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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth Communications Office
Mayor Roger J. Reinert
411 West First Street • Duluth, Minnesota 55802 • www.duluthmn.gov
For more information, please call 218-730-5309
 
DATE: 8/9/2019
SUBJECT: Festival of Sails Traffic and Marine Traffic Advisory
BY: Kate Van Daele, Public Information Officer
 

Festival of Sails Traffic and Marine Traffic Advisory

[Duluth, MN] The Festival of Sails will be in Duluth this weekend and is expected to bring the largest number of visitors to Duluth (for an event) for the entire year. The Festival begins with the Grand Parade at 9:00 a.m. and end at 11:00 a.m. on August 11th. Following the parade, the Festival gates will open until 7:00 p.m. The Festival will run on August 12th – 13th from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Duluth Police Officers will be posted throughout the Canal Park area to assist as needed during the Parade of Sail on August 11th.  Drivers in the area should expect traffic delays and should remain alert to heavy pedestrian traffic.  People attending the Parade of Sail are encouraged to park in the Downtown area and walk to Canal Park to help reduce traffic congestion and delays.

The following contains details of street closures, detours, and parking restrictions:

Street closures and Parking Restrictions

Harbor Drive, from the East Gate of the DECC to the Aquarium Lot entrance, will close to traffic from 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 9th, until Tuesday evening (August 13th).

On August 11th, beginning at 7:00 a.m. metered parking along the east side of South Lake Avenue from the Aerial Lift Bridge to Railroad Street will not be allowed. Parking will reopen following the Parade of Sails.

Canal Park Drive from Buchanan St. to the Marine Museum, and all of Morse St., will close to traffic after parking lots in the area have filled, for the Parade of Sail on Sunday, August 11th, from 8:00 a.m. until traffic in the area thins out (approximately 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.).  

Lift Bridge Hours and Marine Traffic during the Parade

The Aerial Lift Bridge will operate on its regular lift schedule with the exception of the Parade of Sail. The Bridge will close to marine traffic after 8:00 a.m. and will be lifting for the Parade starting at 9:00 a.m. The lifts can be expected to be longer than normal to accommodate the tall ships. After the Parade, the Bridge will return to the usual hour and half hour lifting schedule.

The Minnesota Slip Bridge will operate on restricted hours during the Festival of Sails, August 11th – 13th. From 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. the bridge will be lifting at quarter past and three quarters past the hour (example 9:15 and 9:45).  This will allow any vessels leaving the Minnesota Slip time to make the Aerial Lift Bridge hour and half hour lifting schedule. During the Parade of Sail, the Bridge will be in the lowered position beginning at 7:00 a.m. and will not lift until the Parade has concluded.

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