It doesn't take much for Derry~Londonderry to throw a party, but in this case, the celebrations are warranted. For the third time, the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race (the arrival of which can be viewed from the Magilligan Martello Tower in Limavady) will sweep into Foyle Marina in true clipper style.
Speeding into the North Atlantic, the vessels will ease into the narrow mouth of Lough Foyle - home, if you should believe it, to its very own monster. Next, it will scoot through the broad lough and into the city's marina via the River Foyle, spanned by the elegantly curved Peace Bridge.
And, should the sight of twelve 70-foot racing yachts (including the local favourite Derry~Londonderry~Doire) racing each other into Derry~Londonderry not prove enough to float your boat (pardon the pun), there's plenty more to get excited about.
For an entire week the city will serve up a staggering collection of festivals, concerts and seafaring puns. The Music City weekend; Clipper Quay Kitchen Food Festival; Dragon Boat racing; the Phoenix tall ship, the Ubuntu Festival of World Cultures and a chance to mix with the crews and visit the yachts.
The Foyle Maritime Festival returns to Derry~Londonderry from 14th – 22nd July 2018 and will host the stopover of the Clipper Race 2017-18 as they near the end of their Round the World Journey. Queens Quay will once again be transformed into a maritime wonderland featuring the spectacular Finale Event on land, sea and air, Maritime Food Markets, Water-sports activities, Family Zone, Maritime Melodies music trail and much more!