2011 Great Steamboat Race Hits the Ohio
The Belle of Louisville will take on the Belle of Cincinnati in the Kentucky Derby Festival Great Steamboat Race on May 4. The Great Steamboat Race takes place annually on the Ohio River on the Wednesday before the Kentucky Derby.
Editor's note: The 2011 Great Steamboat Race has been rescheduled for Wednesday, June 29, because high water conditions on the Ohio River prevented the Belle of Cincinnati from traveling to Louisville in May.
The Belle of Louisville, christened the Idlewild in 1914, is one of just six river steamboats in operation — and the oldest! The sternwheel paddleboat was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1989.
The Belle of Louisville and the Belle of Cincinnati raced for the first time in 2002. Unlike the Belle of Louisville, the Belle of Cincinnati, the flagship of BB Riverboats, is actually a floating hotel powered by diesel rather than steam. But the Belle of Cincinnati has been made to look like an old-time steam-powered riverboat.
For those who will be cruising on the Belle during the race, tickets are required. The $130 price tag include dinner, drinks and entertainment in addition to the thrill of riding on the Belle of Louisville during the race. Call early to reserve your seat, as this cruise always sells out. Another option is to cruise on the Belle of Cincinnati during the race. Those tickets cost $75 and include dinner and entertainment plus a cash bar.
The race debuted in 1963. For years, the race pitted the Belle Louisville against the Delta Queen. However, 2008 marked the last time the two riverboats would race, as the Delta Queen lost a legal exemption that had made it possible to make overnight passenger cruises. Currently, the Delta Queen serves as a floating hotel on the Tennessee River at Chattanooga.
For those taking the $130 cruise aboard the Belle, parking is available in the Blue wharf parking lot, located two blocks past the Belle, near Joe's Crab Shack. For others, parking is available in the Witherspoon Street garage or on the street, although, with such a large crowd, metered on-street parking can be tricky.
Posted on Apr 29, 2011 by Ivonne Rovira
