Cleveland Tall Ships Festival

Living on the Great Lakes isn’t all that different than living by the ocean. You walk to the shore and gaze out at an endless horizon with waves lapping rhythmically and crashing on the break. It’s basically the same, right? Naturally, the thoughts of anyone with a sense of adventure turn to what it’s like to sail out on the vast, open water with the wind in your hair and sails billowing overhead. In this case, you’ve got a few options: (a) befriend some dude with a boat, (b) start a band and film your music video on a boat, or (c) head to the Cleveland Tall Ships Festival. (For the record, we vote "C".) Set Sail Image courtesy Downtown Cleveland Alliance The Cleveland Tall Ships Festival is your ticket to experiencing the adventure and romance of Cleveland’s maritime history when it sails into port near FirstEnergy Stadium on Downtown Cleveland’s North Coast Harbor July 7 - 10. The festival will kick off on Thursday, July 7th and run through Sunday, July 10th. The event begins with a dramatic Parade of Sail on Thursday evening and features a display of eight traditionally rigged sailing vessels from Canada, the United States and Spain crewed, in part, by youth (ages 13 – 25). The Schooner the Better Image © Cody York Guests will enjoy live entertainment, Ask the Captain forums, photo ops, kids’ activities, a festival marketplace and much more: Performances from Tom Mason & the Blue Buccaneers 40-foot rock climbing wall Happy Hour at the Dock Fireworks show Ask the Captain forums and performances by Tom Kastle, Cleveland Tall Ships Festival emcee Scheduled Sail Aways begin at 10:00 a.m. every morning. Secure your boarding passes today. So, grab your nautical-themed activewear and get your mermaid tail down to the Cleveland Tall Ships Festival in beautiful North Coast Harbor.