Spend a summer weekend in Owensboro at the HydroFair

If you’re in the market for some loud, exciting action on the riverfront this summer, the Owensboro Hydrofair should definitely be on your radar. 

 

This year’s event will take place August 19-21 in downtown Owensboro, bringing you a weekend of hydroplane racing that will be bigger and better than ever before. More than 60 teams from across the US and Canada will be making the trek to Owensboro to compete for three days of high-speed hydroplaning on the water. 

 

These boats are fast, powerful and loud. With speeds topping 170 MPH, they’ll spray water high into the air as they rip through the Ohio River. 

 

For those who’ve never attended the Owensboro HydroFair, the 60 teams competing are separated into seven classes in which they compete for titles. Each race takes place on an oval-shaped track that spans 1.25 miles across the river, with the start and finish set up in front of the Owensboro Convention Center. 

 

This incredibly exciting event will be accompanied by a number of other downtown activities that will take place over the weekend, including Friday After 5 on Aug. 19, Owensboro Bridge Day on Aug. 20 and Lights on the Ohio – which features a pyromusical performance of synchronized lighting on the Blue Bridge, music and a fireworks display – on Aug. 20 at 8:15 p.m. 

 

Hydroplane testing will kick off Friday from 1-5 p.m., followed by races on Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 

 

When it comes to the Owensboro HydroFair, words really can’t do this exciting event justice. If you really want to experience the thrill of seeing these boats fly through the water, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience you just have to see for yourself. 

 

Reserved seating tickets are located in several different areas at the Owensboro Convention Center and have several price points for spectators to choose the level of amenity they would like, including:

  • food & drinks
  • banquet tables
  • shaded areas
  • access to indoor restrooms
  • extra space to spread-out and experience all the racing action