America250's Sail250 maritime celebration made New Orleans its first port of call in 2026.
Sail250 was organized as part of the United States Semiquincentennial celebrations and was described as the largest gathering of tall ships since 1976. The fleet began its scheduled port sequence in New Orleans, Louisiana, from May 28 to June 1, 2026.
After New Orleans, the ships were scheduled to visit Norfolk, Virginia; Baltimore, Maryland; New York City, New York; and Boston, Massachusetts. These dates created a south-to-north route before and after the July 4 anniversary events.
New Orleans is sometimes confused with Norfolk because both were major Sail250 stops, and Norfolk hosted the fleet later in June. The event also connects America250 with the earlier Operation Sail celebrations held for the 1976 Bicentennial and other national maritime anniversaries.