Historic tall ships sail through New York Harbor for Sail4th 250, bookended by the Statue of Liberty and the Freedom Tower, as jets fly over © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com By Karen Rubin, editor@news-photos-features.com , news-photos-features.com
An estimated 6 million spectators lined 15 miles of waterfront to see the historic Parade of Sail in New York City on July 4, 2026, braving nearly 100-degree heat. They clearly could not resist the spectacular, once in an eon sight of more than 40 tall ships and 30 navy vessels from 20 countries, carrying 20,000 sailors, sailing into New York Harbor and up the Hudson River to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary of Independence, in what was billed “the largest-ever flotilla of tall ships”. Many made themselves available for public visits during the six-day festival, July 3-7.
The Parade of Sail was accompanied by what was hailed as one of the longest fly-overs ever – nearly 200 aircraft – led by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.
Just before the tall ship parade, the Acting Secretary of the Navy boarded the USS Farragut and proceeded slowly past about 30 U.S. and allied military vessels all at anchor on the west side of the Hudson River, with the aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, the lead in The International Naval Review. The International Naval Review (INR 250) has only occurred six times previously in U.S. history.
Here are photo highlights:
Sailors aboard the USS Nimitz give salute as the USS Farragut sails by for The International Naval Review to honor America’s 250th, that has only occurred six times previously in U.S. history © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com Oosterschelde, 164-foot, 3-masted topsail schooner from Rotterdam, Netherlands, re-creates the Dutch arrival on New York harbor more than 400 years ago, when it was called New Amsterdam © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle represents the USA at Sail4th 250 in New York City © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle with the Pride of Baltimore II © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Pride of Baltimore II at Sail4th 250 in New York City © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com ARA Libertad of Argentina at Sail4th 250 in New York City © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The Argentine Navy frigate ARA Libertad and the Lynx, from Portsmouth, New Hampshire © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The barquentine Esmeralda from Chile © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The Colombian Navy’s flagship ARC Gloria © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The US Navy Blue Angels lead the fly-over during Sail4th 250 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The US Navy Blue Angels lead the fly-over during Sail4th 250 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The fly-over during Sail4th 250 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The fly-over during Sail4th 250 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The fly-over during Sail4th 250 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The fly-over during Sail4th 250 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The Juan Bautista Cambiaso, from Dominican Republic © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The three-masted barque BAE Guayas from Ecuador © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Canada’s Snowbirds © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com US Navy jets © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Fighter jets at Sail4th 250 in New York City © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com US fighters at Sail4th 250, NYC © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com INS Sudarshini, three-masted barque from India © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The schooner Bowdoin from Maine © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Watching the fly-over from the flight deck of the USS Nimitz © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Amerigo Vespucci, 329-foot, full-rigged, three-masted sail training vessel, from Italy © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Fighter jets celebrate America’s 250th © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Fighter jets celebrate America’s 250th in New York Harbor © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Italy’s Amerigo Vespucci, sails into New York Harbor © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com BAP Unión, Peru’s 378-foot, four-masted sail training ship © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Fighter jets at Sail4th 250 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Sail4th 250 in New York’s harbor on July 4th 2026 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Fighter jets at Sail4th 250 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com NRP Sagres, 292-foot, three-masted barque, from Portugal © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Fly over at Sail4th 250 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Watching Sail4th 250 from the flight deck of the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Uruguay’s Navy training sail vessel Capitan Miranda© Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Elissa, 141-foot three-masted barque from Galveston Historic Seaport, Texas © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The American Eagle schooner © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com Pioneer, South Street Seaport Museum’s tall ship © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com The Statue of Liberty was a present to the United States from France on its centennial, but sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi meant it to honor the emancipation of slaves after the Civil War, which many today call “the Second Founding.” © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com See also:
Photo Highlights: Four Leaf Airshow at Jones Beach State Park Honors America’s 250th
Photo Highlights: Blue Angels Headline Four Leaf Air Show at Jones Beach Honoring America’s 250th
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