Blessing of the Fleet Starts Today!

The 35^th annual Blessing of the Fleet weekend starts today, with the annual 10-mile road race starting from Narragansett High School.

According to the Narragansett Lions Club, about 3,000 people run the race each year. Walkers start at 5 p.m., followed by wheelchairs at 5:15 p.m. and runners at 6 p.m. The finish line is by the Towers.

If you’re racing, you can check-in as early as noon. Shuttles and parking are available from and . And as a reminder, if you’re driving in Narragansett between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., watch out for heavy pedestrian traffic and closed roads.

A seafood festival accompanies the race, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. today and from noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday. There will be a lobster dinner, live music, and a variety of arts and crafts.

The actual Blessing of the Fleet itself, with clergy and other officials, occurs at noon Saturday in Galilee. Assuming the weather holds out, hundreds of vessels normally participate, sailing and motoring past spectators watching from the shore.

The event’s main sponsor is Citizens Bank, and its organized by the Narragansett Lions Club. All of the profits from the event benefit local charities. For a full list of the charities supported by the Lions following the 2011 Blessing, click here.

For photos from last year’s Blessing, click here. Got some photos you want us to post? You can send them to Stephen.greenwell@patch.com.

Looking for more coverage? GoLocal Providence wrote an article, as did The Providence Journal. You can “like” the Lions on Facebook here.