More than 60,000 people are expected to fill New London for the annual Maritime Heritage Festival this week.
Thursday was the official kickoff. Gov. Dannel Malloy, festival and local leaders were all in attendance at Fort Trumbull.
Families will get to tour a combination of historic schooners, merchant marine vessels and U.S. Coast Guard and Navy Ships, including the USS Lassen, the Navy’s guided missile destroyer.
The five-day celebration runs from Wednesday, Sept. 5 to Sunday, Sept. 9 and promotes the state’s maritime heritage during Connecticut Maritime Heritage Week.
“This festival is a little bit about our history, a little bit about what’s currently going on and a lot about what going to happen in the not too distant future,” Malloy said. “We’re making massive investments here in New London at the Naval Base, up the river and across the way at Electric Boat.”
Events include a “Swingin’ on the Pier” dance party, a parade of ships and a Coast Guard search and rescue demonstration.
