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MAY 2026
before settling right back into the riv-
erbed. For 45 minutes, crew members 
worked tirelessly to free the vessel while 
passengers watched the unfolding cha-
os with the kind of amusement only riv-
erboat passengers can truly appreciate. 
Eventually, the Belle of Cincinnati broke 
free and gave chase.
In true Great Steamboat Race fash-
ion, the rivalry continued over the 
radio as the two boats agreed to race 
back toward the finish. Belle of Cin-
cinnati managed to win that stretch of 
the competition, though the official 
judges still awarded the overall victory 
to Louisville—a ruling that surprised 
absolutely nobody from Cincinnati 
and shocked absolutely nobody from 
Louisville. And honestly, that may be 
the most authentic outcome possible.
The heart of the Great Steamboat 
Race is not simply who crosses the line 
first. It is the shared experience. The 
storytelling. The unpredictability. 
The generations of crews and passen-
gers who continue to embrace a tradi-
tion that refuses to become polished, 
corporate, or overly serious.
Modern river operations are built 
around safety, professionalism, lo-
gistics, compliance, and precision. 
Yet once a year, the river commu-
nity gathers for an event where the 
rules feel slightly negotiable, the 
accusations are most playful, and 
everyone understands the true goal 
is preserving a living piece of mari-
time history.
For the passengers aboard both boats, 
the race is unforgettable. For the 
crews, it becomes another chapter in 
a collection of stories that somehow 
grow larger with every retelling.
And perhaps the most impressive part 
is this: No matter who wins, both 
sides leave fully convinced that the 
other cheated. 
The Belle of Cincinnati and the Belle of Louisville met in Louisville, Ky., in May for the annual Great Steamboat Race. 
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