2016 Maritime Heritage Festival kicks off Sept. 9
The Navy will have a larger presence than usual at this year's Maritime Heritage Festival.
The festival, which will take place Sept. 9-11 on New London's waterfront, is one of the last major events of the yearlong celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Naval Submarine Base and Naval Submarine School, known as Connecticut's Submarine Century.
Now in its fourth year, the festival, which has been extended to three days this year, celebrates Connecticut's maritime history and provides attendees with a variety of sea-related activities.
The festival will kick off Friday, Sept. 9, with a parade of sail featuring schooners and other vessels. At least 10 ships are expected to be part of this year's festival.
At the opening ceremony at City Pier, awards will be given to the commanding officers of the sub base and sub school. The Newport-based Navy Band Northeast will perform a concert later that day.
Navy officials will have an exhibit showcasing the service's history and missions.
For the first time, New London, Groton and Ledyard school districts will send up to 30 students combined on a five-day trip to Newport, R.I., on the state's official tall ship Oliver Hazard Perry, a sailing school that provides education and adventure-at-sea programs to youth and adults.
More than 20 restaurants are expected to participate in the popular chowder competition on Sept. 10. Whaleboat races also will take place that day.
The festival will end with a commemoration of the 15th anniversary of 9/11, featuring a flag retirement ceremony and tributes to first responders, military and law enforcement agencies.
Organizers have asked local law enforcement departments to send one or more uniformed personnel to the commemoration, which will take place at City Pier.
The event will begin at 8:40 a.m. to mark the time the first plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center, which occurred at 8:46 a.m.
The Wronowski Tug Patricia Ann will be positioned nearby in the Thames River with a bagpiper on board to render a salute in the memory of those who were killed in the attacks.
The state provided $60,000 for the festival this year, "considerably less" than it gave last year, which is understandable given its financial issues, Co-Chairman Bruce MacDonald said.
Combined with private donations, which are still coming in, organizers expect to raise as much as $80,000, he said.
The festival is free to attend.
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