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Liverpool, UK


Over the 2018 May Bank Holiday weekend, the international fleet of Tall Ships made its triumphant return to Liverpool for the fifth time, as part of the Three Festivals Tall Ships Regatta 2018.

When the Tall Ships visited during a four-day jubilee celebrating Liverpool’s rich maritime history in 2008, the city’s docks welcomed more than one million visitors. Ten years later, Liverpool had the honour of hosting this spectacular fleet in an event that coincided with the Bordeaux Wine Festival visiting the UNESCO World heritage Waterfront. The race was just one of a series of internationally significant events, which marked a decade since Liverpool was named “European Capital of Culture.”

Berthed in the Victorian splendour of the Albert Dock and alongside the award-winning Liverpool Cruise Terminal, the fleet was close to the beating heart of the city. Here, a wealth of art, culture, architecture, music, and sport, as well as a thriving selection of bars, restaurants and shops were on hand for visitors and crews to experience and explore.

Together with the city’s specially commissioned programme of street animation, aerobatic displays and colourful shanties, the Three Festivals Tall Ships Regatta 2018 in Liverpool entertained and delighted the crowds and crews with its famed hospitality.

Here’s what Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, had to say at the announcement of the event:

“The Tall Ships was one of the highlights of 2008 and so it’s fitting they make their return in a year when we celebrate a decade since our unforgettable culture title.

“This is an event which can engage with the wider community and provide an experience that captures the hearts and minds of local people and those who will travel from across the globe to see this stunning sight on the Mersey.

“When it comes to large-scale, outdoor events, Liverpool excels, but there is always something particularly special about maritime activities. The River Mersey defines Liverpool, and whenever we host an event on the waterfront, people come out in their thousands to celebrate the contribution it has made to our heritage, our present and our future.

“Now the deal is officially done, the team will begin planning all the details ahead of 2018 and we look forward to working with Bordeaux and Dublin to make this the best Tall Ships Regatta to date!”

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson.

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