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Tall Ships Festival
9/6/2019 - 9/8/2019
$8 - $30Event Navigation
The Ocean Institute on Dana Point hosts the Tall Ships Festival for the 34th year. Families get to tour real, working tall ships.
They also can experience interactive living history encampments, sea chanteys concerts, cannon battles at sea, an arts and crafts show, a boat parade, and more. Friday evening, before the start of the festival proper, the ships sail as a parade at sunset; the best view is from the breakwater behind the Ocean Institute.
Inside the Ocean Education Center, kids can check out hands-on labs and art activities, undersea explorations, pirate school, sailor training, and even mermaid swim encounters. A complete schedule of the weekend’s events is available on the festival website; note that some activities may cost extra, and there is a discount for buying a full weekend pass instead of paying by the day.
Parking near the Ocean Institute during the festival is extremely limited; alternatively a free shuttle runs from Salt Creek Beach Park (at PCH and Selva Road).
Saturday and Sunday hours are 9am-5pm; Friday evening Sunset Sail is 4pm-7:30pm.
Advance ticket purchase is recommended.
Want to join the Sunset Sail on Friday evening? Tickets to be on board for the three-hour tour cost $45 for adults and $35 for kids (4-12). Check-in time to sail is 1:30pm-3pm. There is also a separately priced Mermaid Breakfast on Saturday morning.
Schedule of Events:
Friday
Sails ‘n Ales (6:00 pm -9:00 pm): Craft beer tasting from five (5) different California breweries, live music, mermaids and prime viewing for Parade of Sail!
Parade of Sail (4:00 pm-7:30 pm): Join the armada as you cast off for adventure aboard a historic tall ship during the annual tall ships parade at sunset. Work with the crew hauling up sail or simply sit back and enjoy the spectacular demonstration of skill, knowledge, and survival!
Saturday & Sunday:
Mermaid Breakfast (9:00 am-10:30 am): Join our mermaid friends for brunch, storytime, and under the sea crafts!
Festival (10:00 am-4:00 pm): Tall Ships tours, pirate adventures, mermaid encounters, unique vendors, Sierra Nevada Beer Garden, and more await for you at the 32nd Annual Festival. For a full list of activities, please click here.
Cannon Battles (4:30 pm-7:30 pm): Enjoy blasting cannons, towering rigging, bustling decks, and the magnificence of a canvas full of wind during a Cannon Battle! Work with the crew hauling up sail or simply sit back and enjoy the spectacular demonstration of skill, knowledge, and survival!
Children may participate in our Friendly Pirate School! Watch as your child learns to talk like a pirate, walk like a pirate and sing like a pirate!
Activities and Fun for Kids:
- At Baby Beach Park
- Port Royal Privateer interactive encampment
- Gold panning and treasure seeking at the Pioneer booth
- Knot tying races
- Outrageous face painting
- On board the Pilgrim*
- Interactive demonstrations
- Story telling
- Pirate games
- Next to the brig Pilgrim
- Block & Tackle interactive cargo exhibit
- Climbing and Sail Furling (inside the Maritime Center)
- Inside the Ocean Institute*
- “Friendly Pirate School” – learn to talk, walk and act like a friendly pirate!
- Pirates! Story time inside the Children’s Theater
- Live ocean animals (including sea stars, sharks, rays, octopus & jelly fish)
- Interactive Exhibits
Tall Ship deck explorations (Admittance for Ship deck tours concludes at 3:30 pm.)
Members: $6.50 per adult, $4.50 per child (ages 3-12)
Non-members: $10 per adult, $8 per child (ages 3-12)
General Schedule:
9:30 am Shuttle service begins
10:00 am Toshiba Tall Ships Festival 2012 opens
10:00 am Ocean Institute opens
10:00 am Tall ships open for tours
3:30 pm Tall ships tours conclude, except brig Pilgrim (ships get ready for cannon battles)
5:00 pm Ocean Institute and brig Pilgrim close
5:00 pm Chantey concert concludes and brig Pilgrim tours conclude
5:30 pm Tall ships sunset cannon battle cruises (4:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.)
9:00 pm Shuttle service ends
Pirate Adventure Passes (include deck tours on all tall ships, activities aboard the brig Pilgrim and admission / activities inside the Ocean Education Center)
Members: $9 / adults (15 years and up), $7 / child (ages 3-14)
Non-members: $10 / adults (15 years and up), $8 / child (ages 3-14)
Family 4-Pack: $30.00
Other activities involves individual fees, click here for info: http://www.tallshipsfestival.com/
