Portsmouth Tall Ships Festival, Including USCG Eagle, August 7th to 9th

August 6, 2009

When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 7th to 9th
Where:Market Street Terminal, Portsmouth, NH

While the scheduled visit of the tall ship, Friendship, to Newburyport in August has been cancelled due to structural issues that were discovered during a routine maintenance inspection of the ship, you’ll still have the opportunity to see tall ships this weekend, August 7th to 9th, in Portsmouth, NH.

On August 7th, the following tall ships will arrive at the Market Street terminal in Portsmouth, NH for a weekend of festivities, including tours and day sails:

The U.S. Coast Guard Eagle
The Kalmar Nyckel
The Spirit of Massachusetts
The Spirit of South Carolina

The four tall ships will be docked at the state pier over the weekend for tours from the public. During its last visit in 2006, an estimated 12,000 people boarded the Eagle and another 5,000 viewed the ship from the state pier.

This year’s event could attract as many as 20,000 people to tour and view the ship.

Tours of the USCG Eagle Are Free

The Eagle, a 300-foot, three-masted barque and the Tall Ship for the United States of America, will be free to board and tour. It will be tied up to the 600-foot pier.

Public tours of the three other ships will be $8 per person and $25 for a family.

The festival kicks off with the Parade of Sail at 9:30 a.m. Friday, August 7.

If you are visiting the Greater Newburyport area and you have the time, make plans to explore Portsmouth and its active and dynamic waterfront. It is a true working waterfront with commercial marine traffic, working tugboats,fishing boats and marine related activities. It gives you a real feel for what the Port of Newburyport may have been like many years ago.

Portsmouth, an easy 30 minute ride from Newburyport, also has many great shops and restaurants.

For More Information

The Tall Ships Festival is sponsored by the Piscataqua Maritime Commission. For more information about the festival, call 603-431-7447 or visit SeacoastOnline.com for articles about the Tall Ships Festival and the detailed schedule of events.