A Tradition On The Thames: New London's Sailfest Returns For 2023

NEW LONDON, CT — Maritime traditions are woven into the fabric of New London. Sailfest is one of those traditions, with the 129-foot Amistad schooner replica on display playing an important role in the festival. Celebrated in July, save for pandemic shuttering, the festival has been held for more than four decades. It celebrates the city, its maritime history, and the community with music, shopping, lots of food, family activities, a road race, and ships.

First celebrated in 1976, the 2023 festival on the Thames is set for July 8 and July 9.

It features a major fireworks display (and a fireworks charter boat to take it all in on the River, for a fee), amusement rides, lots of free entertainment, and more than 200 vendors lining the streets of downtown New London.

Also at the fest, in homage to its maritime history but also a significant history lesson, is Discovering Amistad.

Amistad, a topsail schooner, also known as a Baltimore Clipper, is a "recreation of what historians believe to be the best representation of what La Amistad would have looked like on the outside in 1839."

From Sailfest:

A non-profit, educational organization that uses the 1839 Amistad uprising story and its 129-foot Amistad schooner replica as a "floating classroom" to address racial and social justice. The organization was founded in 2015, following a recommendation of the State of Connecticut Advisory Committee. Since its inception, DA has provided educational programming to over 10,000 students through its proprietary curriculum designed to highlight lessons about justice, freedom, and human rights.

The organization aims to share the incredible historical event while bridging awareness into contemporary social justice issues. Students are assisted in finding their voice and seeing themselves as change agents and leaders. Discovering Amistad is committed to facilitate inclusive education, generate courageous conversations, and mobilize agents of change.
The presence of Tall Ship Amistad, CT’s flagship, makes a powerful statement as it reminds us of how far we have come in the fight for freedom and yet how far we still have to go.

To learn more, visit the Sailfest website, or its social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.