Fourteen majestic sailing vessels will glide into Navy Pier in August for the return of a beloved festival that now includes a competition with sailors from around the world.

Tall Ships Chicago 2013 will be held from Aug. 7 to Aug. 11 on the lakefront pier, where visitors can interact with the crews, tour the ships and take excursions.

The Chicago Match Cup, a professional sailing contest, kicks off on Aug. 6 as sailors compete over six days for a $100,000 grand prize.



Merging the two events provides more cultural and educational experiences for lakefront visitors while showcasing maritime heritage and Chicago, said Marilynn Gardner, president and CEO of Navy Pier, Inc.

The festival will be held at the east end of Navy Pier, where children can also view photos of historical ships, go inside a life-size match boat and learn to tie knots. Admission tickets are $5 but cruises and on-deck tours cost extra.



When Tall Ships Chicago was last held over five days in 2010, one million people attended, Navy Pier officials said.

Organizers put on a smaller-scale festival in 2011, when four ships docked by the pier.



Chicago is the only U.S. stop for the match races as part of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour, which features seven stops in seven countries, organizers said.



Twelve high school-aged girls from Chicago Public Schools will learn how to sail and take separate voyages on 110-foot ships that culminate at the lakefront festival. Most of the girls have never been on a boat before, and said they’re excited for the opportunity.



“I’m just excited to be on something so historical. … Christopher Columbus was on a tall ship” when he came to America, said Alexandra Sarney, 16, a sophomore at Rickover Naval Academy on the city’s Far North Side. “I think it’s exciting that we get to do the same.”

For more information on the festival and purchasing tickets, visit www.chicagocup.org or www.navypier.com/TallShips.



jmdelgado@tribune.com

Twitter: @jendelgado1