FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - NEW YORK, JUNE 3, 2015
The replica of La Fayette’s frigate, L’Hermione, completed its transatlantic crossing of 3,819 miles from Rochefort, France in the Poitou-Charentes region to America. It sailed into Yorktown, Virginia early morning June 5, 2015, the first stop on an 11-city visit along the coast of the United States. Now the frigate will embark on a range of events while making calls to such ports as Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston, before her mid-August return to Rochefort.
The Poitou-Charentes Regional Tourism Board will be present with a visitor tent in Philadelphia, New York and Boston, which will be near Hermione's docking points. At their tent, the public will be invited to participate in a contest. Step 1: take selfies with the Hermione and post the photo on Instangram with the hashtag #LafayetteTrip and Step 2: to upload their photo to the contest site which will be revealed at the Poitou-Charentes stand in those four cities.
The public at her ports of call, will be treated to a host of events, exhibitions and other festivities that will greet the Hermione and her 80-person crew. After Yorktown, the Hermione’s return voyage has included stops in Mount Vernon, Alexandria/Washington D.C., Annapolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, Greenport (New York), Newport, Boston, Castine (Maine) and finally Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The Hermione will be open to the public for sailor-guided tours, with a full program of educational initiatives, cultural activities and events pier-side and beyond in each port. For exacts dates, Hermione dock locations in each city and full list of events visit www.hermione2015.com
Featured events include the New York Historical Society’s exhibition titled: Lafayette's Return: The “Boy General," the American Revolution, and the Hermione. This exceptional exhibition which runs through August 16, 2015, showcases rarely shown personal letters to his wife and daughter, the codes he shared with Washington, his swords and medals and more. For details visit www.nyhistory.org
Hermione Itinerary and dates:
JUNE
June 5, 6, 7 Yorktown, VA (Riverwalk Landing Dock)
June 9 Mount Vernon, VA (ship at anchor)
June 10, 11, 12 Alexandria, VA (city dock)
June 16, 17 Annapolis, MD (city dock)
June 19, 20, 21 Baltimore, MD (adjacent USS Constellation & Pride of Baltimore)
June 25, 26, 27, 28 Philadelphia, PA (with Tall Ships America/Independence Seaport)
JULY
July 1, 2, 3, 4 New York, NY (South Street Seaport, Pier 15)
July 6, 7 Greenport, NY (with Tall Ships America )
July 8, 9 Newport, RI (with Oliver Hazard Perry – Fort Adams)
July 11, 12 Boston, MA – (Rowe’s Wharf)
July 14, 15 Castine, ME
July 18 Lunenburg, Nova Scotia