The event is a reenactment of former President Millard Fillmore's 1854 riverboat journey along the same route. "What Grand Excursion allowed people to do 150 years ago was get a glimpse of what was taking place at the edge of the frontier," says St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly. The new Grand Excursion, Kelly adds, "will give an opportunity for all of the communities along the Upper Mississippi to showcase the progress and redevelopment that has taken place in the last 10 to 20 years."
Many of the 50-odd communities that are participating will hold events throughout the year to highlight Old Man River--and their waterfronts. Tourists will be offered water ski shows, hot air balloon rides, farmers markets, festivals, new museums, redeveloped parks and historic reenactments, among other promotions.
The original journey involved a train ride--the first to connect to the Mississippi--from Chicago to Rock Island, Illinois, the jumping off point for next year's flotilla. The commemorative tour wends its way up the river to the Twin Cities, where the boats will arrive next July 4. As the boats reach St. Paul, Kelly expects between 300,000 to 500,000 visitors to be on hand and available to check out the city's "Taste of Minnesota" festival, which will take place that week.
