Events of Sail Portsmouth 2020 Canceled

PORTSMOUTH – Because of ongoing concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Piscataqua Maritime Commission (PMC) announced the cancellation of most of its 2020 events.

Those events include the Sea Challenge, Parade of Sail, public tours of tall ships, and the day-long public ocean sails aboard the visiting tall ships.

The PMC hopes it can hold its Tall Sips Brewfest in September. This event is an important fundraiser for scholarships the commission provides to area students participating in the Sea Challenge, an adventure-based education program on a tall ship. The Brewfest is tentatively scheduled for the Hampton Airfield on Lafayette Road in North Hampton, featuring brewers, their craft beer, spirits, entertainment, and more. Full details on the Tall Sips Brewfest will be announced soon.

Embedded in the Piscataqua Maritime Commission’s mission to promote the richness of maritime history in the region is a need to help deserving young people through its Sea Challenge program. The program has grown to provide berths for up to 60 teenagers from the region who spend a week aboard a ship learning about sailing, navigation, and teamwork.

“We share the disappointment of the many people who have enthusiastically supported the Parade of Sail, the tall ships visits last year and in years past,” aid PMC chairman Chad Chadwick. “But safety must come first for everyone concerned.”