Dar Młodzieży in New York: Parade of Sail and a Milestone Jubilee
02.07.2026 | 2 min. czytania
On 4 July 2026, Gdynia Maritime University’s sail training ship, the Dar Młodzieży, will take part in the International Parade of Sail in New York – the centrepiece of the global celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the US Declaration of Independence. This high-profile appearance on American Independence Day marks a double celebration for the vessel, which will simultaneously commemorate the 44th anniversary of the first raising of its white-and-red flag back in 1982.
Representing the University at the events in the United States will be a senior delegation including the Rector of GMU, Professor Adam Weintrit; Sławomir Kalicki, Chair of the University Council; and Master Mariner Dariusz Jellonnek, Director of the Maritime Operations Department.
Kicking off at 09:30 local time, the 16-nautical-mile parade will guide the fleet from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, past the Statue of Liberty, and up the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge. The Dar Młodzieży will subsequently berth at Manhattan Cruise Terminal's Pier 91 (Finger Pier) in western Manhattan. There, from 5 to 7 July, the frigate will open its decks to the public, standing alongside fellow maritime legends such as Spain's Juan Sebastián de Elcano, Argentina's Libertad, and Ecuador's Guayas.
The parade forms the heart of the international Sail4th 250 festival (3–8 July), a convergence of 48 prominent tall ships from 20 countries and over 50 naval vessels from around the globe. Organisers anticipate up to six million spectators will line the 25-kilometre New York waterfront, where they will also witness a thrilling aerial display over the harbour and the Hudson River by the Blue Angels – the US Navy's elite flight demonstration squadron, which has operated continuously since 1946.
Official media coverage for the festival is being provided by broadcaster NBC, and a live stream of the full Parade of Sail can be viewed online here on the day. Due to the six-hour time difference between New York and Poland, the live broadcast will air from approximately 15:30 until 20:00 Central European Time.