Bay County Scanner Feed

(07/18/19) - Majestic, beautiful and historic. That's how visitors to the Tall Ship Celebration in Bay City describe the ships as they made their way into port Thursday afternoon. This is the sixth time Bay City has hosted the vessels from Tall Ships America. Four of those times Bay City has earned the coveted "Port of the Year" honor, and they are working to earn it a fifth time this year. There is a total of nine visiting tall ships joining Bay City's Appledore IV and V for the four day festival. People lined both sides of the Saginaw River to greet the ships as they made their way in from the Saginaw Bay. This year you'll find four of the visiting tall ships along Wenonah Park on the east, and five along Vets Park on the west. It's a slight change due to the high water of the Saginaw River. It's been three years since Bay City has hosted and people are happy they're back. "They're so majestic, and they're awe inspiring," said Julie Clark of New Lothrop. "Because they're so different, you don't see these every day," said Rick Dybalski of Sanford. "You look over there and you've got the Santa Maria and, I don't know, it's just when you think about that one coming across the Atlantic Ocean, that's really something," said Johanna Dybalski of Sanford. The ships will open up for tours Friday morning at 10 a.m. If you plan to visit the festival you need a daily admission ticket, which can be bought at the gate. If you plan to go aboard the ships you need a Souvenir Passport too.