew Dolben, the Simulator Classic is a natural extension of what Lights Out Boston has built on the water. “We talk a lot about growing this sport, and that starts with getting a rod in a kid’s hands,” Dolben said. “The simulators let a nine-year-old feel what it’s like to fight a 900-pound marlin, and that feeling is what turns a kid into a lifelong angler. That’s the whole mission behind Lights Out Kids.”
A Big-Game Experience, Built for Kids
The Simulator Classic uses hydraulic fighting-chair simulators that mimic the rod-bending, drag-screaming sensation of an offshore battle, calibrated for younger anglers and scored on technique, stamina, and reel time. Organizers say the format lets kids of any experience level, from seasoned enthusiasts to first-timers, compete on equal footing in a setting that is safe, supervised, and, above all, fun.
“Not every family has a boat, and not every kid gets the chance to fish 40 miles offshore,” Dolben said. “This levels that playing field. Whether you’ve been on the water your whole life or you’ve never held a rod, you can walk up to that simulator and have the exact same shot at the title.”
Tournament Fun, Family Style
Doors open at noon and competition runs through 5 p.m., with the schedule built around the rest of the fishing-tournament-week activity. Between simulator heats, families can browse sponsor activations, meet professional anglers from Lights Out Boston and the Rhode Island Breakers, and take in the energy of the SFC tournament as well as the weigh-ins for the Cape Cod Bluewater Classic taking place just steps away.
Tickets for the Lights Out Kids Simulator Classic are available now through Eventbrite. Space in each age division is limited, and organizers encourage early registration.
“Last year we watched this club win tournaments and chase a championship,” Dolben said. “This year, we get to watch the next generation get their first taste of it. That might be the most important trophy we hand out all season.”
Sign Up NOW
DATE: July 16, 2026, Noon to 5 PM
LOCATION: Flying Bridge Restaurant, 220 Scranton Ave., Falmouth, Mass.
ENTRY FEE: $17.85 per angler
REGISTRATION LINK: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lights-out-kids-simulator-classic-tickets-1992561108915?aff=oddtdtcreator#organizer-card
About Lights Out Kids
Lights Out Kids is the youth and community outreach program of the Lights Out Boston Angling Club, created to introduce young people to sport fishing through hands-on, family-friendly experiences. Through simulator events, dockside clinics, and appearances at SFC tournaments up and down the Atlantic Division schedule, Lights Out Kids aims to make big-game angling accessible to families regardless of boat access or fishing background.