Connecticut Schooner Festival Fleet Doubles

An additional 10 vessels have confirmed their participation in a September festival, effectively doubling the number that will appear on the New London waterfront, organizers of the event announced on Tuesday.

The WNLC Classic 98.7 Connecticut Schooner Festival will visit Mystic and New London between Sept. 11 and 15. The newly announced schooners include ships from ports as close as Mystic and as far away as Virginia.

“It’s shaping up to be a wonderful maritime celebration,” said John S. Johnson, chairman of the festival. “We’re thankful for the participation of so many vessels, and look forward to welcoming their crew to our shores.”

The new ships that have been confirmed are the Virginia of Norfolk, Va.; the Adventure of Gloucester, Mass.; the Alabama and Perception of Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.; the Tyrone of Chatham, Mass.; the Tree of Life of Newport, R.I.; the Sophia Christina of Weekapaug, R.I.; the Mary E and Spirit of Essex; and the Mystic of Mystic.

Produced by OpSail Connecticut, the festival will begin on Sept. 11 when schooners arrive at Mystic Seaport for viewing and tours. A dockside education program for Connecticut schoolchildren will take place the next day.

The schooners will sail to the New London waterfront on Sept. 13, with a race taking place along Fishers Island Sound on Sept. 14. Events on the New London waterfront will include ship tours and day sails, concerts, a plein air painting competition, a giant sand sculpture, and a chowder contest among New London restaurants. Flock Theatre will also host a street pageant, “The Burning in Effigy of Benedict Arnold,” with an appearance by the Ancient Mariners fife and drum corps of Pawcatuck.

In addition to the newly added vessels, schooners that previously confirmed participation include the Irena of Waukegan, Ill.; the Quintessence of Barnegat Bay, N.J.; the Dutch-built Lelanta and Boston-built Malabar II; Adventurer of Essex, Mass.; the Niamh of Branford; the Brilliant and Equinox of Mystic; the Quinnipiack of New Haven; and the Mystic Whaler of New London.

Educational partners in the event include Mystic Schooners; Mystic Seaport; the Marine Science Magnet School of Southeastern Connecticut; the University of Connecticut at Avery Point; the Connecticut River Museum; and the school districts in East Lyme, Fishers Island, Groton, Ledyard, Montville, New London, Stonington, and Waterford.

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