Green Bay is First Wisconsin Port to host International
Tall Ships™ Race Series

GREEN BAY, Wis.
May 15, 2006

Green Bay, WI – When the Tall Ships™ arrive in the Port of Green Bay this summer, Green Bay will become the first Wisconsin city to serve as an official host port of the American Sail Training Association (ASTA) Tall Ships Challenge® Race Series. Instead of three Tall Ships visiting the port, as in past years, a fleet of 14 to 16 Tall Ships™ will enter the Green Bay Harbor on Thursday, July 27 for the start of the four-day 2006 Baylake Bank Tall Ship Festival.

Each year, the Tall Ships Challenge® Race Series rotates from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes.

“They essentially race from port to port, and when they land in each port a huge festival is held. Green Bay is one of only four ports with the opportunity to host the ASTA fleet,” said Kari Sliva, President & CEO of Packer Country Visitor & Convention Bureau. “We have held smaller Tall Ship events in the past with one to three ships, but this takes the event to an entirely new level, showcasing Green Bay as an international port city. It’s a great fit with our ‘Packer Country -- Sports & Ports theme.’ ”

The fleet of Tall Ships™ will visit Cleveland, Ohio, Bay City, Mich., Green Bay, and Chicago this summer. The Baylake Bank Tall Ship Festival is expected to draw more than 50,000 people from a five-state region. Organizers are lining up an estimated 500 volunteers to assist with all aspects of the event.

“Downtown continues to embrace the waterfront of the Fox River, which will provide a tremendous backdrop for the majestic Tall Ships,” said Jeff Mirkes, Executive Director of Downtown Green Bay, Inc. “The Fox River is a civic theater in downtown. People have always enjoyed watching the commercial tankers, now they’ll be able to participate in an international festival where visitors can enjoy the incredible recreational facilities we have to offer.”

This will be among the first large festivals to be held at the city’s new festival grounds, a completely renovated Leicht Memorial Park along the Fox River. Boat owners of all sizes are expected to join in the festivities on the water, able to watch the ships from a unique vantage point. “Visitors will come by land and by water. When fifteen Tall Ships™ parade into the Fox River under sail, it’s quite a spectacle, and there will be thousands of people watching,” Sliva said.

Festival events include the Parade of Sail on Thursday, July 27, when the Tall Ships™ are escorted one by one into the harbor and moored to their position dockside. Admission to view the Parade of Sail from the best vantage point at Leicht Memorial Park (AT&T Village) is $5, with opportunities to sail aboard the vessels as they parade into the river for $55.

Ship tours and a variety of entertainment will take place Friday through Monday. Adult admission is $10, while the cost for children ages 3-11 is $5. Children two and under are admitted free with a paying adult. A two-day adult pass, at a discounted rate of $18, is also available for a limited time only.

“Each ship is unique and has their own story to tell, from vintage War of 1812 war ships to merchant vessels, to movie stars. Getting a chance to tour this many ships at once won’t happen again in Green Bay for awhile,” Sliva said. The ship Providence, which will be in Green Bay, was featured in the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean II: Dead Man’s Chest” to be released in July.

In addition to deck tours, Baylake Bank Tall Ship Festival attendees will be able to enjoy free stage entertainment and roving street performers, sample food and beverage from dozens of vendors, shop for one-of-a-kind items from festival exhibitors, witness a Civil War re-enactment or participate in unique maritime activities.

Sailaways aboard some of the Tall Ships™ will also be available to the general public, offering 90-minute sails into the Bay. Adult sailaway tickets are $30 and tickets for children ages 5-11 years are $15. Sailaway tickets are not available to children under five. Sailaway tickets also grant admission to the full festival grounds the day of sailaway.

Vessels committed to the festival are:

• Nina – Brazil
  
• St. Paul - Russia
  
• Providence – Providence, RI
  
• Highlander Sea – Port Huron, MI
  
• U.S. Brig Niagara – Erie PA
  
• Picton Castle – Lunenburg, NS, Canada
  
• Pride of Baltimore II – Baltimore, MD
  
• Royaliste – San Francisco, CA
  
• Unicorn – Halifax, NS, Canada
  
• Friends Good Will – South Haven, MI
  
• Pathfinder – Toronto, Ont, Canada
  
• Madeline – Traverse City, MI
  
• Appledore IV – Bay City, MI
  
• Windy II – Chicago, IL
  

Baylake Bank Tall Ship Festival is a cooperative effort of Downtown Green Bay, Inc., Packer Country Visitor & Convention Bureau, Port of Green Bay and City of Green Bay. Major event sponsors include Baylake Bank, AT&T, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, and Wisconsin Department of Tourism—Life’s So Good.

For more information on the 2006 Baylake Bank Tall Ship Festival, go to www.tallshipgreenbay.com.

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Packer Country Visitor & Convention Bureau is the regional destination marketing organization committed to improving the visitor experience and increasing the economic impact of tourism to its communities. For more information call 888-867-3342 or visit us online at www.packercountry.com.