Fleet of international tall ships arrive in Baltimore for America 250 celebrations

(24 Jun 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Baltimore - 24 June 2026 1. People watch BAE Guayas, from Ecuador, dock into the Port of Baltimore 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Chris Rowsom, director, Sail250 Maryland and Air Show Baltimore: ++PARTIALLY COVERED++ "So, here in Baltimore, for Sail250 Maryland and Air Show Baltimore, we have 14 international tall ships coming visiting the city. We have two U.S. Navy ships and a Canadian Navy ship coming. We have a number of other, smaller vessels coming and we have an amazing air show. So we have an amazing opportunity to celebrate our 250th here in Baltimore." 3. Various of German Navy training ship Gorch Fock docking into the Port of Baltimore 4. German Navy training ship Gorch Fock and Navy of Uruguay sail training vessel ROU Capitán Miranda sit moored at the Port of Baltimore 5. German Navy training ship Gorch Fock rigging 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Chris Rowsom, director, Sail250 Maryland and Air Show Baltimore: ++COVERED++ "Well, I think it celebrates our history through the history of the ships. And also it's testament, if you will, to, you know, to how far we've come in 250 years." 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Gary Flick, Maryland resident: ++PARTIALLY COVERED++ "This is the best selection of tall ships that I can understand of on the eastern seaboard. There's a big harbor here. So between the ships and the food and the friendly people here, it's a good place to be on a day like today." 8. People board the BAE Guayas 9. People listening to the BAE Guayas crew sing 10. SOUNDBITE (English) Gary Flick, Maryland resident: ++PARTIALLY COVERED++ "Yeah, when I look at the ship behind me, I think of going back in time and seeing how things were done back in the day, and it's something you can't see unless you come to an affair like this." 11. The crew of German Navy training ship Gorch Fock unfurls the ship's sails STORYLINE: A fleet of tall ships, military vessels and aircraft continues a tour of the Eastern Seaboard, docking in Baltimore for a week of free tours and performances. Sailing vessels and aircraft from 15 countries will be present for the week-long commemoration of the U.S. semiquincentennial. Ships will trickle into the Port of Baltimore before the Sail250’s main festivities begin on Friday, June 26. The event will also host airshow performances from June 27-28. The Port of Baltimore will be filled with a range of vessels, including the speedy Ara Libertad of the Argentine Navy, a petite Chesapeake Bay oystering skipjack built in 1901, and a replica of that 17th-century trading ship that helped establish the Maryland colony. "When I look at the ship behind me, I think of going back in time and seeing how things were done back in the day, and it's something you can't see unless you come to an affair like this," said Maryland resident Gary Flick. Founded in the 18th century, Baltimore developed into Maryland’s largest city and home to one of the nation’s primary maritime hubs. Capt. Patrick Burkett, executive commander of Sector Maryland National Capital Region, described the event as a “massive undertaking” due to the multi-agency effort needed to coordinate sailing vessels and aircraft from 15 countries. Preparations for the event began two years ago, he added. The Sail250 tour will continue with parades and festivities in New York from July 3-7, followed by a final stop in Boston from July 11-16. AP video shot by Mingson Lau =========================================================== Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...