Bayfront Maritime Center's Small Boat Fesitval

The Bayfront Maritime Center is hosting Erie's First Small Boat Festival, a weekend celebration of antique, traditional, and contemporary hand crafted boats.  BMC's Small Boat Festival includes two separate events: BMC's 3^rd annual Cardboard Boat Regatta on Saturday August 18^th and the inaugural Presque Isle Bay Messabout, August 17^th – 19^th. 

The fesitval helps highlight the rich maritime history and nautical heritage in Erie. 

The inaugural Presque Isle Bay Messabout is a weekend long event featuring unique, hand crafted vessels. Traditional Small Boat Association (TSCA) http://www.tsca.net/index.html boaters from around the United States and Canada will travel to Erie to spend the weekend sailing, paddling and motoring while competing in categories including:

• Traditional Design/Traditional Construction
• Traditional Design/Contemporary Construction
• Contemporary
• Restoration
• Paddling Craft traditional design
• Most Contemporary Design 
• Best in Show

There will be demonstrations, presentations, and a catered buffet dinner during the festival. TSCA participants may camp overnight Sunday on Presque Isle State Park, http://www.visiteriepa.com/presque_isle_state_park.shtml. Messabout participant registration - $65 before July 15^th.

Celebrate Erie http://www.celebrateerie.com/ is the same weekend with music, food, and family attractions 4 blocks (or free trolley ride) away.

For more about the Cardboard Regatta or the Presque Isle Bay Messabout and sponsorship information, visit www.bayfrontcenter.org, email info@bayfrontcenter.org, or call 814-456-4077. 

The mission of the Bayfront Maritime Center is: to develop and implement unique, hands-on, maritime themed, educational, vocational and recreational opportunities for the community in a universally accessible waterfront facility.  Since 1998, BMC has worked with over 14,000 children and adults to sail, paddle and build 89 boats.  It is home to the Bayfront Alternative Education Program for the School District of the City of Erie in collaboration with Sarah A. Reed Children's Center. BMC hosts the award winning Bayfront Migrant IU5/ESD Summer Program and Pennsylvania's only adaptive sailing program, the Erie Adaptive Sailing Experience (EASE) http://www.bayfrontcenter.org/maritime-ducation/adaptive-sailing/.