Thousands of people are expected to flock to Falmouth next August when up to 50 ships will be in port for the start of the 2014 Tall Ships Regatta.

It was announced last year that Falmouth had been chosen as a host port once again, but race organisers, Sail Training International, have only just revealed the actual dates of the regatta.

The event will be held between August 28 and 31 with ships berthed at Queens Wharf in Falmouth Docks open to the public for the first three days, ahead of the race start on the 31st when vessels will leave Falmouth bound for Greenwich in London.

Town manager Richard Gates said the event will once again put Falmouth in the national and international spotlight.

“The good thing is that as we are the first port, there will be a massive amount of media PR,” he said. “The last time there were thousands and thousands of people coming to the town.

“The fact they want to come back here is a credit to Falmouth. Falmouth has had many more Tall Ships visits than other towns in the UK.”

Among the festivities already planned is the ships’ crew parade which will bring a flurry of colour and activity to the town centre streets, culminating with prize giving, before the ships and their crews prepare for the race start.

Ships will pass between Pendennis and St Mawes Castles in a parade of sail into Falmouth Bay to the start line, before heading eastwards towards the English Channel. The ships will then have the opportunity to stop-over briefly in French or English ports en route to Greenwich.

The crews will enjoy a full programme of activities in Greenwich over four days including the prize giving on Sunday, September 7.

The finish port, Royal Greenwich, will be hosting the first major Tall Ships event since London hosted the Tall Ships Race in 1989.

Since the Tall Ships first visited Falmouth in 1966, the port has hosted the Funchal 500 Tall Ships Regatta in 2008, the Cutty Sark Tall Ships Race in 1998 and The Tall Ships Race in 1982. The economic impact of the 2008 event left a lasting impression on the area, attracting 100,000 visitors and generating over £12 million for the local economy.

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