It’s time to brush up on your nautical terms, as three big boating events sail onto Lake Michigan July 16-25.
– Eight visiting Tall Ships will be escorted to Navy Pier at 3 p.m. July 16. Dockside viewing of the ships begins at 7 p.m. Free passes to tour the boats are available only at Chicagoland AT&T stores while supplies last. Those without passes can view the ships dockside 7-10 p.m. July 16, 10 a.m. to midnight July 17-19, and until 10 p.m. July 20. The ships will sail away at 10 a.m. July 21. For a list of AT&T stores, call 1-888-383-4727.
– The Chicago Yacht Club’s Race to Mackinac is July 18. The Tall Ships and participating race boats – including Navy Pier’s resident Tall Ship, Windy – will parade past Navy Pier between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The best viewing of this freshwater race is from the east end of the pier or the third-floor observation deck. The first start for the more than 300 boats is at noon and section starts continue at 15-minute intervals until the big boats start at 2:30 p.m. 312-861-7777.
– Last but most fun of all is Venetian Night, a parade of sail and power boats decorated to reflect this year’s theme, “Summer in the City.” The night begins with a Grant Park Symphony Orchestra concert at 7 p.m. July 25 at Petrillo Music Shell. An air/sea rescue will be performed off Queen’s Landing, just east of Buckingham Fountain, at 7:45 p.m. A flyover by the Lima Lima Flight Team at 8:30 p.m. kicks off the boat parade, which begins at the Shedd Aquarium and moves north along the lakefront to the reviewing stand at Queen’s Landing. For details on Venetian celebrationevents, which this year run 10 days, call the Mayor’s Office of Special Events hotline: 312-744-3370 (TTY: 312-744-2964).
———-
Send inquiries to moryan@tribune.com
