Steamboat meet chugs back to Chain of Lakes Sept. 14-19

The quiet chugging and puff of steam cruising down the Chain of Lakes is a sight to see come September.

The Upper Mississippi Steamboat Meet will return to the Northwoods Monday, Sept. 14, with fleet outings scheduled throughout the week.

After approximately 12 years of convening at Wild Eagle Lodge, the group is getting back to its roots with a return to the historic Chanticleer Inn. Dennis Faist, who organizes the annual event, said he and the other steamboat enthusiasts can’t wait to get back to the Northwoods — and the Chanticleer — for the 35th event.

“We’re really excited to go back to Chanticleer after all these years,” Faist said.

The official dates of the 2026 meet are Monday through Saturday, Sept. 14-19. Nine boats are expected to attend, including the S/L Catawissa coming all the way from New Jersey for this year’s gathering. Others include the S/L Vividus, which comes from Pennsylvania; S/L Ruby, owned by Three Lakes residents Mike and Pat Apple, will be traveling the waters along with staples S/L Pinery Princess and S/L Necie, both from Wisconsin; S/L Steam Spirit  and S/: River Otter, both from Minnesota; S/W Norman, equipped with steam-powered calliopes; and S/L Huron, hailing from Michigan and captained by event organizer Dennis Faist and his wife, Patti.

The group follows a schedule of activities each day, with captains steaming up the fleet each morning around 9 a.m. before embarking on the day’s travels.

Those who would like to catch a glimpse of the troupe of steamboats will have the best chance Wednesday, Sept. 16, when they plan to steam to the Eagle River municipal docks by Riverview Park for a day on the town. The group usually cruises past the T-Docks around 11 a.m. before parking and heading to downtown Eagle River on foot. Another highlight of their visit includes a trip over the Burnt Rollways Dam (depending on water levels), on Friday, Sept. 18.

With scheduled visits to area restaurants and shopping destinations during their time here, the public is welcome to keep their eyes on the horizon to catch a glimpse of the boats puffing along the famous Chain of Lakes.