In May, the City of Key West signed a contract that keeps the powerboat races here through 2031. That same contract said use of the Navy Mole Pier was not guaranteed. The Keys Citizen reported that the Navy had ended its agreement with the city covering the pier, effective August 2026. Any use of the Outer Mole for the event depended on the Navy's written approval.
On Oct. 1, the City Commission passed a resolution approving a Navy license for the Truman Annex Pier from Oct. 31 through Nov. 10, 2026, for the Race World Offshore races. So the Key West World Championship is going ahead at Truman Waterfront Park, Nov. 1 through 8. For those of us who live here, it helps to know the week runs on a fixed daily schedule. The races, the harbor opening, the street closures and the free viewing spots all have set times, and you can plan errands, boat trips and commutes around them.
Three race days, two test days and a Duval Street kickoff
The organizer's overview lays the week out simply. Race days are Wednesday, Nov. 4; Friday, Nov. 6; and Sunday, Nov. 8. Thursday, Nov. 5 and Saturday, Nov. 7 are testing days. Each race day has its own title:
- Wednesday, Nov. 4: Truman Waterfront Cup
- Friday, Nov. 6: Southernmost Continental Championship
- Sunday, Nov. 8: Conch Republic Championship
The week starts this Sunday, Nov. 1, with the First State Bank World's Fastest Boat Parade on Duval Street. Boats line up from 3:30 to 4 p.m. and the parade starts at 4. An item on the City Commission's Oct. 1 agenda authorizes a rolling street closure for it, so traffic moves block by block as the trailers pass instead of the whole street shutting at once. According to the Keys Citizen's reporting on the contract, the parade area covers sections of Duval, Whitehead, United and Front streets, among others. Keys Weekly's event guide calls the parade "the single best photo op of the week," with race boats rolling past the bars on trailers.
A race day, hour by hour
Wednesday, Friday and Sunday follow almost the same schedule, and that's what makes the week easy to plan around. General admission gates at Truman Waterfront Park open at 9 a.m. on Nov. 4 and Nov. 6 and at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 8. The organizer marks the race schedule as subject to change.
| Time | On the water | Classes |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. | Race 1 | Bracket Classes 6 and 7 |
| 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. | Race 2 | Mod V; Bracket Classes 2 and 3, Vee Limited and Cat 300 |
| 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. | Race 3 | Bracket Classes 4 and 5 |
| 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Harbor open for public traffic | Helicopter refueling |
| 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. | Race 4 | Class 2 |
| 1:15 to 2:00 p.m. | Race 5 | Super Cat |
| 2:00 to 2:15 p.m. | Break | Helicopter refueling |
| 2:15 to 3:00 p.m. | Race 6 | Class 1; Super Vee |
| 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. | Race 7 | Super Stock |
On Nov. 4 and Nov. 6, podium awards follow the races on the Outer Mole. On Sunday, Nov. 8, there's one extra item: a flyover by VFC-111, the Sun Downers, at 12:20 p.m. over Truman Waterfront Park and Naval Air Station Key West, during the midday break. Keys Weekly notes that some boats on the harbor course top 100 miles per hour. It suggests ear protection if you'll be close to the course, because "these engines are not quiet."
The harbor's lunch hour
If you keep a boat in the harbor, plan around the midday opening. From 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on all three race days, the organizer lists the harbor as open to public traffic. That hour is your window to get in or out between the morning races and the afternoon ones.
The races run under a standing federal special local regulation. It lists the Key West Offshore World Championship in the Key West Main Ship Channel, Turning Basin and Harbor Entrance. Keys Weekly says plenty of locals watch from boats anchored outside the course. If you plan to do that, check where the course boundaries sit with the Coast Guard before you head out.
Evenings when streets close
Racing ends by about 3:45 p.m. The street closures come later, and they're on different nights than the races. They're listed in an item on the City Commission's Oct. 1 agenda that authorizes Race World Offshore to hold these events:
- Sunday, Nov. 1, 4 p.m.: rolling closure for the boat parade.
- Thursday, Nov. 5, 6 to 10 p.m.: Greene Street closed from Duval Street to Ann Street.
- Friday, Nov. 6, 6 to 10 p.m.: Duval Street closed from Front Street to Angela Street, and Greene Street closed from Telegraph Lane to Simonton Street.
- Sunday, Nov. 8, evening: awards ceremony at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater at Truman Waterfront.
The same item would also allow alcohol sales and consumption inside the barricaded areas during each event. The two sources list different times for the Nov. 8 awards. The organizer's schedule says 6 to 8 p.m. at 21 Quay Rd., and the city item says 7 to 9 p.m. If you plan to go, look for a final time that week.
The Friday closure is the big one. It comes right after a full race day, and it shuts lower Duval from Front to Angela for the evening. If you usually cut through Old Town on a Friday night, Nov. 6 is the night to take Whitehead or Simonton instead.
Watching without a ticket
The paid seat is on the Outer Mole, the long pier off Truman Waterfront. Keys Weekly's guide puts general admission at about $25 per race day, with kids and active military free. Lawn chairs are fine, but coolers and backpacks aren't allowed on the Mole. Food and drinks are sold on site.
The same guide points to two free options. Mallory Square and the west-facing waterfront look out over a good stretch of the course. The dry pits at Truman Waterfront are free and open all week, with hulls up on stands and crews working on engines. Keys Weekly calls the pits the best place to bring kids. The race village at Truman Waterfront Park opens from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1 and Monday, Nov. 2. That means you can walk through before any racing starts.
Saturday, Nov. 7 is a testing day, and it's the day most open to anyone who wants to take part. The organizer's Build a Boat contest asks teams of 4 to 12 people to build a boat in one hour from materials handed out on the spot. The schedule has a contestants meeting at 9:15 a.m., building on the waterfront by the USCG Ingham from 9:30 to 10:30, safety inspections with life jackets and judging after that, and the race at 11 a.m.
If you'd rather stay home, the organizer streams its live broadcast on YouTube and Facebook and airs it on local radio.
Getting there without a car
The organizer's FAQ is direct about parking. There's none within blocks of the Navy Mole entrance, where official viewing takes place. It suggests a rideshare, the free Duval Loop or a bicycle, and bike helmets are required under Navy rules. No motorized vehicles are allowed, and accessible parking is very limited and requires credentials.
If your dog usually comes along, check the pet rules. Leashed animals are welcome at the events, but no pets or other animals are allowed on Navy property. That covers the Mole, so the dog stays home on race days if you're watching from there.
Viewing parties and balconies
A few local venues have built race-day plans around the same schedule.
- The Perry Hotel & Marina: an Offshore Powerboat Races Viewing Party on Nov. 4, 6 and 8, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Hot Tin Roof: balcony tables overlooking Key West Harbor on Sunday, Nov. 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., through a Sunset Pier ticket listing.
- Sunset Pier at Ocean Key: ticketed race viewing on Friday, Nov. 6.
- Hank's Saloon: a race-week welcome party on Monday, Nov. 2.
Key West has hosted championship offshore racing since the early 1980s, and Race World Offshore has run the event since 2019. Under the five-year agreement, the Keys Citizen reported that both sides will make good-faith efforts to get the Navy's approval each year, and RWO manager Larry Bleil said, "Key West is the home of offshore powerboat racing, and this agreement ensures the world championships stay where they belong for years to come." For 2026, the pier license runs through Nov. 10. Times can still shift during the week, so check raceworldoffshore.com before you head to the waterfront.
If you're watching from a friend's dock this year and wondering what canal-front living looks like during race week and the rest of the year, I'm always happy to talk it through. Natallie M Liz is here when you're ready. Let's Connect.
