With a record-setting 130 boats and more than $100,000 raised for the Cecil Dye Fountain, last month’s Rock The River Cincinnati Fun Run organized by Pat Feldhaus, his brother, Matt and Michael Caliguri was an unqualified success in all but one aspect.
The boating. Because thanks to last month’s record-high Ohio River water levels, there wasn’t any beyond a Saturday river cruise.
Tomorrow’s Ohio River event is expected to attract 30 to 40 entries. Photo from Rock The River Cincy 2025 by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.
But as they proved last month the 2026 Rock The River affair, organizers Pat Feldhaus, his brother, Matt, and Michael Caliguri are not the quitting kind. Tomorrow’s casual run on the Ohio River from Manhattan Harbor Marina to RiverWatch restaurant for a chicken-wing lunch is proof positive.
The planned lunch fare was inspired by that of the longstanding Chicken Wing Run on Oneida Lake in Upstate New York, according Pat Feldhaus.
“I’ve always been interested in that event but I’ve never done it,” he explained. “I thought it would be fun to have our own ‘chicken-wing’ event, but RiverWatch doesn’t have chicken wings on the menu.
“So Captain Mike (Mike Rauen, the owner of RiverWatch) ordered them special for our group,” he continued. “And the restaurant only will be open to our group.”
Feldhaus added that he is expecting 30 to 40 boats and 120-plus participants. After lunch, the fleet will head to Rising Sun Marina and Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club before returning to Manhattan Harbour Marina.
Cost is $40 per person. Half of the fee will pay for the chickens. The other half will be donated to a local animal rescue founded by police officer Robert Spears.
“Though we love it, there’s nothing relaxing about putting on Rock The River,” Pat Feldhaus said, then laughed. “So we’re looking forward to spending time with our friends and getting to run Bread Money, our Formula V-bottom.”
For the record, the name of the boat was inspired by what the Feldhaus, who run a baked-goods delivery operation, do for a living. But forget the bread. Tomorrow, it’s all about the wings.
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