Amsterdam (AP) – The crowds were packed with vantage points along a major canal and went to the water in person on Wednesday to watch a fleet of hundreds of historic ships Amsterdam Celebrating the maritime history of the Dutch capital in the beginning of a five-day festival.
Ships from all over the world, many with masts and flag-decorated rigging, sailed from the coastal town of Ijmuiden, on an hourly journey through the North Sea Canal, entered the IJ Waterway in Amsterdam in 2025, the first edition in a decade.
As the replica three-masted scissor Stad Amsterdam passed through the lock to mark the official start of the event, an orange smoke burst out, blowing the sound of the ship's trumpet. Each ship enters the port with two cannon shootings and its national anthem.
Hugo Peek is one of thousands of people who sail on smaller boats with tall ships. He accompanied the tall Europa boat with his grandfather and several other family members on a smaller boat.
“There is almost no water. It's almost all the boats,” the 21-year-old said.
Mahek Singahl waited at the Central Railway Station in Amsterdam, looking at the port with her two little kids and a few large suitcases. After vacationing in Iceland, her family returned to the Ivory Coast and stopped in Amsterdam for a few days. They don't know what the crowd is for.
She smiled and said, “My husband went to see the boat and left me here.” “He liked this thing.”
The event attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors and was held every five years. The 2020 edition was cancelled due to the 19th pandemic.
Wednesday's parade climaxed at a night's fireworks show. The ships will remain in Amsterdam over the weekend, with many open visitors.
The first event was first held in 1975 to celebrate the 700th anniversary of Amsterdam, and this year's version coincides with the city's 750th birthday.