River boats will return to Red Wing this week

The first of the iconic Mississippi River paddle boats to visit Red Wing in a few years will drop its anchor near Levee Park early Friday morning.

The Queen of the Mississippi will spend the weekend in Red Wing, leaving around noon Sunday and restarting a season of river riding visitors.

The new boat can carry about 150 passengers and comes from St. Louis. It will dock at Levee Park again in mid-October.

The American Queen, a larger paddleboat, will make its return to Red Wing later this month and will revisit the area throughout the fall. Catch a sight of the vessel near the river Sept. 20 and 22, Oct. 4, 6, 18, 21 and 23 and Nov. 4 and 6.

The paddlewheelers offer a variety of trips throughout the Midwest via the Mighty Mississippi, often just in time for leafing season in the river cities.

Stops in Red Wing give boaters a chance to stretch and walk around and often provide an influx of visitors and revenue for local shops, restaurants and other businesses.

“When the boat stops in Red Wing, there are many folks that will shop in Red Wing and may come back if they learn to like us,” Jerry Borgen, who has been involved in the welcoming groups, said in an email.

Various locals will greet the visitors with maps, information on attractions and other activities in Red Wing and more. The Queen Bees group will have a tent and table to answer questions about Red Wing, and the Chamber of Commerce also will have representatives at the shoreline.

Tags: news, travel, business