Windjammer Days

Festival Location: Boothbay, ME, USA

Festival State: Maine Festivals

Festival Type(s): Maritime Festivals, Yachting Regattas, Water Sports Events

Windjammer Days Media:

Boothbay Harbor Celebrates the Arrival of the Windjammers

By: © Bob Brooke 2009

The wind fills her sails as the two-masted schooner, Stephen Taber, otherwise known as a windjammer, leans into a turn to starboard. The sun is hot, but her passengers take advantage of a strong sea breeze to read a book or have a cold beer as she heads towards the waterfront at Boothbay Harbor, Maine, to head the dramatic parade of sail. For this is Windjammer Days, a celebration of the age of sail, held annually the last week of June.

Surviving the vagaries of fog, the economy and changing ownership of vessels, the Windjammer Days festival is a firmly anchored, highly successful and popular local tradition in Boothbay. Originally a one-day event featuring a few windjammers, it has grown to a two-day extravaganza, which includes parades, concerts, sporting events and an auction as well as the fleet of majestic windjammers complemented with impressive military vessels. But really what everyone comes for is to see the magnificent Windjammers. With over a dozen two and three-masted schooners under full sail, it's a breathtaking site.

First held on July 10, 1963, the original Windjammer Day was conceived "to re-live and honor the colorful days of sail, their wooden ships and iron men." The 1963 event coincided with the 200th anniversary of shipbuilding in the Boothbay Region. Ships from Boothbay carried lumber and salt fish to the West Indies and returned with sugar, molasses and rum. The coastal schooners, running from port to port along the East Coast of the United States, carried lumber, granite, ice and slake lime. A dozen of these old ships have been converted for passenger travel.

It was the idea of world sailor Captain David Dash. The previous summer, three historic schooners had to anchor in Boothbay Harbor at the same time because of fog. The picturesque scene of the stately old vessels attracted crowds of admirers, photographers and artists. Why not make a day of it, thought Dash. With encouragement from friends, the help of the Chamber of Commerce and small donations from nearby towns, Dash organized a planned visit by the schooners along with festivities for spectators.

The first Windjammer Day showcased five windjammers: the Stephen Taber, Victory Chimes, Mary Day, Mattie, and Mercantile. A "Queen of the Windjammer Fleet" was chosen from among candidates who were passengers on the ships. Miss Joan Payne of New Haven, Connecticut, a passenger on the Victory Chimes, was chosen for the honor.

The Miss Windjammer Pageant is now history, but other events have been added, all geared to the whole family and to the spirit of fun. Beginning on Tuesday and lasting through Wednesday, a craft fair welcomes shoppers just outside of town, that is, after they fill up on homemade pancakes and bacon or sausage at the Pancake Breakfast hosted by the Boothbay Harbor Coast Guard. Some visitors may also want to visit the Washburn & Doughty Shipyard. And late Wednesday afternoon, there's even a street parade, featuring colorful floats and marching bands.

The Boothbay Memorial Library is the place to be for kids at Windjammer Days. Here, they can touch live lobsters and starfish in the Aquarium Touch Tank and afterwards participate in cork boat races, face painting and crafts.

Those who love old boats will enjoy watching the antique boat parade on Tues. at 3 PM. The boats, many of them locally owned, are kept in tip-top shape and shined up for this event. The presence of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships often adds to the festivities. They welcome visitors aboard their vessels, and the local Coast Guard Station offers tours.

And don't forget the food. On Tuesday afternoon local cooks get their favorite clam and seafood chowders and blueberry desserts judged along the waterfront. Visitors are encouraged to try some of these delicious local dishes.

And the festival has taken on an added dimension--a charitable cause as well as a good time--of fundraising to benefit the Maine Special Olympics, so that others may experience the wind at their backs.

Those planning on going to Windjammer Days ought to begin planning now if they want to get a front row seat for the parade of sail. Better yet, book a week on any of the Windjammers during Windjammer Days and ride in on one of them. It's an experience you'll never forget.

Realted Web References

Maine Windjammer Association - http://www.sailmainecoast.com
Stephen Taber - http://www.stephentaber.com.

Check out Bob Brooke's wonderful sites featuring more of his writing and phootography at http://www.bobbrooke.com, http://www.therealmexico.com and http://www.allscandinavia.com. All three are updated regularly.

by Bob Brooke

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