Read Tall Ships Pensacola FAQs Carefully
Ticket and Special Event FAQs
Festival General Admission Tickets are $20 in advance per day. This ticket includes general admission access to the festival site and access to tour 3 ships; Pride of Baltimore II, Ernestina-Morrissey and Nao Trinidad Only.
If you purchased the $10 (advance price) festival dockside only ticket then you can enjoy the entire festival except you cannot board the ships. There is a limited number of the dockside tickets.
Your weekend ticket, vip ticket, sponsor ticket and your Saturday GA or Saturday FAST PASS ticket will get you into the festival all day to see the ships and later to see the band. You can leave and return with a Saturday wristband. Your ticket can be scanned twice per day only. You will need to go back thru bag check and the metal detectors each time you enter the site after leaving.
Each GA ticket can be scanned twice per day, or you may get a wristband at the main gate on S. Palafox St to return that same day.
You must go back thru bag check and the metal detectors if you leave the site and want to return.
The Friday Night "Ship to Shore Party" is a separate event.
The sunset Ship To Shore party includes live music, food and select drinks are free. You may board 2 ships at your leisure between 7 - 9 pm; the Nao Trinidad and the Ernestina-Morrissey. The Pride of Baltimore and the other 2 sailing ships will be leaving for sunset cruises, watch them sail back into port around 8 pm.
You must buy an additional ticket to go to the Friday night party or purchase a VIP ticket. The festival closes at 6 pm Friday and reopens for the party at 7. Gates will reopen at 6:45.
Festival FAQs
The full festival starts Friday April 28 at 10 am.
The 27th is the arrival day. The Parade of Sail and the Landing Party /Captains Welcome Party.
The ships arrive on Thursday the 27th in the Parade of Sail. This is a water side and dockside event. Boats may view from specific areas or follow behind the ships if they are outside the USCG secure area.
A small portion of the festival park is open Thursday between 3-6 if you would like to come down and watch the ships arrive and dock, tickets are $5 or free with your festival ticket. You will not be able to get close or board the ships on Thursday as they prepare for USCG inspections. There are no event activities taking place on Thursday.
The Landing Party is Thursday night at Jaco's, come meet the Captains and enjoy food and drinks. Tickets are $150 per person Tickets are under Thursday Special Events
THURSDAY:
Parade of Sail Docking/ Viewing:
Small section of the park is open from 3-6 pm - no festival activities, viewing only; Cat Country 98.7 will be broadcasting live
FULL FESTIVAL OPENS FRIDAY:
FRIDAY
Gates open at 9:30 - 6PM.
Tours start at 10 and End at 6. Festival closes at 6 and reopens for the "Ship To Shore VIP Party" at 7. You can tour 2 ships during the party Friday night, food and drink included with live music and 2 ships open for tours.
SATURDAY:
Gates open at 9:30 to 9:30.
Ship tours start at 10 and end at 5pm for Pride of Baltimore, and end at 7pm for Ernestina-Morrissey and Nao Trinidad. The Steel Drum Band plays from 3-6 and the Band Roman Street plays from 7-9. Gates close when band is over. Food trucks and beverage tents will be open the entire day.
SUNDAY:
Gates open at 9:30 to 6:30pm. No evening events. Expect a Blue Angel flyover between 5-6:30 pm weather permitting.
Sail Aways: Check your ship and your ticket for day and time. Times may vary go by your ticket. Check emails for any updates.
The Ships will arrive in a ceremonial Parade of Sail into the Pensacola Bay on Thursday, April 27, 2023. The Parade of Sail will begin at 3 pm and the ships can be viewed docking at Plaza De Luna between 4 - 5:30. A portion of the festival site will be open for viewing, Free with your event ticket or $5 for Thurday only.The Parade can be viewed for free by public access along Maritime Park, Fort Pickens Park and from the 3 Mile Bridge Walkway. Tickets to attend the Tall Ships Landing Party at Jaco's are for sale separately.
Tickets are required to enter the festival for each day you wish to attend. Purchase in advance, ticket prices go up on April 10. There are 2 festival tickets. Onboard Tickets include access to all standard festival activities and allow you to board and tour each visiting tall ship docked at Pensacola Port once. There are a limited number of festival only tickets which allow you inside the festival to view but not board the ships. Tickets are date specific. There are upgrades to Fast Pass and VIP as well.
Sail away tickets and special event tickets must be purchased separately. Check the ticket page for details on all the events planned. There are several special events going on!
All festival attendees must purchase a daily admission ticket for each day they wish to attend. Children 2 years of age or younger are free with a paying adult.
There is no age limit to enter the festival. Age limits apply to sailing trips. Please note that all sail-away passengers, including children and infants, must have a ticket, and children under 6 must wear a life jacket at all times while aboard the vessel. Ships will provide life jackets. However, if sail away ticket holders have a children/infant life jacket they would prefer to use, they are welcome to bring it.
Please note that all sail-away passengers, including children and infants, must have a ticket to board the ships.
All sales are final and are not refundable. This is a rain-or-shine event.
The ticket spice system allows you to purchase ticket insurance for the Sail Away Trips in case of cancellation due to bad weather.
Unfortunately, the ships are not wheelchair or walker accessible. The gangways and ship decks are not wheelchair friendly, with some areas being very narrow. We invite wheelchair guests to enjoy the ships dockside, through stories of crew members and Captain chats. The crew is happy to come dockside to greet anyone personally. Contact the line supervisor or ship liaison to make arrangements when you arrive.
Special security measures are in place to ensure public safety. All personal belongings, bags, and purses are subject to search. Large backpacks are prohibited. No weapons are allowed. Liquids, food, and glass are not permitted. Baby food/formula must be in plastic containers and may be stored in coolers no larger than 5 quarts. Coolers for any other purpose are prohibited. Any other items deemed unlawful or dangerous may be prohibited at the discretion of security personnel. No prohibited item will be held at the gate.
We strongly recommend dressing for the weather. The festival grounds are exposed to the elements and have limited areas of shade/cover from the sun. A 3 oz travel-size bottle of Sunscreen is permitted through the security checkpoint and should be applied multiple times during your time in the sun. Umbrellas are not allowed on any tall ships.
In case of emergency, find the nearest Tall Ships® Pensacola Port Festival staff, volunteer member, uniformed security, or law enforcement, officer.
No pets are allowed inside the festival grounds, except certified Service Animals, as permitted by law. Service animals are limited to gangways and top decks depending on stair/ladder set-up.
City of Pensacola has many free and paid parking options. Refer to the City Parking Map for details.
FREE HANDICAPPED PARKING
Parking is free in any on-street parking space for people displaying a handicapped placard.
FREE PARKING ON SUNDAY
City of Pensacola public parking is free on Sundays—including in the Jefferson St. Garage! (Excluding Boat Ramps)
You can also park for free in the following locations:
- Community Maritime Park - Surface lot
- Bayfront Parkway - Surface lot
- Belmont-DeVilliers - Surface lot
- South Palafox Marina - Surface lot (During select hours)
- 601 Commendencia - Surface lot (During select hours)
RIDE-SHARE
A ride-share zone will be located at corner of Pine and Jefferson Street for drop off and pick up.
Use address 900 S Palafox Street, Pensacola, FL 32502 or Plaza De Luna. That will take the driver to the main gate, get out as close as you can and walk South on Palafox Street, you will dead end at the park / festival entrance.
Sail Away FAQs
Thursday:
Pride of Baltimore, When and If and the The Biloxi Schooner Glenn L. Swetman will offer tickets for the 4 hour Parade of Sail cruise. Check your tickets for exact times. Approximate time is leave dock by 1 pm and return approximately 5 pm.
Friday to Sunday:
Three ships offer day sails and sunset sail trips. Two ships, When and If and the Biloxi Schooner Glenn L. Swetman will sail 5 times a day (4 day sails and 1 sunset sail per day). The Pride of Baltimore will offer a Sunset Sail each day.
Check ticket page for updates and additions to the schedules. If you have booked a trip, check you email for updates. Weather is a factor for the schedule.
Sail away tickets are sold separately from festival tickets. There is limited space on each ship so the sailing trips sell out fast.
The sail away ticket gives you access to the festival site for that one day.
Each ship is priced differently.
ALL sail-away passengers, including children and infants, must have a ticket, and you must provide your own life jacket for children under 6, they must wear a life jacket at all times while aboard the vessel.
All sales are final and are not refundable. This is a rain-or-shine event.
The ticket spice system allows you to purchase ticket insurance for the Sail Away Trips in case of cancellation due to bad weather.
Arrive 45-30 minutes in advance of your trip. The ships leave on time, they do not wait. You must check in, sign a waiver and attend a safety briefing before coming aboard. The ships leave at exactly the scheduled time. There are no refunds if you miss the ship. Please plan ahead.
Once on board expect a fun and exciting trip! Interact with the captain and crew and lend a hand sailing the ship as well!
These are working ships, expect to partake in the experience, you may get to handle lines and steer the ship! There are no chairs, you are moving about or sitting on the ship itself.
We strongly recommend dressing for the weather and bring sunscreen. The ships and festival grounds are exposed to the elements and have limited areas of shade/cover from the sun. Umbrellas and chairs are not allowed on any tall ships.
The ships sell beer, wine and water on board the sailing trips. You are welcome to bring snacks.
There are no bathroom facilities on board so plan ahead. A porta-potty will be located at the entrance to the sail away check in.
No pets are allowed inside the festival grounds, except certified Service Animals, as permitted by law. Service animals are limited to gangways and top decks depending on stair/ladder set-up.
The ships all sell their own line of merchandise as well, please support their efforts by buying a souvenir.
The ships will sell water, wine and beer on board. There is no food for sale, you are welcome to bring snacks. Please remove all your trash once you get back to dock.
No, most ships do not allow the use of their private bathroom facilities. There will be a porta-potty located at the main entrance to the sail away check in tent, please use that before you leave.
Day sails are 75 min long
Sunset sails are 2 hours long
Parade of Sail is 4 hours long
Day sails are 75 minues
Sunset Sails are 2 hours
Parade of Sail - Thurday 27 - approximately a 4 hour experience depending on weather and docking sequence. Expect between 3.5 hours and 4.5 hours total.