Today: Water Follies fans can get a free, up close look at 5 hydroplanes
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Five race boats will be on display at a free event in Richland on Wednesday.
- Seven teams prepare to compete in the 2025 Water Follies Apollo Gold Cup.
- Water Follies tickets range from $30 to $75; children 12 and under receive free admission.
Tri-City Water Follies fans will be able to view five of the world’s fastest racing boats on the eve of the 2025 Water Follies Apollo Gold Cup and STCU Over the River Air Show, the highlight of the summer festival season in the Mid-Columbia.
Five of the seven boats participating in the 2025 races will displayed 4-6 p.m., Wednesday, July 23, in the parking lot of Apollo Mechanical Contractors, 2600 N. Columbia Center Blvd., in Richland.
The parking lot exhibition will feature:
- U-8 — Beacon Electric, driven by J. Michael Kelly
- U-9 — Beacon Plumbing, driven by Corey Peabody
- U-11 — Flav-R Pac, driven by Jamie Nilsen
- U-27 — Miss Apollo, driven by Dave Villwock
- U-91 — Goodman Real Estate, driven by Andrew Tate
Two additional racing teams will arrive in the Tri-Cities after the display event — U-12 (Graham Trucking, driven by Jeff Bernard) and U-21 (Spirit of America, driven by Gunnar O’Farrell).
The seven racing teams will set up camp at the east end of Columbia Park for the main racing event to come.
Columbia Park will be fenced off starting at 6 p.m., Wednesday, to prepare for Water Follies, which runs July 25-27.
Admission is free for children 12 and under. For those 13 and over, tickets cost $75 for a three-day pass with admission to the pit area, $60 for a weekend pass, $30 for Saturday admission and $35 for Sunday admission.
Water Follies also offers packages for special areas, such as the Bulldog Beach Club on the Pasco Shoreline, and the starting Link Club in Kennewick.
Go to WaterFollies.com for ticket, RV parking and schedule information.
This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 5:00 AM.