| Great Steamboat Race | |
|---|---|
 The 2007 Race, as seen from Duffy's Landing in Jeffersonville, Indiana | |
| Date(s) | Late April or early May |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Website | Race webpage |
The Great Steamboat Race is an annual steamboat race, taking place the Wednesday before the first Saturday of May, three days before the Kentucky Derby, as part of the Kentucky Derby Festival. The race was first run in 1963 and it takes place on the Ohio River in the span that runs between Louisville, Kentucky and Jeffersonville, Indiana. Until 2009, the race was traditionally between the Belle of Louisville and the Delta Queen, although other steamboats have participated. Since 2009, the Delta Queen has not participated due to ownership and legal issues, and the Belle of Cincinnati has taken its place in the competition.[1] In 2012, the Belle of Louisville and Belle of Cincinnati were joined in the race by the American Queen.[2]
- ^ Lampert, Hailee. "Great Steamboat Race Tonight – Sports News Story – WLKY Louisville". Wlky.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
- ^ "Rules, scoring announced for Great Steamboat Race". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved May 1, 2012.