Post by ppat324 on Jul 14, 2010 1:43:03 GMT -5
Bay City to welcome tall ships in style for 2010 celebration
7/14 - Bay City, Mich. - Bay City officials are rolling out the red carpet for this year’s Tall Ship Celebration. The goal: Convince visitors and voters that nobody does it better when it comes to hosting a fleet of seafaring vessels.
If all goes according to plan, Bay City will be named Port of the Year for a third time and will secure a spot as a port city when the tall ships return to the Great Lakes in 2013.
It’s important for Bay City to lock in its bid this year by winning Port of the Year honors because the 2013 theme is the War of 1812 — a topic that Event Coordinator Shirley Roberts says Bay City lacks in history.
“We have a lot of history,” she said, “but not anything we can connect to the War of 1812. Maybe we’ll learn something — our fingers are crossed.”
Patti Lock, director of the Great Lakes United Tall Ships Challenge — a race across the Great Lakes sponsored by the American Sail Training Association — says Bay City always contends for the title.
“Bay City is always a good candidate,” said Lock, of Chicago. “They have great participation and a beautiful venue. I’ve heard great things about their event.”
Bay City was honored as ASTA’s Port of the Year in 2001 and 2006. All top ports are guaranteed a spot as a port city in the next Tall Ships Challenge, Roberts said.
The panel in charge of choosing port cities in 2013 will look at historic demand, as well as port support, said Lock.
This will be Lock’s first time visiting Bay City’s festival. Bay City is the only official port city in Michigan. Other port stops are in Toronto, Cleveland, Duluth, Minn., Green Bay, Wis., and Chicago.
Twelve tall ships are scheduled to arrive in Bay City on Thursday. Of the 12, six will be making their first trip to Bay City — Pathfinder, Playfair, Roseway, Lynx, Roald Amundsen and the Denis Sullivan — this year’s flagship of the tour.
Kevin Dykema, chairman of the Tall Ship Celebration Board of Directors, said seeing a ship for the first time is special, but he also encourages visitors to check out ships they may have seen before, like the HMS Bounty, which visited Bay City in 2003.
“The Bounty … is totally refit. It was a little rough when it was here last time, but it really looks nice now,” Dykema said.
The Pride of Baltimore II is making its fourth visit.
“The Pride of Baltimore … is always a crowd favorite,” Dykema said.
Other ships taking part are Europa, Madeline, Appledore IV and Appledore V.
The ships, of course, are the main attraction. But the events Bay City coordinates to support the ships put Bay City’s celebration above the rest, Roberts said.
“The tall ships themselves are magnetic,” said Roberts. “People are drawn to them because they are so beautiful and awe inspiring. But what makes our event stand apart from other events is we have so much more to offer by way of entertainment, crafts and music.
“It’s an event that can keep a family entertained all weekend.”
This year’s highlights include the Ring of Steel Action Theatre and Pirate School — a performing troupe from the University of Michigan that will perform daily shows featuring battles with expert swordplay and special effects.
Other must-see attractions include a sail-raising station, a knot-tying station, a lighthouse craft area, an Art in the Park tent, a small craft symposium, a Storyteller’s Corner, a Maritime Music Festival and a tall ship craft area for children.
7/14 - Bay City, Mich. - Bay City officials are rolling out the red carpet for this year’s Tall Ship Celebration. The goal: Convince visitors and voters that nobody does it better when it comes to hosting a fleet of seafaring vessels.
If all goes according to plan, Bay City will be named Port of the Year for a third time and will secure a spot as a port city when the tall ships return to the Great Lakes in 2013.
It’s important for Bay City to lock in its bid this year by winning Port of the Year honors because the 2013 theme is the War of 1812 — a topic that Event Coordinator Shirley Roberts says Bay City lacks in history.
“We have a lot of history,” she said, “but not anything we can connect to the War of 1812. Maybe we’ll learn something — our fingers are crossed.”
Patti Lock, director of the Great Lakes United Tall Ships Challenge — a race across the Great Lakes sponsored by the American Sail Training Association — says Bay City always contends for the title.
“Bay City is always a good candidate,” said Lock, of Chicago. “They have great participation and a beautiful venue. I’ve heard great things about their event.”
Bay City was honored as ASTA’s Port of the Year in 2001 and 2006. All top ports are guaranteed a spot as a port city in the next Tall Ships Challenge, Roberts said.
The panel in charge of choosing port cities in 2013 will look at historic demand, as well as port support, said Lock.
This will be Lock’s first time visiting Bay City’s festival. Bay City is the only official port city in Michigan. Other port stops are in Toronto, Cleveland, Duluth, Minn., Green Bay, Wis., and Chicago.
Twelve tall ships are scheduled to arrive in Bay City on Thursday. Of the 12, six will be making their first trip to Bay City — Pathfinder, Playfair, Roseway, Lynx, Roald Amundsen and the Denis Sullivan — this year’s flagship of the tour.
Kevin Dykema, chairman of the Tall Ship Celebration Board of Directors, said seeing a ship for the first time is special, but he also encourages visitors to check out ships they may have seen before, like the HMS Bounty, which visited Bay City in 2003.
“The Bounty … is totally refit. It was a little rough when it was here last time, but it really looks nice now,” Dykema said.
The Pride of Baltimore II is making its fourth visit.
“The Pride of Baltimore … is always a crowd favorite,” Dykema said.
Other ships taking part are Europa, Madeline, Appledore IV and Appledore V.
The ships, of course, are the main attraction. But the events Bay City coordinates to support the ships put Bay City’s celebration above the rest, Roberts said.
“The tall ships themselves are magnetic,” said Roberts. “People are drawn to them because they are so beautiful and awe inspiring. But what makes our event stand apart from other events is we have so much more to offer by way of entertainment, crafts and music.
“It’s an event that can keep a family entertained all weekend.”
This year’s highlights include the Ring of Steel Action Theatre and Pirate School — a performing troupe from the University of Michigan that will perform daily shows featuring battles with expert swordplay and special effects.
Other must-see attractions include a sail-raising station, a knot-tying station, a lighthouse craft area, an Art in the Park tent, a small craft symposium, a Storyteller’s Corner, a Maritime Music Festival and a tall ship craft area for children.
