Sail Boston 2026 expected to attract 4 million people to see the tall ships
Sail Boston 2026 is expected to bring millions to the waterfront to see the tall ships this July as part of America's 250th birthday celebrations.
From July 11-16, more than 60 ships from over 20 countries around the world will be in Boston Harbor. Sail Boston CEO Dusty Rhodes says the spectacle will be "safe, wonderful and free."
"We have been planning this event since 2018," she said at a news conference Wednesday. "We're expecting over 4 million people."
The tall ships were last in Boston in 2017. This is expected to be the biggest iteration of Sail Boston since 2000.
Parade of Sail
The highlight of Sail Boston 2026 is the "Parade of Sail" on Saturday, July 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The ships will enter Boston Harbor in flotillas and turn around near Charlestown before docking.
The public can see the parade from Castle Island, the Seaport, the Boston waterfront, East Boston, the North End and Charlestown.
"The entirety of the Harborwalk will be available for spectating from the land," director of operations David Choate said.
After the parade, the public will be able to board the ships through Wednesday, July 15. They'll be berthed at the Boston Fish Pier, Commonwealth Pier, Pier 5 South Boston, Courthouse Dock, Fan Pier, Rowes Wharf and the Charlestown Navy Yard.
There will also be a free and open public festival at the Parcel V-1 lot near the Leaderbank Pavilion in the Seaport.
Sail Boston 2026 fireworks and flyover
There will be fireworks over Boston Harbor on Saturday and Wednesday around 9:15 p.m. to celebrate the tall ships.
To kick off the Parade of Sail on Saturday, F/A-18 Navy jets will conduct a flyover as the U.S.S. Constitution passes the official viewing stand at 10:15 a.m.
"Going to be inconvenient for some"
It's set to be a busy summer in the city with the World Cup, Sail Boston and America 250 celebrations. Organizers note that Boston is one of only two cities welcoming both the tall ships and soccer fans to the region.
Sail Boston 2026 consultant Tom Tinlin said the Parade of Sail on July 11 "is going to be inconvenient for some folks." He's urging people not to drive into Boston and take the MBTA instead due to planned street closures and parking restrictions.
"If you think, 'hey it's Saturday I'm going to take my car into the city, I'm going to get to the waterfront,' you will be remiss in thinking that," Tinlin said.
MBTA ferry service will be suspended during the Parade of Sail. The T will offer shuttle service from the JFK/UMass stop on the Red Line to castle Island, and a shuttle from Sullivan Station on the Orange Line to the Charlestown Navy Yard.
