Over 10,000 ships from 20 countries heading to Amsterdam for SAIL
After 10 years’ absence, a new edition of SAIL is happening in Amsterdam next week Wednesday to Sunday. Over 10,000 ships from 20 countries are heading to the Dutch capital for the event, which will also include nightly fireworks shows, musical performances, water sports demonstrations, and a market, among other things, AT5 reports.
SAIL kicks off at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 20, with the Sail-in parade from the IJmuiden Sea Lock to the IJhaven. The first sailing ships will enter Amsterdam from 2:00 p.m., welcomed by a cannon salute, the national anthem of the ship’s country of origin, and fireworks.
Some of the ships can be visited free of charge every day during the event. The gangways open at 10:00 a.m. Visitors can also meet the ships’ crews and see what life on board is like.
On Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, there will be a fireworks show at the A’dam Tower from 10:30 p.m. The show will last exactly 750 seconds, in honor of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary, and will be visible from all SAIL areas.
SAIL will also include all sorts of other activities in the city. There’s a Ferris wheel on the Kop van Java for all five days, a “living lab” with interactive installations at the NDSM wharf, and the Kaap de Groene Hoop festival market with around 70 stalls selling organic products. Water sports demonstrations and competitions will take place along the Sumatrakade. And the large, normally closed Damen Shipyards will be open to the public.
Every evening of SAIL will also have music performances on a stage at the NDSM site. The closing concert, featuring artists like Davina Michelle and Rolf Sancheze, takes place on Saturday evening.
