There are many additions to this year’s Boothbay Harbor Windjammer Days & Tall Ships Festival in celebration of Maine’s Bicentennial. This year, the dates are Sunday, June 21 through Monday, June 29. The WJD Committee’s efforts will produce a most memorable Festival ... one for the captain’s log, in a manner of speaking!

Might as well start with the stars of the festival, these confirmed windjammers: Agness & Dell, Alert, American Eagle, Ardelle, Eastwind, Ernestina-Morrissey, Heritage, Lewis H. Story, Lazy Jack, Lynx, Mary E, True North, Tree of Life, Sycamore, Jenny Ives and, returning after a few decades, the Victory Chimes!

In commemoration of Maine’s Bicentennial, this 58th WJD includes a Tall Ships Festival. The ships are the Fair Jeanne and the When & If, as well as some of the confirmed windjammers listed above: Alert, Eastwind, Ernestina-Morrissey, Lynx, Lazy Jack, Mary E, and the SSV (Sailing School Vessel) Oliver Hazard Perry.

Getting the Perry here is quite a coup, according to the committee. Captained by Kip Files (former owner of the Victory Chimes) it’s the largest civilian SSV in the U.S. and the first ocean-going full-rigged ship built in the U.S. in 100 years! She has a sparred length of 196 feet with three masts and 20 sails. This grand dame arrives in Boothbay Harbor on Thursday, June 25.

This ship will be the venue for many special events while she’s here through Sunday, June 28. One of those events is June 27 with music by Gina and Red Light Flight Crew. Other events include a family movie night on Sunday, June 28 at 8:30 p.m. The screen for the film will be one of the Perry’s sails – how cool is that?

While the subject is windjammers, deck tours of the Tall Ships are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, June 26, Saturday, June 27, Sunday, June 28 and Monday, June 29 – except the Fair Jeanne on Monday.

All locations where the Tall Ships will be staying beyond Thursday will be announced later.

Entertainment already booked by chair Bill Bailey: Pat Colwell and the Soul Sensations will be the Whale Park concert Wednesday night, June 24 right up until fireworks time.

T-shirt news: The youth design by Boothbay Region Elementary School student Chau Nyugen has been finalized. This year, there’ll be a new shirt on the scene: the Lobster Eating Contest T designed by Friends of WJD committee member Jack Herger, by request of past participants.

Returning events: Blessing of the Fleet, the Pirates, antique boat parade, tours of USCG station, activities and educational programs at Maine State Aquarium, the Boothbay Harbor One Design Invitational – and, according to Jon Dunsford, all boats under 30 feet are welcome to participate; the youth talent show “Boothbay’s Got Talent,” Kids’ Alley, Artists’ Alley, the 3rd annual Windjammer Days Crab Cake Cook Off, open house at Boothbay Sea & Science Center, Windjammers For Wee Mateys, Boothbay Region Land Trust kids’ tent, cod fish races, lobster eating contest, “The History of Schooners” at the Boothbay Region Historical Society, Tug Across the Harbor, the Arthur Webster Memorial Rock Skipping Contest, Rocky Coast Road Race, Lighted Boat Parade, Red Cloak Maritime History & Mystery Tours, the golf tourney, pancake breakfasts, fireworks, street parade – with Mark and Dianne Gimbel as grand marshals; and the free Whale Park concerts.

New events (in addition to the Tall Ships): At Boothbay Railway Village: Campfire, Cocktails and Concerts on the Village Green, and R.B. Hall Day -  community bands statewide will be performing all day (Saturday, June 27) at the Village in celebration of internationally known Maine composer R. B. Hall, and Father’s Day,  all dads ride the steam train free if they bring their kids!

As more details about the 58th Windjammer Days and the special additional Tall Ships Festival are confirmed by the Friends of Windjammer Days, the news will appear in the Boothbay Register.

For up to the minute information about all things Windjammer Days, visit the official Festival website: www.boothbayharborwindjammerdays.org