The 27th anniversary Gloucester Schooner Festival will take place Labor Day weekend, September 3-4, 2011. It’s Gloucester’s major marine event, with participating vessels coming from ports along the Eastern Seaboard. There will be both large and small vessels—ranging from 19 feet to over 100 feet in length. You will see new boats and old boats, from newly built to over 100 years old! Gloucester’s Thomas E. Lannon, Essex’ Ardelle, Lewis H. Story, American Eagle from Rockland, Maine, The Alabama, Liberty Clipper, Roseway and many more!
The Mayor’s Race is the major event of every Schooner Festival and will take place this year on Sunday, September 4, with over 20 schooners expected to compete for the Esperanto Cup, the Cameron Cup, and the Ramsey Plate. Racing starts on Saturday afternoon with seven classes of traditional small craft, consisting of approximately 50 vessels from 19 to 45 feet long.
“This event is a chance for Cape Ann sailors to celebrate our traditions and also show the visiting competition out on the water how to win.” said Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bob Hastings. “Ultimately, though, it is just a great weekend to plan to be in Gloucester.”
An obvious choice for boat lovers, the Schooner Festival also offers plenty of shore side events. On Saturday, these include Gloucester Maritime Heritage Day, walking tours of Gloucester’s Harborfront (hosted by The Schooner Adventure), the lighted boat parade, and a gala fireworks display over Gloucester Harbor. Sunday morning, a grand Parade of Sail passes the Boulevard promenade (Stacy Boulevard, Route 127) as the large schooners head out to sea for the Mayor’s Race.
New in 2011 is a Schooner Festival Raffle with a two-hour private cruise for 30 guests on the schooner Ardelle as the grand prize. Additional prizes include a Gift Basket from Ryan & Wood Distilleries, two tickets for a cruise aboard the schooner Thomas E. Lannon, and an autographed copy of Festival Chair’s recently published children’s book “The Stowaway Mouse.” Tickets for the raffle will be available on Friday, August 19, from Schooner Festival Committee members and at the Chamber office (978-283-1601).
Corporate support is provided for the Gloucester Schooner Festival from TD Bank and Market Basket. The Festival is planned and organized by the Gloucester Schooner Festival Committee, composed of representatives of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and the City of Gloucester. Further information can be obtained by calling 978-283-1601. For a full schedule of events, go to www.capeannvacations.com/schooner.
High resolution media images are available on-line for download at: www.capeannvacations.com/schooner/mediaimages.
About the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce: The mission of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce is to serve as the principal voice of business in Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea, while working to enhance both the economic environment and the quality of life for the citizens of Cape Ann.
THANKS VERY MUCH!!!
Tracy Arabian
Gloucester Schooner Festival Committee
Good Morning Gloucester 
Joey- Call me a nerd, but I like the history and the fact-filled posts. Keep-’em coming! Who knew there was a HISTORY to deviled eggs- AND a Gloucester connection? GMG makes me “smaht!”
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