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| The Countdown to the 2008 Tall Ships Festival Begins |
The Countdown to the 2008 Tall Ships Festival Begins
(VICTORIA) October 16, 2007- Fans of the seafaring life will be turning their attention to Victoria, British Columbia again next year, when the world’s finest tall ships sail into the city’s Inner Harbour as part of the 2008 Tall Ships Challenge June 26 to 29, the Victoria Tall Ships Society and Victoria Mayor Allan Lowe announced today. “Victoria is proud to host the 2008 Tall Ships Festival,” said Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe. “We look forward to welcoming international sailors and their ships in 2008 during the 150th anniversary year of the founding of the colony of British Columbia.” “Our first Class A vessel has confirmed its participation in the four-day festival,’’ said John Anderson, chair of the Victoria Tall Ships Festival, during a countdown and sponsorship launch in Victoria. “We’re thrilled the U.S. based Eagle, a 295’ barque, will be open to public tours along with as many as two dozen other vessels.” The Eagle, a 90 metre (295 foot) three-masted barque from the U.S. Coast Guard is a training vessel that carries 175 cadets, 8 kilometres (5 miles) of rigging and nearly 7000 metres (20,000 square feet) of sail. Victoria is the only major port of call on Canada’s west coast in the 2008 Tall Ships Challenge, a series of races along the west coast of Canada and the United States. The family-friendly festival will feature ship tours, nightly cannon battles, artists and musicians and a variety of children's programs – including a pirate school. In 2005, the festival attracted 38,000 visitors, 1,000 volunteers and resulted in a $5.2 million impact to the local economy. Festival tickets go on sale January 2008. Note: Check for updates at www.tallshipsvictoria.ca. Contact: John R Anderson (250) 656-2734 Geoff Corbett (250) 384-2005 Festival Chair Executive Director Victoria Tall Ships Festival 2008 Victoria Tall Ships Society Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it |