NEW YORK CITY - Ahead of the large parade up the Hudson River on Saturday, a preliminary parade of 24 private and foundation-owned tall ships is sailing in New York City to celebrate America250.
How to watch the ships
FOX LOCAL New York is streaming live coverage of the ships. To stream from anywhere, download the FOX LOCAL app or search "FOX LOCAL New York" on your smart TV, mobile browser or YouTube.
When are the ships sailing?
Timeline:
From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the ships will sail down the East River from Long Island Sound, pausing at South Street Seaport before proceeding to anchorages in Gravesend Bay off Brooklyn.
MORE: Sail4th 250 in NYC: Ship information, weather forecast, tickets and more
Best viewing spots to see the ships
What you can do:
According to the Sail4th 250 website, prime viewing locations include the Upper and Lower East Side waterfront, as well as the South Street Seaport district.
What is Sail4th 250?
The backstory:
Sail4th 250 builds on similar celebrations held during the nation’s bicentennial in 1976 and its 200th anniversary of George Washington’s inauguration in 1989 and 2000.
View of marchers on Water Street holding placards with portraits of various US presidents during the bicentennial presidential parade, New York, New York, April 30, 1989. Pictured are, from left, Grover Cleveland (partially visible), Chester Arthur, …
Organizers expect more than 6 million visitors to travel to the region, rivaling or surpassing attendance from past milestone events.
The ships coming to New York Harbor
New York City will take center stage for the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026, hosting a sweeping international parade of tall sailing ships expected to draw millions and transform the harbor into a floating tribute to America’s past and future.
The July 4th celebration will feature what organizers say will be the largest flotilla of tall ships ever assembled. Vessels from around the world are expected to sail into New York Harbor in a display of maritime history, diplomacy and international goodwill.
Confirmed tall ships will represent countries, including:
- Argentina
- Chile
- Colombia
- The Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- France
- Germany
- India
- Italy
- Monaco
- The Netherlands
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Spain
- Sweden
- Uruguay
- The United Kingdom.
U.S. vessels expected to take part include the USCG Eagle, Harvey Gamage, Elissa, Ernestina Morrissey, Angelique and When and If.
The U.S. Navy also announced the naval vessels expected to anchor in the Hudson River for the International Naval Review, including USS Arlington, USS Kearsarge, USS Iwo Jima, USS Farragut, USS Nitze and USS Jason Dunham.
Allied ships from countries including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Brazil, Germany, Morocco, Turkey, Peru, Senegal and Cameroon are also expected to participate.
When is Sail250?
The multi-day celebration will run from July 3 through July 8, with the ship parade serving as its centerpiece.
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After sailing past the Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan, many of the vessels will dock for several days, allowing the public to board ships and meet crews from around the globe.
Organizers say the celebration will include:
- 48 tall ships in the International Parade of Sail
- 20 foreign nations represented among the tall ships
- 44 nations represented in New York Harbor
- More than 120 aircraft led by the Blue Angels
- About 15,000 U.S. and foreign sailors in port
- An estimated 6 million spectators along 15 miles of waterfront
- A projected $2.85 billion total economic impact
How to get tickets for Sail4th 250 events
What you can do:
Not only can the public tour some of these vessels for free, but those interested in seeing the Parade of Sails can watch from either their own vessel anchorage or Governors Island.
Tall ship tours
Tours of the tall ships will be available for free, but it is highly recommended that those interested reserve their spots in advance. The ships will be from over 20 different countries.
Spectator vessel anchorages
Registering for a spectator vessel anchorage is also free. Rather than a tour of a vessel, people can enjoy the celebration while out on the water.
Grand review from Governors Island
New Yorkers and visitors alike can also enjoy the Parade of Sails from Governors Island. A ticket for general admission costs $200; tickets for the VIP access are sold out.