NEW YORK — Sail4th 250 will host an International Tall Ships Parade on July 4 in the Port of New York as part of the U.S. semiquincentennial celebration. Approximately 48 tall ships from 20 countries will sail from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge past the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge.
The parade is the centerpiece of the Sail4th 250 event, which runs from July 3 to July 8 in New York and commemorates the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. The fleet will primarily feature Class A tall ships, ranging in length from approximately 160 to 370 feet. Participating nations include Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Peru, India, Italy, Monaco, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and Uruguay.
In addition to the tall ships, more than 40 naval vessels from the U.S. and allied countries will be anchored in the Hudson River for the International Naval Review 250. More than 120 aircraft, led by the Blue Angels, will conduct an international aerial review over the parade. The event is expected to draw 6 million spectators along 15 miles of waterfront.
Live coverage of the International Tall Ships Parade will air on Telemundo and Peacock on July 4 from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET. NBC and Telemundo stations will present Sail4th 250 coverage on television, streaming, and digital platforms nationwide before and during the event. NBCU Local, a collaborator of Sail4th 250, will provide live coverage from locations including Governor’s Island, Riverbank Park, Roosevelt Park, the Intrepid, the Queen Mary 2, the USCGC Eagle, and tall ships from Peru and Italy.
Preparations for the celebration began five years prior to the event. "With 50 days ahead, the Port of New York is ready to welcome the world," said Chris O'Brien, president of Sail4th 250. "The men and women who have dedicated years to making this event happen — in the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Sail4th 250 and dozens of partner agencies — have achieved something this country hasn’t seen in a generation. On July 4, the world will witness a true exchange of international goodwill."