By Samuel A. Church
Jul 4, 2026 (Bloomberg) –New York Harbor welcomed more than 40 tall ships to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The largest ships paraded up the Hudson River on Saturday, sailing from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge to the George Washington Bridge. The traditional sailing vessels are distinguished by their towering masts and extensive rigging. They can be more than 300 feet (91.4 meters) long and 200 feet (61 meters) tall. The event featured ships from more than 20 nations including Monaco, India and Uruguay, according to organizer Sail4th 250.
The US contributed three tall ships, including the US Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, a 295-foot barque with three masts that has been used to train cadets since 1946. They were joined by warships and military aircraft taking part in an international naval and aerial review.
“This event represents the freedom and the hope and the opportunity that our country stands for and has always stood for, and we hope it always will stand for,” Sail4th 250 Secretary and former US Navy Captain Bill Armstrong said. “We’re creating a spectacle for all next generations of families.”
Ships are docked and open for free tours at Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, South Street Seaport and Stapleton Park through July 7. The event concludes on July 8, when four sister ships will leave New York City and race to Boston Harbor.
New York has hosted tall ships for several American milestones, including for the World’s Fair in 1964 and, most recently, for the the bicentennial of The Star Spangled Banner. Sail4th 250, a non-profit founded in 2020, has received millions in donations, public grants and sponsorships, including from Wall Street notables Henry R. Kravis and Howard Cox, as well as hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin, Armstrong said.
For Scott Frantz, a former Connecticut state senator who was at the helm of his 72-foot ketch Ticonderoga during a parade of smaller, Class B ships on July 3, the event was a full-circle moment. He attended the 1976 ship parade celebrating the US bicentennial with his family, where he watched Ticonderoga sail with its previous owner. The ship had been his favorite since childhood, and Frantz acquired Ticonderoga in 1993 for $875,000, according to the Hartford Courant.
“I can tell you, the excitement the entire day is just palpable,” said Frantz, a member of Sail4th 250’s senior advisory council. “You’re looking at millions of people on the shoreline, they’re feeling very patriotic, and they’re blowing off horns and waving and screaming.”
© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.
This article contains reporting from Bloomberg, published under license.
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