Experience The Tall Ships Races in Mariehamn
Join the great sailing ship event in Mariehamn from 24th to 27th July! When The Tall Ships Races visit this distinguished maritime town in the Åland Islands, you can feel the international atmosphere throughout the town centre. See grand windjammers and enjoy the maritime settings on Åland during four days!
Experience the maritime atmosphere in the western harbour. Enjoy street food or have a nice meal in the restaurants. Enjoy song and music and learn more about the maritime culture. The Tall Ships Races can be enjoyed throughout the town.
The Tall Ships Races – day by day
Wednesday 24th of July
The vessels arrive in the western harbour of Mariehamn throughout the day.
Open Ships until 18.00.
Thursday 25th of July
Open Ships 12.00-18.00.
Crew Parade 15.30. Crews and trainees present their cultural features when parading through Mariehamn.
Friday 26th of July
Open Ships 12.00-18.00. Visit the ships in the western harbour.
Saturday 27th of July
Parade of Sails 15.30. The start of the race to Szczecin, Poland.
The Maritime Town of Mariehamn
Mariehamn is a shipping town with a long tradition, making it a perfect host for the ships participating in The Tall Ships Races. The international sailing contest attracts approx. one hundred traditional sailing ships and vessels, of which 60 will have a stop in Mariehamn.
These four days in July will be action-packed in Mariehamn. The ships will be open for visitors, and the western harbour will be buzzing with life. Crew members and trainees with 17 different nationalities will contribute to the international atmosphere.
The festival area in the harbour has free entry and will be open at 11-24 EET.
Spectacular Shipping History
Mariehamn, home to many former shipowners with large sailing ship fleets, is a perfect host for The Tall Ships. Several shipowners used to live in the town, and from the late 19th century until the first decades of the 20th century, large sailing ships were a common sight in the western harbour. Shipping has laid the foundation for Åland's prosperity, as the vessels brought wealth back home, and many Ålanders got work opportunities at sea.
See the Impressive Pommern
Captain and shipowner Gustaf Erikson, with his windjammers, dominated the sailing ship era from the 1920s until WWII. His ships sailed around the world, often carrying grain from Australia to England.
One of the ships in Erikson's fleet is the tall ship Pommern, moored at the quay in the western harbour. Today, she is the only four-masted barque in the world in original condition. When in Mariehamn, going aboard Pommern and visiting the unique collections of the adjacent Åland Maritime Museum is a must!
Map of the Event Area
