38th Annual 1000 Islands Performance Boating Poker Run in Kingston, August 9 – 11, 2024

Once Again with a Lunch Stop in Brockville!

Kingston – The 38th annual 1000 Islands Performance Boating Poker Run Weekend is being held August 9, 10, and 11, 2024 in Kingston.

This year, the largest in-water boating event of the summer has been expanded in scope to include both performance and family boats, with two separate groups, and two routes challenging the waters of the mighty St. Lawrence River in a quest for the best “poker hand”.

The 1000 Islands Poker Run is not a race – boaters stop at five designated points along the route to pick up a single playing card, sealed in an envelope… at the end of the event, in Kingston on Saturday afternoon, the envelopes will be opened. The boater with the best poker hand will be declared the winner.

Visitors can enjoy an excellent opportunity to see the boats at the lunch stop in Brockville, on Saturday, August 10, noon – 2 p.m. Blockhouse Island is a perfect vantage point to see the boats on the water.

The Poker Run route will be carefully monitored by marshalboats so that visitors along the route can watch the event as part of the spectator fleet.

For the latest updates on the 1000 Islands Poker Run, please visit the event website at www.pokerruns.ca

“Power Boating Canada and Poker Runs Inc. created this magical weekend of tourism and boating more than 38 years ago – we started it right here in the heart of the 1000 Islands region. We took the concept across North America through our US division, Poker Runs America.”  – Power Boating Canada and Poker Runs Inc

“Our goal each year with Power Boating Canada & Poker Runs America is to stimulate the economy and promote the boating lifestyle through family fun while bringing together the world’s most powerful, attractive, and affordable boats to ever run the mighty St. Lawrence River.”

This year’s event will concentrate on bringing more avid boating enthusiasts to the streets of downtown Kingston, and, of course, through the power of our boating publications: Power Boating Canada Magazine, Les Plaisanciers, and their US division magazines Poker Runs America Magazine, and Center Console Life Magazine, and the corresponding websites at:

www.powerboating.com
www.lesplaisanciers.com
www.pokerrunsamerica.com
www.centerconsolelifemag.com
plus, their RV Lifestyle Magazine and www.rvlifemag.com.

Background information:

The Ontario Government TREIM reports indicate that the 1000 Islands Poker Run event generates more than $6 million of tourism and related revenue for the RTO9 each year. This comes from Poker Run participants and crews, boating enthusiasts, and tens of thousands of spectators who are drawn to the area by the event. Many tourists book their summer vacations to attend the Poker Run and see the boats.

Come to Downtown Kingston… to see the boats!

Our three-day program will focus on attracting visitors to the downtown Kingston businesses, filling the hotels and motels, restaurants, bars, and shops with enthusiastic visitors, who will be encouraged to arrive early and stay long after the boats have departed.

Once again, the Outdoor Jumbo Screen will be on Ontario Street PLUS – the all-new “Electric Avenue” displays on Friday and Saturday evenings, through Sunday afternoon.

We plan to keep the tourists downtown by utilizing street closures and presenting a series of displays, including, of course, the boats, as well as many fascinating exhibits of the latest in marine and automotive technology, electric vehicles for road and water, exhibits focusing on ecosystems and environmental sustainability, and exhibits from regional tourism attractions, indigenous groups, aboriginal cultural associations, and a range of special interest groups who will promote charitable causes within the community.

All stops will be pulled for this waterfront spectacular, as towns and villages along the route will come alive with excitement when some of the most beautiful and exotic Power Boats as they cruise the St. Lawrence River, in pursuit of the best Poker Hand,

Spectators are invited to come to Confederation Park in Kingston, on Friday afternoon, and Saturday from 9 a.m to 10 a.m., and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. to enjoy FREE access to see the most spectacular boats on the water, and fascinating street displays showcasing the latest in boating and automotive technology.

Tens of thousands of boating enthusiasts will have an excellent view of the Poker Run from the shoreline – catch a glimpse of the boats from several vantage points along the route – Saturday morning at approximately 10 a.m. see the Poker Run fleet from the official start at Kingston, or from the shoreline just east of the Ivy Lea Bridge, or at The Landings at Ivy Lea, as they head east, and see them again as they head west at approximately 2:30 p.m.