Tall ships, wooden boats arrive for Richmond Maritime Festival

The Richmond Maritime Festival is promising flapping sails, booming cannons and music to get festivalgoers’ feet stomping.

The festival takes place this Saturday and Sunday, July 27 and 28, for the 16^th year running at the Britannia Shipyards and Imperial Landing.

The docks will be lined with a gathering of wooden boats from up and down the Pacific coast, open for boarding and viewing. Meanwhile, on land, a selection of local musicians and roving performers will keep crowds entertained as they explore activities and.

Both days will open with performances by Juno-nominated children’s artists.

On Saturday, the award-winning duo Bobs & Lolo will get kids moving with song and dance while on Sunday even the smallest pirate can rock out to the witty wordplay and catchy choruses of Will’s Jams.

The Main Stage will also provide a maritime soundtrack with appearances by festival favourites Beauty Shop Dolls and The Seabillys as well as festival newcomers Wooden Horsemen and Flint & Feather.

This year, the Richmond Maritime Festival will be bookended by a high-seas adventure, the Sunset Battle of the Tall Ships. Featuring booming cannons, close-quarters manoeuvers and a taste of 18th century life aboard tall ships, attendees will experience the ships in action as they vie to win the contest.

Originally meant to be a battle between the Lady Washington and the Hawaiian Chieftain, the highlight spectacle will now feature Richmond’s own Providence in place of the Hawaiian Chieftain. This is expected to be a David-versus-Goliath battle for bragging rights as the 2019 champion of the Fraser.

Garry Point Park will provide an optimal viewing location for the evening Battle Sail, as well as a selection of food trucks and roving performances. At the same time, artist Jon Sasaki will craft his own boat out of materials found in the water as the battle roars on behind him. Attendees are invited to take part in the picnic and enjoy the tall ship spectacle on Friday, July 26 and Sunday, July 28 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Richmond Maritime Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28. Admission is free. For more details, visit richmondmaritimefestival.ca.

The Richmond Maritime Festival is produced by the City of Richmond and the Richmond News is a media sponsor.