Bay City has hosted a fleet of international tall ships since the inaugural event in 2001; bringing joy and excitement to all who visit. This year marks the 7th Tall Ship Celebration festival and is the only official host port in Michigan.
Bay City’s TALL SHIP CELEBRATION Brings Joy & Excitement to FamiliesThe most awarded tall ship festival in North America returns to Bay City this July 18-21 and is bringing with it some amazing tall ships, international maritime musicians, sail-away adventures, and lots of fun activities for the whole family.
The ship lineup this year includes these favorites: New to the lineup this year is the following schooners: Vessels returning for the first time in over a decade include: All of these ships will offer deck tours on Friday, July 19 – Sunday, July 21 during regular festival hours with your Souvenir Passport. Visit www.tallshipcelebration.com and click on Tickets for more details about Daily Admission Tickets and Souvenir Passports. Free activities abound at Tall Ship Celebration thanks for the support of regional organizations and community sponsors. On the East side of the Saginaw River, at Wenonah Park, kids can enjoy face painting, coloring pieces of a giant mural, and making their very own miniature tall ship. Across the river at Veterans Memorial Park a number of activities will take place at Sailor’s Village including knot tying, sail raising, scrimshaw art, building a miniature lighthouse and creating a nautical masterpiece. America’s Boating Club is bringing back their high-tech boating simulator for both kids and adults to try their hand at driving a Boston Whaler around a lake. Theatrical performances by the Ring of Steel Action Theatre will entertain everyone within earshot and the Bay County Library System is hosting Storyteller’s Corner featuring professional storytellers and musicians spinning yarns of adventures on the high seas. Musicians can be found throughout Tall Ship Celebration. During the daytime festival hours, maritime musicians from around the globe will take the stage at Maritime Music stages on both sides of the river. After the festival closes, The Quarterdeck in Veterans Memorial Park opens for Ballads and Brews.
To access the festival, a Daily Admission Ticket is required ($8 before June 30, $10 as of July 1). If you’d like to board and tour the visiting tall ships, you must also purchase a Souvenir Passport ($8 before June 30, $10 as of July 1). A Souvenir Passports allows the bearer to board and tour each visiting ship one time. Children under 36” tall are admitted at no charge and must be accompanied by a paying adult. Discounted Daily Admission Tickets and Souvenir Passports are also available at any Kroger store in Michigan! Visit www.tallshipcelebration.com or call (989) 895-5193 for more information or to purchase tickets. |
Tall Ship Celebration takes place roughly every three years when the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® series of races comes into the Great Lakes. Bay City has hosted a fleet of international tall ships since the inaugural event in 2001; bringing joy and excitement to all who visit. This year marks the 7
Tall Ship Celebration begins on Thursday, July 18 from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The ships will arrive that afternoon and dock downtown. No other festival services or activities are available on Thursday. The festival opens at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 19 – Sunday, July 21 and closes at 5:00 p.m. each day.