From October 8-12, Cincinnati hosted America’s River Roots Festival. It incorporates many cruise boats, such as the Belle of Memphis, Mary M Miller, and seven other cruise boats.

These cruise boats helped this festival by showing the deep culture and history of all types of things, such as food, music, and culture. The cruise boats offer sightseeing, brunch, lunch, dinner, and a few late-night cruises. Some boats had either a live band play or a narrator tell you the history of the boats and paintings across downtown Cincinnati.  

There were two types of cruise boats at the festival: steam engine and diesel-powered engines. There were only two real steam engine boats there, Steamer Natchez and The Belle of Louisville. The other seven cruise boats run on direct diesel power. 

River Roots Festival is a re-run or re-try, some would call it, of the old festival, Tall Stacks, which last took place in 2006. In the past, there was only one other authentic steamer that went to Tall Stacks. Its name was The Delta Queen. Unfortunately, the Delta Queen is no longer in service, at least for now that is. The Steamer Natchez and the Belle of Louisville were the other two boats that attended Tall Stacks. Other big-name cruise boats that attend Tall Stacks were Mississippi Queen, American Queen, Spirit of Jeffersonville, General Jackson, and many others, locally known past or current river boats. 

Sophomore Ellis Smith was one of the hundreds of thousands who attended the America’s River Roots Festival, which spanned four days.

“I think the atmosphere was very exciting because we haven’t done anything like this for so long. It was fun just to see all the boats there,” Smith said. “America’s River Roots Festival contributes to the future of Cincinnati by making it easier for a new audience to learn about history in a new and engaging way. It’s one thing to hear about history in school, but it’s a lot more fun and interesting to be on riverboats, seeing for yourself what Cincinnati might’ve once looked like at the peak of the steamboat era. It was mostly people who were already interested in boats and being on the river, and if they had brought more carnival stuff, it would have probably brought more of a younger audience.” 

Smith said it would be nice if they could do River Roots every few years. He says he wishes there were more younger people, but he acknowledges that River Roots will need to put effort into bringing in a younger audience. 

“I think the festival also helped to reinforce the idea that Cincinnati has important economic and environmental ties with the river, in the past, today, and in the future,” Smith said.

                Blotter reporter Hunter Robertson’s River Roots experience:

I had the opportunity to work on the Belle of Louisville and the Mary M Miller over nine days during fall break. It was quite a unique experience learning how to load and unload passengers, throw a rope, and tie off a boat

To anyone who would be interested in history and music, and a blend of basically anything, just go. It has almost everything you want: food, music, cruises, and many local attractions. I was able to learn a lot of things from this experience. I got to meet new people and explore the world of riverboats. 

I took a tour of all the river boats there besides the Island Queen and Anson & Besty Northrup. All boats were unique, as they should be. Each boat had different facts and cultural differences. The Belle of Memphis had a sleek, newer design. The coolest thing that I found on the boat was the fully polished, welded wine cabinet. 

Going down the line, I explored and experienced a river cruise on Steamer Nachez. The first time I explored it, I was thankfully able to have Matthew Dow as my tour guide. He showed us stuff like the boiler room, engine room, pilot house, and many other smaller parts of the boat. My personal favorite part of the boat was the Texas Deck Bar. It had a tiny bar was seats, hidden away. The best part was the wall of famous people who have taken tours on the boat. People such as Dolly Parton, Tina Turner, and U.S President Gerald Ford.

Next, I got to tour the Celebration Belle. It was interesting. The engine room was very, very clean. The boat had an old-timey but newer look. The first two floors had a kitchen and a bar each. The coolest part about the boat was probably the dance floors and stages. Overall, the boat was a different style from the others. 

Even though I worked the event, it was still a great time to spend on the boats and also get paid for it.