Key West · November
Key West Powerboat Races
Every November the fastest offshore powerboats in the world come to Key West to settle their season. The Race World Offshore Key West World Championship runs November 1 through 8, 2026, with race days Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and boats running a harbor course you can watch from shore, some of them past 100 miles per hour.
Key West has hosted championship offshore racing since the early 1980s, and the week is a spectacle beyond the water: the World's Fastest Boat Parade rolls the race boats down Duval Street on trailers Sunday, November 1, around 4 p.m., and the dry pits at Truman Waterfront are open free all week.
Quick Facts
- Dates
- November 1 to 8, 2026
- Race days
- Wednesday Nov. 4, Friday Nov. 6, Sunday Nov. 8, from 10 a.m.
- Where
- Truman Waterfront and the Outer Mole pier
- Tickets
- About $25 per race day; kids and military free
- Free stuff
- Dry pits, Duval boat parade, Mallory Square viewing
- History
- Championship racing here since the early 1980s; Race World Offshore since 2019
Where to watch
The paid viewing is the Outer Mole, the long pier off Truman Waterfront that puts you right on the race course. General admission runs about $25 per race day, with kids and active military free. Bring a lawn chair; coolers and backpacks are not allowed on the Mole.
If you would rather not pay, Mallory Square and the westward-facing waterfront catch a good stretch of the course for free, and plenty of locals watch from boats anchored off the course perimeter.
Beyond the races
The week is built so you can get close to the hardware. The dry pits at Truman Waterfront are free and open to walk: teams wrenching on engines, hulls up on stands, crews happy to talk. The boat parade down Duval on opening Sunday is the single best photo op of the week, multi-million dollar race boats inching past the bars on trailers.
- · Race days start around 10 a.m. Get to the Mole early for shade and a good rail.
- · Sunday, Nov. 1 around 4 p.m.: World's Fastest Boat Parade down Duval. Free.
- · The dry pits are free all week and the best place to bring kids.
- · Ear protection is smart close to the course. These engines are not quiet.
Why Key West
The harbor gives fans something almost no other venue can: a natural amphitheater where the course runs close to shore. That is why the sport has crowned world champions here for more than four decades. November also lands after hurricane season's peak and before the winter crowds, which makes it one of the easier big weeks to book.
Want more on Key West Powerboat Races?
Official details from the organizers, plus Keys Weekly's coverage from the newspaper.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are the Key West powerboat races in 2026?
The championship runs November 1 to 8, 2026, with race days Wednesday, November 4, Friday, November 6 and Sunday, November 8, starting around 10 a.m.
How much does it cost to watch?
General admission to the Outer Mole is about $25 per race day, with kids and active military free. Mallory Square and other waterfront spots catch parts of the course for free.
What is the boat parade?
The World's Fastest Boat Parade sends the race boats down Duval Street on trailers on Sunday, November 1, around 4 p.m. It is free and it is the best up-close look at the fleet outside the pits.
Can I bring a cooler?
Not onto the Outer Mole. Coolers and backpacks are prohibited there, though lawn chairs are fine. Food and drink vendors operate on site.
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