For the First Time, the Public Can Celebrate the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac Presented by Lexus

CHICAGO – The 2001 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Lexus is no longer just for sailors. For the first time ever, the public will have an opportunity to take part in the race festivities on Saturday, July 14, with The Parade of Boats at Navy Pier and the Mini-Mackinac Festival at Chicago Children’s Museum.

For the last 93 runnings of the 333-mile Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, it has been difficult for the public to view this spectacular race, as the starting line is more than a mile off shore. This year, in cooperation with Navy Pier and Mayor’s Office of Special Events, all of the more than 300 boats will be checking in for the race just off Navy Pier, parading by the East End of the Pier with ceremonial flags flying from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The best viewing will be from the East End of Navy Pier where a commentator will announce the boats, and relay interesting facts about the race and the racers as they pass by. Boats range from the family-crewed club racers, to the elite 70-foot "Big Dogs of the Lake." The parade also will feature water cannons and a practice session of a Chicago Fire Department boat.

At Chicago Children’s Museum at Navy Pier, the Mini-Mackinac Festival will delight young sailors with activities from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Children can build their own sailboats to race in the WaterWays exhibit throughout the day or learn how to spell their names in colorful nautical flags.

"The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac is the longest, most challenging freshwater race in the world," said Shawn O’Neill, chair of the Mackinac Race Committee of the Chicago Yacht Club. "But it has been nearly impossible for interested spectators to view the race in the past. We have partnered with Navy Pier, the Mayor’s Office of Special Events and Chicago Children’s Museum to bring this historic race to the public."

Founded in 1875 with the goal of advancing the community’s knowledge, enjoyment and participation in boating and the nautical arts, the Chicago Yacht Club remains a valuable resource for its members and for the Chicago community. The Club has been a leader for more than 75 years in teaching children and adults how to sail, and is a preeminent organizer and host of regattas and races in the United States.

Navy Pier is the state’s most visited attraction, drawing more than 9 million visitors annually. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, today’s Pier, which opened in 1995, encompasses more than 50 acres of parks, promenades, shops, restaurants, exhibition and meeting facilities, entertainment and attractions. Navy Pier is home to many of Chicago’s favorite attractions: the 150-foot-high Ferris wheel; Chicago Children’s Museum; the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows; the Navy Pier IMAX Theater; Chicago Shakespeare Theater; dinner cruise and tour boats, as well as the most breathtaking views of the city skyline.

Established in 1982 and now serving nearly a half-million visitors annually, Chicago Children's Museum is the second most-visited of the nation's growing number of children's museums, and the fifth most-visited Chicago cultural attraction. At the museum, children from a wide range of backgrounds come together to learn, play and explore. Throughout its history, the museum has reached out beyond its walls and remained committed to community development in the form of school programs and partnerships with a variety of organizations in Chicago's neighborhoods.