Lifeboats, patrol boats and fishing boats will all be coming together in a celebration of vessels that work in Chichester Harbour. The colourful event, Festival of Working Boats and Jubilee Sail Past, is open to the public and will take place at Itchenor on Wednesday 6 June.

Boats of all shapes and sizes will be lined up alongside the public jetty at Itchenor. The crews who work the boats will be welcoming the public on board to explore the vessel and find out more about the work they do. The festival will be open for two hours from 1pm.

Following the show, all the working boats accompanied by boats from local sailing clubs will then form a Sail Past to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. Processing down the Itchenor Reach, the vessels will pass HM Lord Lieutenants of West Sussex and Hampshire who will take the Sail Past onboard a moored boat. Dressed overall to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee the boats will make a colourful sight as they proceed together in a Sail Past.

Siún Cranny, Director of Chichester Harbour Conservancy said, ‘We are really looking forward to this event. It will be a fun and colourful celebration of both the boats and crews that work in Chichester Harbour and the Diamond Jubilee. We are honoured that Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenants who represent both counties in which the Harbour lies, will join us for the event’.

The Festival and Sail Past is free of charge and all are welcome to come along. In addition to the boats, there will be displays of nautical art, tours of a traditional boat yard, fun children’s activities and refreshments.

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