Kentuckians are marking the 100th birthday of an iconic boat this week.
She’s known as the last true Mississippi River steamboat still in operation, and this week she turns a century old. Tuesday night, the Belle of Louisville was re-christened with – what else – a bottle of bourbon as steamboat enthusiasts gathered for the Centennial Riverboat Festival.
"Were going to have six days of activities," Governor Steve Beshear told WDRB-TV. "There's going to be other boats here, people can ride on and see and visit. All kinds of activities. We're going to celebrate the best the Kentucky has here for the next six days and bring about 300,000 we think in here as tourists, to spend their money and have a great time."
The official birthday celebration gets underway Saturday at 1 PM, as the boats make their way down the river.
More than seven million riders have hopped aboard the Belle since it was launched in 1914.
