The Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival returns to New London this weekend. Kicking off Friday, the festival runs through Sunday afternoon.
The festival features 16 different types of boats for people to tour and learn about, at no cost.
Held in New London for more than 20 years, the festival aims to celebrate the many aspects of maritime heritage.
“There is actually more happening than people realize because of all the different industries and things that are associated," said Robert Amrein, who is on the board for the festival. "We have a fishing boat coming, we have a lobster boat coming to show people that kind of work that goes on. We have Coast Guard boats to show what the Coast Guard does. There will be some Navy boats.”
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The Amistad will be docked near City Dock Restaurant. The Water Taxi is available to take people to Fort Trumbull for tours of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle.
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Ida Lewis is among several vessels docked at City Pier. The festival will also feature live music, entertainment, educational demonstrations and food trucks all weekend long.
"New London has been very historical for many, many years. There are a lot of boats and a lot of ship-building that has happened here," said Lee Palombo, a member of the board for the festival. "It is just a very diverse kind of maritime."
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To see the festival's full schedule, click here.
