Gloucester Schooner Festival is a weekend full of fun and exciting events across the entire city. The Gloucester Schooner Festival Committee is pleased to partner with many other local entities to create these fun events for our visitors and our community. Not all of the items below are run or offered by the Gloucester Schooner Festival, but are listed here to provide information to visitors. Information on shaded events or services should contact the organizers of those events for full details. For more information, please visit our tourism partner, DISCOVERGLOUCESTER.COM
Schedule of Events
WEDNESDAY
Aug
28
2024
WELCOME TO
GLOUCESTER!
The 40th Kickoff Concert
7:00pm
Kick off the 40th with a pre-Festival bash at THE CUT, a world-class concert venue and the newest Gloucester Schooner Festival sponsor! Some of the finest, funkiest musicians from across New England have banded together to play the groovy tunes from the ’70s. Renew your spirit, get your groove on, and experience the power of Booty Vortex! Boston's Finest Funk and Disco, Award Winning Keepers of the Groove, High Energy Disco Party
On Land:
10:00am
to 4:00pm
12:00pm
to 1:00pm
MARITIME GLOUCESTER
Museums and Exhibits Open
MARITIME KIDS CRAFT AND CREATE
Kids Heritage Craft PopUp in the MG Classroom
3:00pm
to 4:00pm
STORIES OF SAIL & SEA
Come join our historian Justin Demetri as he welcomes some schooner captains for a mug up and stories in our MugUp Room popup exhibit.
Come Sailing:
THURSDAY
Aug
29
2024
COMMUNITY
DAY
A day filled with local flavor. Local captains and crew will be making the rounds throughout the community, culminating in an evening race sure to wake up the harbor!
5:30pm
to 7:30pm
SCHOONER CHALLENGE
Join our local Schooner Captains as they participate in a friendly competition putting their seamanship to the test over an "obstacle" course. Passengers will be given their own set of tasks to win the coveted Rum Bottle Award. Visiting schooners already arrived will join the event. The public is invited to purchase tickets aboard participating schooners.
Check various schooner websites for ticketing details
Community/Partner Events:
7:00pm
to 9:30pm
Harbor Loop Concert Series
check out more info at DiscoverGloucester.com
FRIDAY
Aug
30
2024
GREET THE FLEET
DAY
As visiting sails cross the breakwater, Gloucester Harbor comes alive again, harkening back to the golden days of our Fishing Fleet under sail. This day signals the annual pilgrimage of historic wooden vessels returning to Gloucester Harbor.
On Land:
10:00am
to 3:00pm
MARITIME GLOUCESTER
Museums and Exhibits Open
Schooner Deck tours
Maritime Gloucester
Ernestina-Morrissey - 11am-1pm
Schooner Floats at I4C2
Malabar X - 12pm-2pm
Come Sailing:
10:00am
to 2:00pm
PUBLIC SAILS
The public is invited to purchase tickets aboard participating schooners.
Check various schooner websites for ticketing details
2:30pm
to 4:30pm
GREET THE FLEET SAIL
Historic Gloucester Harbor comes alive with canvas as traditional wooden vessels. With so many schooners in the harbor, here is your opportunity to be part of the action! A thrilling chance to greet visiting schooners as they come over the breakwater.
Check various schooner websites for ticketing details
Community/Partner Events:
7:00pm
to 10:00pm
Chamber of Commerce Block Party
check out more info at DiscoverGloucester.com
SATURDAY
Aug
31
2024
MARITIME HERITAGE DAY
The festival's biggest spectator day, with 2 locations to engage with history and vessels, dozens of opportunities to get on board and view these majestic ships or sail on Gloucester Harbor. The pinnacle of the festivities revolve around Maritime Gloucester's pier with demonstrations and family fun.
Check out the day's schedule HERE
On Land:
10:00am
to 4:00pm
MARITIME HERITAGE DAY AT MARITIME GLOUCESTER
Museums and Exhibits Open
Free to the public: schooner deck tours, music, food trucks, USS Constitution 1892 Marines, crafts for all ages, skills demonstrations, community vendors, & family activities.
$25 hourly schooner sails on Schooner Ardelle!
Get your MHD schedule and details HERE
10:00am
to 4:00pm
SCHOONER DECK TOURS
Maritime Gloucester- 23 Harbor Loop
Schooner Floats - I4C2, 65 Rogers St
Ocean Alliance - 32 Horton St, Rocky Neck
Thanks to generous support from our sponsors, we are again able to provide a visitor-based dockside experience that puts the public on schooners for deck tours. This is a free option for the public, but donations are always appreciated.
Come Sailing:
10:00am
to 6:00pm
PUBLIC SAILS
The public is invited to purchase tickets aboard participating schooners.
Check various schooner websites for ticketing details
6:30pm
to 10:30pm*
FIREWORKS SAILS
Witnessing the fireworks over historic Gloucester Harbor is a magnificent sight. Seeing it above you from the deck of a schooner is a breathtaking experience you do not want to miss. These sell out quickly, so don't delay.
Check various schooner websites for ticketing details
*sail times approximate, please check individual vessel tickets
Community/Partner Events:
6:30pm
to 10:00pm
Concert on Stacy Boulevard
Live Music and light effects
More details at facebook.com/ConcertsOnTheBoulevard
7:00pm
to 9:00pm
Boat Parade of Lights
This annual event showcases a parade of local private boats and begins at dusk in the Annisquam River.
For more information: facebook.com/boatparadeoflights
9:15pm
Fireworks Display over the Harbor
time is approximate
SUNDAY
Sept
1
2024
RACE DAY!
The capping day of events culminates in the gorgeous spectacle of the Parade of Schooners and the Offshore race for the Mayors' Cup.
On Land:
10:00am
to 4:00pm
MARITIME GLOUCESTER
Museums and Exhibits Open
10:00am
to 11:30am
Parade of Schooners
Schooners proceed from the Inner Harbor, past the Fisherman's Memorial on Stacy Boulevard and Stage Fort Park, to the race starting area off Eastern Point. Various non-profit and business organizations offer Parade of Schooners or Race viewing opportunities.
10:30am
to 2:30pm
Shuttle to Watch Races
Shuttle Bus to Eastern Point Light From St. Anthony’s Church, Farrington Ave to watch the start of the Mayor's Race. Free of Charge courtesy of the Cape Ann Transportation Authority. Thank you to the Holy Family Parish for allowing us to use their parking lot.
1:00 pm
Schooner Races
Start of Mayor's Races for the Esperanto Cup & the Columbia Trophy Off Eastern Point - the race course is decided the morning of the race by the Schooner Festival Committee at a meeting with the captains of the participating vessels.
Come Sailing:
10:00am
to 12:00pm
PARADE OF SCHOONERS
The public is invited to purchase tickets aboard participating schooners.
Check various schooner websites for ticketing details
various departure times, check schooner schedule
MAYOR'S CUP RACE
The Mayor's Cup, Esperanto Trophy, and many other awards are up for grabs in this thrilling off-shore race. The race course positions are decided the morning of the race by the Schooner Festival Committee at a meeting with the captains of the participating vessels.
The public is invited to purchase tickets aboard participating schooners.
Check various schooner websites for ticketing details
MONDAY
Sept
2
2024
Labor Day is held as an alternate date in cases of Extreme Bad Weather Date if Needed for Parade of Sail and/or Races
Maritime Gloucester Open - 10am-4pm
Visitor Information
To plan your visit to Gloucester, you need to Discover Gloucester! Our local Destination Marketing Organization has all the info you need to make your Schooner Festival weekend the best possible experience!
Check out Discover Gloucester to learn more on how to stay, play, dine, and experience everything Gloucester has to offer!
Dates: Wednesday Aug 28th - Monday Sept 2nd
Contact Us At: Schooner@MaritimeGloucester.org