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    • Apr 19
    • 4 min read

Tall Ships Around The World

‘A tall ship is a large, traditionally rigged sailing vessel. Popular modern tall ship rigs include topsail schooners, brigantines, brigs, and barques. "Tall ship" can also be defined more specifically by an organization, such as for a race or festival.’ – Wikipedia 


The universal appeal of Tall Ships should not be underestimated, with thousands and thousands attending races and festivals across the world, every single year. 


Whilst of course we have the very best of the Tall Ships Festivals coming to Gloucester in May, we thought we would look at a few of the other Tall Ships Festivals that have taken place around the world. 



 

Tall Ships Duluth 


Tall Ships Duluth is a spectacular maritime festival that celebrates the rich history and heritage of the city of Duluth, Minnesota. Held every few years along the beautiful shores of Lake Superior, this event brings together an impressive fleet of historic and modern tall ships, attracting thousands of visitors from around the world. 


The festival offers a unique opportunity for people of all ages to learn about the fascinating world of sailing and the critical role these ships played in shaping Duluth’s maritime past. 


The history of Tall Ships Duluth dates to the early 2000s when the first event was organized to honour and preserve the city’s maritime legacy. Since then, the festival has grown in size and popularity, becoming a beloved tradition for locals and tourists alike. 


The event typically takes place over a long weekend during the summer, with the exact dates varying depending on the year. Stay tuned for announcements regarding the next edition of this exciting celebration of Duluth’s nautical roots.  

 

Tall Ships Waterford  


June 2011 saw four extraordinary days in Waterford as Ireland once again hosted The Tall Ships Races. 


One of the most spectacular and colourful events in the Tall Ships’ world and Waterford hosted over 70 majestic Tall Ships; 1,500 sail trainees and around 500,000 maritime, music and festival fans on the quays of Irelands oldest city.  


The festival captured the very best of Irish and international acts; street theatre; fireworks; music and food, whilst on board The Tall Ships, dozens of young Irish young people enjoyed the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate as trainees, alongside their international peers. 



 

Tall Ships Festival Dana Point 


Every September the Dana Point Harbour becomes a forest of towering masts, billowing sails, and stately wooden ships in early September during the annual Toshiba Tall Ships Festival, the largest gathering of historic sailing ships on the West Coast.   


The Tall Ships Festival started in 1984 and is the Ocean Institute’s premier annual event, drawing thousands to Dana Point’s beautiful harbour. This annual festival takes place every September and celebrates California's rich maritime history and its connection to the ocean.


 The highlight of this event is the mock cannon wars each evening. History comes alive, as crews from each ship, along with historical re-enactors, engage the public in cannon battles, pirate adventures, mermaid encounters, ship tours, and much more. 

 

Sail Boston


Sail Boston have announced that tall ships will sail into Boston in July of 2026 as part of Sail250, a global gathering of tall ships to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States — also known as the nation’s semi quincentennial. 


Tall ship visits have been a natural fit for Boston to pay homage to its rich maritime history, and tall ship and military ship gatherings have been a beloved Massachusetts tradition since the bicentennial in 1976. 


The visiting ships and their crews will be a fitting addition to the celebration and commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in 2026.  

 

Royal Greenwich  


The Tall Ships Regatta in Greenwich occurred from August 26 to 31, 2015. It was a spectacular event that brought majestic tall ships to the Thames River. This regatta was part of a series of tall ship events in Greenwich, following previous gatherings in 2012, 2013, and a large regatta in 2014.  



There were 51 tall ships on the river, the majority arriving from Falmouth as part of the Falmouth - Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Regatta.


The ships left Falmouth on 31 August, racing to the Needles on the western tip of the Isle of Wight and arrived on the Thames on 4 September. 



 

Falmouth Tall Ships


The Tall Ships 2023 event was hosted in Falmouth, Cornwall from 15 to 18 August 2023. This prestigious international event featured a fleet of tall ships arriving in Falmouth for the sixth time.

 

Live music, receptions, and parades were among the exciting events during these four days, with approximately 750 international captains and crew members in attendance. 


About 12 vessels, including five Class A square-rigged ships, were expected to sail into Falmouth. The largest ship participating was the Polish ship Dar Młodzieży, a three-masted frigate and one of the largest training sailing ships in the world. Ticketed entry into the docks to go onboard the vessels were available for the first three days of the event.  


The Magellan-Elcano race then commenced in Falmouth on 18 August, with other legs in A Coruña and Cádiz in Spain, and Lisbon in Portugal.  



 

There are many, many more Tall Ships Festivals taking place every year around the globe, make sure you are a part of this year’s spectacular Gloucester Tall Ships Festival, and secure your tickets TODAY. 

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