Tall Ships festival sailing into Kenosha next summer

KENOSHA -- Brigantines, schooners and other tall ships will make their way to the Kenosha harbor next summer, as the city is hosting the Tall Ships Challenge in the Great Lakes.

According to a news release, Kenosha is one of 11 host ports on the Great Lakes in 2019 -- including stops in Canada.

The event, which runs from August 2-4, 2019, will include at least six tall ships. Vessels will arrive in a “parade of sail” on the afternoon of August 1, lead by Kenosha’s own tall ship – Red Witch. Red Witch has made the Kenosha harbor its summer home since 2016.

Folks can pick up tour passes to explore the ships from stern to bow during the festival. Specific ships will offer sail-away tours on Lake Michigan, offering a unique opportunity to view the Kenosha coastline.

The festival will also have live entertainment, food and beverage vendors, and children's activities.

It's been more than a decade since Kenosha hosted a tall ships festival.

More about the Tall Ships Challenge: 

The Tall Ships Challenge travels through the Great Lakes every three years. In 2019, the Challenge begins on June 28 in Lake Ontario, with a port in Toronto. Over the course of 10 weeks, a core fleet of ships will make its way through Lake Erie and Lake Huron, before traveling to Lake Michigan, with ports in Green Bay and Kenosha.

Between ports, Tall Ships America organizes races among the tall ships. The festivals in host ports offer an opportunity for visitors to explore the vessels and meet the crew. Tall Ships America is a non-profit organization aimed at promoting sail training in North America, and supporting education aboard and about tall ships.