Countdown To Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Festival 2017 Begins

by Benson Agoha | Woolwich

 

* British Tall Ship Tenacious was one of largest Tall Ships during the
festival in 2014.

The countdown to the Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Festival 2017 has begun, with less than a year to go before a stunning fleet of Tall Ships gathers on the River Thames at Woolwich and Greenwich in April 2017.

Today’s launch of the Royal Greenwich Festivals 2016 (May 11) proved an ideal opportunity to look ahead to the arrival of the Tall Ships next year, with guests being welcomed aboard The Morgenster for a close-up look at the magnificent vessel.

Next Easter’s festivities are set to hand a huge boost to the local economy and local businesses, with hundreds of thousands of visitors expected to arrive in the borough’s local town centres to see the Tall Ships. The event will also hand a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to dozens young people to experience life on the high seas, training and sailing on the first leg of the Sail Training International Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta.

The Tall Ships Festival in 2014 proved a fantastic occasion for the Royal Borough, making headlines across the world and cementing Royal Greenwich’s reputation as a world class destination for tourists. It was attended by around 1.1 million visitors, bringing £17.7 million into the local economy.

* Model Crew uniforms were on sale.  In 2017 more will be
available for `wannabe' sailors.

From 13 to 16 April 2017, ships will be anchored at two festival sites in the Royal Borough – at the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site in Greenwich town centre, and the Royal Arsenal Riverside in Woolwich. The finale of the festival has already been confirmed with a huge Parade of Sail on 16 April, when around 40 tall ships will sail down the Thames in convoy en route to Quebec, Canada, via Portugal, Bermuda and Boston USA.

The regatta marks the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation, when Canada officially became a nation.

Cllr Denise Hyland, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich said: “One year from now the majestic Tall Ships will once again arrive in the Royal Borough and I look forward to welcoming them for another unforgettable event.

“The Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Festival 2017 is an unrivalled opportunity to attract visitors from across the UK and the world to Royal Greenwich, boosting the local economy and providing young people with an experience that could help shape their future by developing their confidence and building leadership and teamwork skills.

“We are also extremely proud to be able work with the Québec Government Office in London and develop a partnership through the Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Festival. The Festival is being held to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Canadian Confederation, and we are delighted to host the regatta here in Royal Greenwich before it sets sail across the Atlantic.”

Further information on the Sail Training International Rendez-vous Tall Ships Regatta 2017 is at www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/tallships2017 or check #TallShips on Twitter.