A planned visit to Duluth next month from a tall ship known as "Wisconsin's flagship" could offer a taste of a blockbuster event planned for next summer -- a visit by up to 10 large sailing vessels.
The Denis Sullivan, a Milwaukee-based replica of a 137-foot, 19th-century Great Lakes schooner, is expected to glide under the Aerial Lift Bridge on July 3, just in time for Fourth Fest.
But Visit Duluth spokesman Gene Shaw said the tourism office is working to bring as many as 10 ships here next summer for an event that he predicts would be Duluth's largest in more than 30 years.
"It could be the biggest event in the state of Minnesota outside of the State Fair," he said.
Duluth is on a list of eight Great Lakes port cities that 27 tall ships are expected to visit in 2010 as a part of the Tall Ships Challenge, a 10-year-old event in which large sailing ships race from point to point.
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The number of ships arriving in each city would depend on the city's size, docking space and the abilities of the vessels, said Patti Lock, director of the challenge. In 2010, Lock said, a large city such as Chicago could see 20 to 25 of the 27 ships expected to participate in the challenge. But Duluth wouldn't get as many.
"Eight to 10 ships will be a comfortable amount for Duluth's dock space," she said.
Shaw said: "There is not enough room down here to put 10 ships where people could go and get on them. We've measured the docking area that we have, and so we have an idea of how many we could dock depending upon the ships that will come in."
The port has about 1,200 feet of docking space available, and the ships could range from 118 to 198 feet long.
Last year, more than 125,000 people swarmed Canal Park during Duluth's Maritime Festival to see three tall sailing ships. That's more than twice the 66,000 expected for Saturday's Grandma's Marathon. Another big crowd for the ships would have a huge effect on Duluth's economy, Shaw said.
Visit Duluth already is in contact with 10 to 15 ships, Shaw said, but he could not predict how many might agree to visit. The cost of bringing in a tall ship ranges from $10,000 to $30,000.
Last year's ship crews reported intense interest among Duluth visitors, more than at any other port they have visited, Shaw said. He hopes that Duluth's interest in tall ships helps make next year's event a reality.
Organizers of last year's festival were surprised by the turnout, and not all 125,000 spectators were able to board the ships. But with more ships, Shaw said, more people will be able to experience the event.
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"I would love to get 125,000 people again," he said. "If we have more than three ships, we will be able to get more people on board the vessels to tour them."
