Sandusky hosts a very unique festival in September – the Festival of Sail. This wonderful event allows ordinary land-lubbers like you and me to actually step on, and tour, fantastic sailing ships at the Jackson Street Pier in downtown Sandusky.
As of this writing, there are four ships scheduled for the festival (ship selection may change without notice):
- The Mist of Avalon – a former fishing ship with a motor that was used commercially to catch cod and then abandoned at a pier in Canada, Mist of Avalon was rebuilt into a 19th century Grand Banks schooner by Captain George Mainguy, and returned to sea in 1997. She has appeared in many films and documentaries.
- El Galeón Andalucía is a 170 foot, 495 ton, authentic wooden replica of a 16th-century galleon, that was part of Spain’s West Indies fleet – the type used by the Spanish crown for maritime expeditions. El Galeón Andalucía will sail into port under command of Captain Rosario Fernandez Rodriguez.
- The U.S. Brig Niagara will be of special interest to American History buffs – she is a replica of the flagship commanded by Oliver Hazard Perry during the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812. The current Niagara is the third reconstruction of the original vessel.
- The When And If, a 63-foot schooner commissioned by Gen. George S. Patton in 1939. A quote from the general himself, about it is: “When the war is over, and If I live through it, Bea and I are going to sail her around the world.” It remained in the Patton family until 1972.
The festival will run from 9am -5pm on Saturday, September 3 through Monday, September 5, 2016.
You can purchase Multi-Day On Board Tour Passes for $20 per person to climb aboard and tour the ships, as well as a Day Sail ticket for $65. The Fast Pass option is $59 per person and allows admission to the festival with front of the line service at each ship tour each day of the event. It is highly encouraged to purchase tickets in advance, particularly if you want to do the Day Sail. Ticket prices will increase at the door and are not guaranteed, if they sell out online before the festival starts.
Angel Welcome Bed and Breakfast is only a short trip from Sandusky – spend the day with the tall ships and then return to us for a great night’s sleep and a delicious home-made breakfast!