Tall Ships cruise through Two Harbors for the first day of the Festival of Sail

TWO HARBORS, MN – The 2022 Festival of Sailing kicked off Thursday as people from across the country flocked to the North Shore to watch the tall ships.

“Two Harbors has always been one of my favorite places,” said Frank Taylor, a visitor to the Twin Cities.

The festival opened at 10 a.m.

The Parade of Sail was supposed to start at 11 a.m. but actually started around noon.

Thousands of people lined the shores of Agate Bay, watching ships enter the harbor and dock along the breakwater.

The festival is usually held in Duluth, but due to ongoing construction in the harbor it was moved to Two Harbors this year instead.

Some present felt that the change of scenery was a good thing.

“It’s so open, more open than it was in Duluth,” Taylor said, “I think they just did a wonderful job with it. We had no problem getting in and finding a place to park”

The city has prepared parking lots and shuttle systems to ensure a smoother experience for visitors.

Many said parking was manageable and traffic was smooth, but not everyone’s experience was smooth.

“Nobody seemed to know what was going on and they couldn’t help us get to the right place,” said Lowell Ludford, another visitor to the Twin Cities.

Ludford, along with several others, were dropped off by the shuttle across the harbor from the ships themselves.

“I think the event could be organized better,” he said.

Many festival-goers were confused by the setup, as two vendor “hubs” were located at opposite ends of the harbour.

“Where we were supposed to be to see the parade of boats was about three quarters of a mile or so down the road,” Ludford said.

Once there, he understood better, now excited about the events of the weekend and all they have in store.

“We have never seen tall ships like this before. So they’re all exciting,” he said.

Many others are captivated by the beauty of the North Shore.

“Every time I come here, no matter what it is, there are my favorite things. There are trains, there are boats, there are mountains to look at and there is wildlife here, it’s just the best place on earth,” Taylor said.

The Sailing Festival runs until Sunday.

You can find more information here.

Copyright 2022 CBS3 Duluth. All rights reserved.