Highlights of the 2005 Festival

The 2005 event was held in ideal weather conditions and attracted record numbers of visitors to the festival site. Many thousands more enjoyed the sight of the tall ships from vantage points all along the Dallas Road waterfront and the Ogden Point breakwater especially during the spectacular “Parade of Sail” on the first day. Each evening, similar large crowds delighted to the ‘cannon battles’ which took place between some of the vessels just off Brochie Ledge.

True to its goal of involving youth in the festival, the Society had created a Tall Ships® study guide for elementary school children which was distributed to all K- Grade 8 teachers throughout southern Vancouver Island. On opening day, some 2000 school children visited the festival site on organized field trips and participated in the “Pirates School” run by the Maritime Museum. Over 900 community volunteers assisted in running the festival during the four day visit of the ships, and worked in a wide variety of roles. Without their participation the festival simply wouldn’t have been able to function.

Thanks also to a myriad of sponsors, large and small, from the corporate and commercial business world, and with support from all levels of government

The festival was not just a great family event enjoyed by thousands, but a complete success financially.

At the Society’s year end after all bills had been paid in full, the Society was able to make significant grants to a local tall ships organization, the Sail and Life Training Society (S.A.L.T.S.) and to the BC Maritime Museum, who had been one of the original partners in this venture. Many local businesses point to the four day Tall Ships festival as being their busiest days of the year. Hotel-motel occupancy during the period was markedly higher than in previous years attesting to the drawing power these magnificent ships can have for tourists and visitors.