Alpena, MI - The Second Annual Thunder Bay Tall Ships Festival will feature the regional musical talents of the award-winning Song of the Lakes, as well as the Beach Bards, sword fighting demonstrations from Ring of Steel, and a visit from Alpena area Congressman Bart Stupak during its three-day run from August 16-18, 2002. The festival will feature three majestic sailing ships that played a unique role in the maritime adventures that characterized life on the Great Lakes during the 1800’s including the schooners Madeline, HMS Bee and the warship U.S. Brig Niagara.

“The Thunder Bay Tall Ships Festival provides excellent family entertainment and highlights not only our nautical heritage, but also what an awesome resource our Great Lakes are. From our fisheries to the Thunder Bay Marine sanctuary to our beautiful lighthouses, we must protect and respect our Great Lakes," said Congressman Bart Stupak. Stupak will speak at the festival at noon on Saturday, August 17.

“This year’s festival will feature something for everyone,” said festival co-organizer Lori Arguelles. “From the entertainment, to activities for kids, to the ships themselves—this festival is not to be missed! The Thunder Bay Tall Ships Festival is an important way for people to connect with Michigan’s maritime history.”

The original U.S. Brig Niagara was Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s flagship in the Battle of Lake Erie, the biggest naval confrontation during the War of 1812. When British victory seemed all but certain, the tide of the battle turned when the Niagara inflicted heavy damage on three of the British warships, defeating the British and ending their chance to dominate the upper Great Lakes.

The HMS Bee is a replica of a Royal Navy transport schooner, which operated on the Upper Great Lakes after the War of 1812. She sails from the Discovery Harbour Provincial Historic Site in Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada under an “Honorary Warrant” of the Royal Navy. The Bee’s crewmembers are volunteers trained by the Marine Heritage Association.

The third vessel, the Madeline, is a reconstruction of the mid-19th century Madeline trading schooner, which earned historical significance when its cargo hold became the first non-Indian school in the Grand Traverse region.

The vessels are representative of maritime history captured in the numerous shipwrecks in Lake Huron, where unpredictable weather, murky fog banks and sudden gales coupled with rocky shoals helped Thunder Bay earn the unfortunate name of “Shipwreck Alley.” Preservation, protection and interpretation of this maritime history is the goal of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve, the newest in the nation’s network of 13 special protected waters. The 448-square mile sanctuary and underwater preserve protects an estimated 116 historically significant shipwrecks ranging from nineteenth century wooden side-wheelers to twentieth century steel-hulled steamers.

In addition to tours of the three ships, an entertainment line-up featuring local and regional talents is also part of the festival experience. Widely known as the musical ambassadors of the Great Lakes, the folk group Song of the Lakes will once again return to the festival stage. Voted the best Folk Artists for the fourth year in Northern Michigan's music scene, Song of the Lakes combines the rich Celtic and Scandinavian traditions with Michigan history in an engaging high energy show, woven with humor and storytelling. The Beach Bards will also provide entertainment for the festival, weaving poetry and music together to tell their own unique stories of Michigan. The sword fighting troupe Ring of Steel will round out the roster of entertainers on the festival stage. The engaging group of rogues will demonstrate sword fighting techniques and tell their own unique tale of life aboard ships on Michigan’s lakes.

The festival will open at 11am on Friday, August 16th and feature a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:30 am with Mayor Phil Ludlow and other local dignitaries scheduled to attend. Ship tours will be available until 7pm the 16th. Festival hours on Saturday, August 17th will run from 10am to 7pm, and feature a noon-time visit from U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak. The festival will be open from 11am to 5pm on Sunday. Various demonstrations and displays will take place throughout the festival, including knot-tying and an obstacle course sponsored by the local U.S. Coast Guard office. For a complete listing of festival hours, food vendors and scheduled performances, please see www.nmsfocean.org.

The festival is sponsored by Alpena Oil, Alpena Power, Charter Communications, the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan, Holiday Inn, the Phoenix Foundation, and Wal-Mart. The Festival is co-hosted by the City of Alpena, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve.