GLOUCESTER, Mass. — July 1, 2014 — The following was released by Maritime Gloucester :
GLOUCESTER SCHOONER FESTIVAL TO FOCUS ON 30TH ANNIVERSARY:
The 30th annual “Gloucester Schooner Festival” will be held from August 29 to August 31, 2014. This highly anticipated weekend is expected to draw particularly large crowds as the Festival celebrates thirty extraordinary years of schooner sailing and the City welcomes the Coast Guard Barque Eagle for the weekend.
At 295 feet in length, the Eagle is the largest tall ship flying the stars and stripes and the only active square-rigger in the U.S. government service. With more than 23,000 square feet of sail and six miles of rigging, the Eagle is a sight to see. It will be berthed at Cruiseport’s marine terminal in Gloucester Harbor and the training vessel will be open to the community for free, weekend tours while it is in port (Exact hours will be announced at a later date).
Twenty schooners have signaled their interest in participating in this year’s Festival. Schooners in the large boat category (greater than 80’) will include American Eagle, last year’s winner, as well as the Adventure, Virginia, Roseway, and Amistad. Rival schooner captains have already signaled their intent to try to pry the trophy away from John Foss, the formidable skipper of the American Eagle. An additional fifteen schooners, ranging in size from 30’ to 80’, will compete for the trophies in the small and medium size schooner categories. A number of schooners will accommodate paying passengers.
Following the arrival of the Eagle on Friday afternoon and the Mayor’s Welcome Party on Friday evening, the Festival weekend also includes Maritime Heritage Day on Saturday, a community Lobster Bake on Saturday evening and the Parade of Sail and the races on Sunday.
“We expect a fantastic Festival,” said Schooner Committee captain Daisy Nell, “and we are preparing for a blockbuster 30th anniversary. We are predicting and promising fair winds, tasty lobster, good music and much revelry – and we are expecting some very competitive sailing.”
Specific information on the 2014 Festival is posted on the Schooner Festival (www.gloucesterschoonerfestival.org ) web site and Facebook page.