The festival at Cargo Dock 1 showcases the Port of Corpus Christi -- now the nation's sixth-largest port -- and all the related maritime activities.
The rescue demonstration by the Refinery Terminal Fire Company at 4 p.m. should be one of the day's highlights, said Karen Hellweg, Port of Corpus Christi community relations officer.
"They'll do a special rescue demonstration off of the Harbor Bridge, the first time it's ever been done before a crowd," Hellweg says. "They'll drop two ropes from the bottom of the Harbor Bridge down to Cargo Dock One at an angle, then they'll come down the ropes by pulley. It's amazing to see."
The rescuers will land directly in front of festival visitors, Hellweg says.
The James C. Storm Pavilion at Cargo Dock 1 will serve as the festival focal point, with many exhibits and activities next door at Cargo Dock 2.
Throughout the day, the traditional musical groups Godfrey's Rangers, and the Barquentones -- and contemporary-music band Mike Guerra and Trisum -- will entertain visitors, Hellweg said.
"Godfrey's Rangers are here for the fifth year in a row, and they do old seafaring songs like `Blow The Man Down,' " she said. "They dress like turn-of-the-century seamen, with bellbottoms and double-breasted jackets. They really get the crowd involved.
"We're real excited about the Barquentones, too, because they have some songs that cater to children. This is a family-oriented festival so they'll fit right in.
"Mike Guerra and Trisum do contemporary jazz and popular music."
The festival runs from 2:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Although festival admission is free, visitors may purchase tickets ($15 adults, $8 ages 14 and under) entitling them to both a shrimp-boil dinner and a harbor tour aboard the Flagship.
Shrimp-boil dinners will be served from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and the Flagship harbor tours are scheduled at 6:15 p.m., 7:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The Barquentones will serenade passengers on the 8:30 tour.
Ticket proceeds benefit the International Seaman's Center, a local home-away-from-home for about 30,000 sailors from around the world each year, Hellweg said. Tickets may be purchased at the Seaman's Center, 1501 Mesquite St., or from any festival steering committee member.
At least one Coast Guard cutter will be available for free tours, said Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Patricia Lacombe, assistant public affairs officer for the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office in Corpus Christi.
Coast Guard cutters are called that because the Cutter Revenue Service was the Coast Guard's predecessor agency, Lacombe says.
"We'll also have the recently commissioned minesweeper USS Robin open for tours," Hellweg said.
"This will also be the official
kickoff for the port's 70th anniversary. At Cargo Dock 2 there will be industry exhibits, a children's area with games, prizes and temporary tattoos, and an exhibit on port history.
"This festival is testimony to how well we work together -- all the festival volunteers are from the maritime businesses," she said.
"The port is the primary engine driving the Coastal Bend economy, with 10,000 jobs directly generated by port activity and another 31,000 related in some way to port activity. "When people say, `I didn't know all this was down here,' I think it's great that they have learned about it."
Other activities include an Armed Forces Day Observance, a silent auction, a main raffle drawing and a separate bonus raffle drawing, a show by "Lanky the Clown," and a live auction of maritime artifacts.
SCHEDULE
2:30 p.m. -- Festival opens with exhibits, port museum, activities and entertainment
4 p.m. -- Refinery Terminal Fire Company demonstration
5 p.m. -- Shrimp-boil serving begins
5:20 p.m. -- Armed Forces Day observance
5:30 p.m. -- Silent auction
6 p.m. -- Main raffle drawing
6:15 p.m. -- Boarding for first harbor tour
6:20 p.m. -- Lanky the Clown performs
7 p.m. -- Shrimp-boil serving ends; exhibits close
7 p.m. -- Live auction of maritime artifacts
7:15 p.m. -- Boarding for second harbor tour
8:15 p.m. -- Bonus raffle drawing
8:30 p.m. -- Boarding for final harbor tour (Moonlight Tour, Barquentones perform)
8:30 p.m. -- Entertainment by Mike Guerra and Trisum
10 p.m. -- Festival concludes
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