IN West County Fall 2016 | Page 18

shirt and a free pass on the day they work their four-hour shift. On Friday, Sept. 9, only advanced ticket holders will have access to the tall ships but on Saturday the 10th and Sunday the 11th you will be able to purchase tickets onsite for $14. Organizers urge visitors to purchase tickets in advance to avoid ticket lines regardless of the day you plan to attend. One thing you might consider is purchasing a VIP pass for $100. Though there are only a few left, it gets you access to a hospitality tent on the second level of Dobbins Landing, and more importantly, gets you to the front of the line for the boat tours. Erie is just one stop among nine port appearances throughout the United States and Canada included in the Tall Ships Challenge Great Lakes 2016 sponsored by Erie Insurance. The Niagara plans to make appearances at all of the U.S.- based events this summer. The Great Lakes series is organized by the nonprofit Tall Ships America, whose mission is to encourage character building through sail training, promote sail training to the North American public, and support education under sail. Tall Ships festivals also are scheduled in Green Bay, Wis., Aug. 4-7; Duluth, Minn., Aug. 18-21; and Brockville, Ontario, Sept. 16-18. If you’re interested in purchasing Tall Ships Erie tickets, day-sail passes, or for volunteer opportunities, go to tallshipserie.org. n 16 724.942.0940 to advertise | West County