The largest group of Tall Ships to come to Boston since 2000 arrive in Boston Harbor on Saturday, June 17—the sole U.S. stop on their voyage. Over 50 ships are expected to parade through the harbor and around Boston. The main event is expected to begin around 9 a.m., at which point the regatta will pass through the harbor, making their way to Castle Island around 9:30 a.m. The Grand Parade is expected to last about three hours.
Over one million people are expected to attend the event. Spectators will be spread throughout the city, from Charlestown to The World Trade Center. Many attendees will board Cruise Boats in order to see the regatta from the water.
After making their way along the shoreline, each of the ships will be docked in Boston until June 22, allowing crews to get some much-needed rest. During the docking period, people will be able to board the various historical ships for an up-close-and-personal viewing of each ship. On each boat, visitors seeking information about a boat’s history will be able to speak to crew members. Boston Fish Pier and the Charlestown Navy Yard will also be hosting several events from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. daily, until the ships depart. The city is planning to close certain streets in order to accommodate the massive crowd and the festivities.
The 2017 Rendezvous Regatta, which began its voyage from Royal Greenwich, UK, is comprised of ships from 14 different countries; 37 of the vessels are from the United States. Of the ships attendees will be able to board, is the longest and youngest boat in the fleet—Peru’s 380 foot-long Union, which has the largest crew (250 members), and the 150-year-old Europa, which was built in the Netherlands.
On June 22, the ships will depart from Boston, heading toward Canada for the next leg of their journey.
For more information on the ships and events, Sail Boston has released a free, easy-to-use iPhone/Android app, complete with news and updates, points of interest, and detailed information for each of the fleet’s stunning and historic ships.