Photo by Rocky Ross
VEW FROM ABOVE. The deck of the Bounty as seen from high up in the mast.
The crowds at Tall Ships Tacoma 2008 were not as large as 2005, but the event was certainly a success in celebrating the city’s maritime heritage and its revitalized downtown.
Matthew Erlich, a spokesperson for the event, said the attendance is estimated at 400,000. The biggest day was July 6, when a combination of it being a Sunday and sunny weather drew an estimated 150,000 people to Thea Foss Waterway. The warmest, sunniest weather came on the final day, July 7. Being a Monday, many people had to return to work but around 50,000 came down that day.
Three years ago the festival enjoyed sunny skies for five straight days. This year the weather shifted between sunshine and cloudy skies the first three days, with scattered rain on July 4 and 5.
“I think the weather had a bigger impact than we had hoped for earlier in the festival,” said Erlich. “People may have seen the clouds and stayed away.”
Beth Sylves is a board member of Tacoma Tall Ships Organization, which put on the festival. She said surveys were done of people attending the event. She believes there were visitors from all 50 states and several nations.
An event of this magnitude brings many logistical challenges. Sylves feels the organizers were up to the challenge.
“The best testament came from the crews of the ships,” she said. “They were blown away by how organized everything was.”
Busses shuttled many attendees to parking lots at Tacoma Dome and elsewhere. Overall the bus service went well, with minimal complaints, Sylves said.
She feels food vendors were spread out and there were more than enough portable toilets.
The children’s activity area was popular with families.
“My three-year-old daughter loved it,” Sylves remarked.
“It was true Pacific Northwest weather,” she said of the mix of sunshine and overcast skies. While the rain on July 5 kept some people away, it meant those who came had shorter lines to board ships and more time to wander about their decks.
“It is just so nice to see so many people on the waterfront,” said Tacoma City Councilmember Marilyn Strickland. “It shows how much potential the waterfront has. We don’t need to wait for an event every three years. We can get to a point where it is bustling all the time.”
She enjoyed the Coast Guard ship, the Eagle. Something else she was impressed with did not sail away – the new grocery store in Thea’s Landing, which opened just in time for the festival.
Strickland, who lives downtown, feels the event brought foot traffic up from the waterway. Her street tends to be rather empty on weekends, she said. “It was nice to see so many people walking around.” She noticed many people walking along ‘A’ Street marveling at Murray Morgan Bridge, which is currently closed because of its deteriorating condition. “Even in its state of decay it is still a major landmark.”
“I thought it went very well,” said Tacoma Dome Director Mike Combs. “We learned from last time.”
He thought access to the boats was better than in 2005, both for those boarding them and those who just wanted to look. Combs said some of the boats last time were partially blocked by large screens.
The layout of the vendor booths and stages was improved as well, he added. “I thought it was well laid out and flowed well.”
Having the ‘D’ Street Overpass finished provided another access point for pedestrians, he noted.
On the final day he had a meeting downtown, then walked down to Dock Street. Even for a workday he felt there were a lot of people.
“Everybody associated with the ships enjoyed it,” he said. “It looks like we might be in for a repeat in 2011.”
Don Meyer, executive director of Foss Waterway Development Authority, was proud to see the vision of a vibrant, urban waterfront he has worked on for the past decade moving forward.
“I think the Tall Ships event helps Tacoma rediscover its waterfront connections,” he said. For him, the vessels conjure up “the romance of the sea and the imagination it sparks in everyone.”
The festival did much to help shift the image of the Foss from a contaminated, industrial wasteland to a popular public gathering space.
He felt the recent completion of renovations to Foss Waterway Seaport was important, as festival attendees could check it out and realize there are attractions to visit on Dock Street all year round. “It gives us the ability to use the waterfront in a contemporary sense.”
“Tall Ships happens every three years. We want our waterway to attract people every weekend,” Meyer said. “We want a waterfront that can celebrate large events as well as small events, or just people out for a casual walk.”
He expects the waterway to fulfill its potential between 2015 and 2017, when the esplanade, the pedestrian walkway, as well as parks and other public amenities are expected to all be completed, something to look forward to when the hype starts building for Tall Ships Tacoma 2017.
