The long awaited Grand Parade of Sail, featuring over fifty magnificent ships from more than a dozen countries, will mark the official start of Sail Boston 2017. This free celebration of maritime culture and history unfolds in and around Boston’s waterfront from June 17 – 22, and the Parade of Sail on June 17 kicks off the five-day event in grand style.
In anticipation of thousands of spectators along Boston’s waterfront, the City’s Police and Transportation Departments, along with the Coast Guard, Massport, MBTA, and representatives from Sail Boston, recently completed a series of public briefings in those communities that will experience the greatest influx of attendees to watch the Parade of Sail. To ensure everyone’s safety and maximize enjoyment of this stunning spectacle, a number of measures will be implemented, mostly on Parade of Sail day only, to limit vehicular access as well as implementing stadium style screenings.
These security protocols are very similar to those employed in recent years by the organizers of the Boston Pops July 4th celebration on the Esplanade, as well as the Boston Marathon from Kenmore Square to the finish line in Copley Square. Measures include street closings, restricted vehicular access and parking, and screening entry points along the Boston waterfront from Castle Island in South Boston, to Charlestown Navy Yard, and in East Boston as well.
