Hafengeburtstag Hamburg-and everyone’s invited!
Tall ships and harbour launches, historic sailing ships, museum ships and steamers, sailing and motor yachts will meet on the Elbe, between Landungsbrücken and Fish Market for the great arrival parade. The 818th Hafengeburstag Hamburg – the Port of Hamburg Birthday Celebration – will take place from May 11-13, 2007 with numerous attractions on water, on land and in the air.
This year, four tall ships will bring the romance of the age of sail to the City of Hamburg.
The heart of the Hafengeburtstag Hamburg is the programme of attractions along the River Elbe, from the Museum Harbour of Oevelgönne to the landing stages as far as Baumwall. The highlights include the grand arrival and departure parades of four tall and historic ships, sailing and motor yachts and other vessels, the Dragon class regattas, the port illuminations on Friday evening, the big fireworks display on Saturday evening and the unique Tug Ballet on Saturday afternoon.
The Maritime Mile from the warehouses of the Speicherstadt to the Fish Auction Hall will attract visitors with some 500 fair stands, food & drink stands and numerous show stages with live performances by well-known musicians. There will be activities to join in and a whole range of cultural attractions put on by the museums.
Further highlights are the Opening Service at St. Michael’s Church, the Craft Fair, the Lotto Action Zone and the Games & Entertainment Promenade. There is also an attractive programme of air events, including fly-past events with historic aircraft and Lufthansa jets, helicopter flights, parachuting and hot-air balloon rides.
The Hafengeburtstag Hamburg, goes back to the Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa, who issued a charter to the citizens of Hamburg on May 7, 1189, granting exemption from payment of any toll or customs duties for their ships on the River Elbe from the city to the North Sea. This date has been regarded ever since as the Birthday of the Port of Hamburg. Today, the festivities attract more than one million people every year.
Report by Chitra Mogul
Chitra Mogul
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