A storied tradition, the Tall Ships come sailing into the Boston Harbor again this year, from June 17-22nd and Sail Boston 2017 will celebrate them in all their glory. Boston is one of six different international ports at which you can visit, experience, and learn about the ships as they sail around the world as part of the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta. The Regatta is the adventure of a lifetime – a 7,000 nautical mile trans-Atlantic racing series taking place over the course of five months, starting in the UK and making stops in Portugal, Bermuda, the US, Canada and more. It marks the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation through its founders and founding provinces, and it is an experience that both trainees and sailing experts can enjoy together.

The leg of the race that will bring the Tall Ships into port in Boston begins in Bermuda in the beginning of June. From there, over 35 modern and historic ships will land stateside, where , after a grand opening ceremony and parade of sail, landlubbers will be able will climb aboard and tour the ships and learn all about them. Sail Boston will present a host of educational programs focusing on international and American maritime history. This family friendly event is designed for adults and kids alike, as crew members will meet with and greet locals and share their shipboard experiences, talk about their country of origin, their culture and more.

The celebration of tall ships begins on Friday the 16th at noon, continues throughout the weekend and into the following week. Apart from the ships themselves, of course, one of the highlights of the spectacle that Millennium Tower residents are sure to enjoy is the Crew & Cadet Street Parade on Monday, June 19th from noon-2 PM. Presented by the Downtown Boston BID, marching bands and cadets from the visiting ships will parade from Seaport Boulevard to Downtown Crossing. If the parade sounds too boisterous, perhaps a sunset salute is more your speed. You can attend one Tuesday evening at the Navy Yard or Wednesday evening at Fan Pier, where you will be able to view the tall ships and enjoy musical and military entertainment from past and present. A full schedule of events is available on Sail Boston’s website, here.

And if all this talk of sailing has got you itching to get out to sea, visit the Rendez Vous 2017 site, here, to find out how you can enlist to be a trainee aboard one of the ships in the race. Anchors aweigh!