It’s shaping up to be a very special event for the city
“Extraordinary sound, sights and smells.”
It will be all that and more when the long-awaited Sunderland leg of The Tall Ships Races finally arrive this July.
And who better to tell us all about it than Michelle Daurat, the project director of the Tall Ships Races Sunderland 2018.
With less than three months left to go until we welcome the ships, Michelle looks forward to a festival which will officially be the biggest free event in the UK this year.
Just imagine it – visitors from at least 16 different nations coming to Sunderland.
We can look forward to 1.5m visitors on Wearside, doing everything from staying in hotels to spending money in the shops, bars and restaurants.
But don’t just think this amazing spectacle landed in Sunderland’s lap.
The city had to bid for it just like any other interested port has to.
“You have to put forward a strong case,” said Michelle.
“You have to show that you are capable of hosting it.”
So why did Sunderland win against European rivals?
It was a combination of reasons, including it’s shipbuilding history, the impressive amount of development going on in the city such as Northern Spire, the cultural developments, and a general feeling that “it is the right time, right now,” said Michelle.
“We have a can-do attitude. We have the right mentality and the right drive to make it happen.”
Summing up what to expect at The Tall Ships Races Sunderland leg, Michelle said: “In five words, extraordinary sound, sights and smells.”
Right at the forefront of that will be the extraordinary sight of some of the most spectacular ships in the world coming to Sunderland.
Michelle described them as “awe inspiring” and added: “There will be international friendships made. This is a strong international event and we are one quarter of this event which is happening in four different host ports.
“It is that display of international friendships.”
“We are wrapping a really exciting event programme around that over four different event zones, to have different experiences while you are in the city.”
A strong feeling of pride is already mounting across the city and it is no different for Michelle who was the project director when the races came to Hartlepool in 2010.
That was special. This time it is something else again.
“It is extra special for me, being from Sunderland.”
And now the dream is just weeks away from becoming a fantastically spectacular reality.