Fleet is heading to Baltimore

Wind-POWERED tall ships from around the world will glide into Baltimore’s harbor at the end of this month to help the last all-sail warship built by the U.S. Navy, the Constellation, celebrate its 150th birthday.

In the days after, through July 4th, visitors can tour the ships and attend other festivities for free. Late August will bring a two-day 150th Anniversary Festival of the Sea to commemorate the Constellation’s 1854 launch. On Oct. 26, the ship will be towed to Annapolis, Md., for a week of festivities there.

The 186-foot-long Constellation, retired in 1955 and now a floating museum, is the last naval vessel still afloat that served in the Civil War, said museum spokesman Chris Rowsom. It carried a crew of nearly 300 and was assigned to interdict the slave trade off Africa and, during the Civil War, to assist in naval blockades. Starting in the 1870s, it served mainly as a training ship. A postal stamp in honor of the vessel will go on sale nationwide July 1.

After arriving June 30 in Baltimore, several tall ships will be available for tours from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 6 p.m. daily July 1 to 4 around the Inner Harbor and Fell’s Point. As of last week, six of the stately vessels, from Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Portugal, Romania and Uruguay, plus Maryland’s Pride of Baltimore II, were scheduled to join the festivities. The largest one, more than 290 feet long, was Portugal’s Sagres.

Free entertainment, including an antique car show, street performers, soccer and volleyball tournaments among the ships’ crews and, of course, July 4th fireworks will accompany the nautical visits.

An Aug. 28 and 29 anniversary festival will offer music, naval demonstrations, games, crafts, a reunion of former crew members and descendants and more. These events, on Pier 1, will be free. Admission to the museum is $7.50 for adults, $6 for ages 60 and up and $3.50 for ages 6 to 14, free for those younger than 6. Details of the October festival in Annapolis were still being planned.

For more information, contact the USS Constellation Museum, (410) 539-1797, www.constellation.org; Sail Baltimore, (410) 522-7300, www.sailbaltimore.org; or the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Assn., (877) 225-8466, www.baltimore.org.