Klaipeda is the third-largest and oldest city in Lithuania. It’s situated on the Baltic Sea, is the country’s biggest port, and it’s one of the only ice-free ports in northern Europe. It first hosted the Tall Ships Races in 2009, and it’s quickly becoming a regular fixture in the sail training calendar. The port’s new passenger cruise terminal has helped bring increased traffic to the area and make the Lithuanian city a true tourist attraction.
Klaipėda will be drowning in a sea of cultural events and international festivals during the last weekend of June. A spectacular multi-ethnic procession of crews is planned for the regatta, including professional crew members and sailing trainees from all over the world. The procession will be full of seamanship, dynamism and good spirits for both participants and spectators. It is planned to take place on 28 June (Friday) from 18:00.
There will be various concerts at the Cruise Ship Terminal and the Northern Cape. Songs representing Lithuanian ethno-culture will be performed, and citizens, guests and crews will be involved in a whirl of Lithuanian dances. There will be concerts by well-known Lithuanian performers and a surprise – a well-known guest from abroad, who has become famous for performing shanties – songs of sailors.
There will be an opening ceremony, a parade of crews, a crews’ evening, a skippers’ evening and an awards ceremony. Sports competitions for crew members are planned. A day of sightseeing in Klaipėda will be organised to give them a better insight into the city.
We are also strengthening our capacity to build a network of cultural events. We are joining forces with the Klaipėda Castle Jazz Festival, which has undoubtedly become an integral part of Klaipėda’s identity and cultural life over the past 30 years, offering annual performances by world-famous jazz virtuosi. The organisers are proud that this year’s festival will feature a concert by Grammy winner Nicole Zuraitis. We will also surprise and delight the international crews of great sailing ships from all over the world with the opportunity to find a part of their culture in Klaipėda – the four-day cultural whirlwind on 27-30 June is promised by another partner of ours, the Intangible Heritage Festival “Lauksnos”,” said the Head of Klaipėda Festivals.
In addition to the main stars of the weekend – the great sailing ships that will be parked at the Cruise Ship Terminal, the quays on the Danube River and Memel Town – the general public will be offered a Klaipėda that is alive and bustling day and night, and that exudes the aura of the sea as brightly as ever. Spectators will be invited to be not only observers but also participants in the events
Klaipėda residents and guests will be able to see around 80 sailing ships arriving and docking one after the other and get to know them and their crews better by coming to the open decks from 27-30 June.
On 30 June, citizens and guests will have the opportunity to see the big sailing ships from Klaipėda and wish them good wind from the Cruise Ship Terminal, from both piers of Klaipėda harbour, or just to watch them from the beach.