The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025 has ignited a fire of enthusiasm in the Granite City.
With less than six months to go until the majestic Tall Ships grace Aberdeen's harbour in July, residents have answered the call to volunteer with an incredible surge of support.
Over 2,000 applications have flooded in from eager individuals hoping to contribute to this historic event.
“We are absolutely blown away by the level of interest,” said Emma Wadee, Tall Ships Project Manager.
“We’d expected a couple of hundred people to sign up but to have nearly 1,400 applications for volunteer roles alone is a truly remarkable testament to Aberdeen's community spirit.
“This is not just about celebrating maritime heritage; it's about bringing our community together and showcasing its vibrant spirit to the world.”
Regional campaign
The Tall Ships Races, Europe’s largest free family event, is expected to attract 50 Tall Ships from across the globe and draw an estimated 400,000 visits to Aberdeen. The festival which is running between 19 and 22 July promises a spectacular celebration of maritime heritage, featuring live music, dance, theatre and a dazzling parade of sail.
The response reflects a massive regional engagement campaign that reached across schools and shopping centres, business networks and community hubs throughout the region. Launched with a fanfare in mid-October, there was over three months to spread the word before the application deadline at the end of January.
The Tall Ships team has been out spreading the word at events like this one in Union Square in January
One of the calls went out to young people between 15 and 25 years old from Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire wanting to be part of a Tall Ship crew.
The world-renowned, sailing extravaganza is offering the adventure of a lifetime for young local people to be recruited as sail trainees on voyages to and from Aberdeen.
They will get the chance to sail aboard a Tall Ship from Dunkirk, France to Aberdeen, or from Aberdeen to Kristiansand, Norway. From an expected 150 successful sail trainees, 100 of the places will be fully funded.
Welcoming face
Meanwhile, anyone over 16 could sign up for a range of volunteer roles with the opportunity to contribute in a variety of roles, from ship liaison officers to transport co-ordinators and visitor experience hosts.
The city’s harbour will transform from an energy hub into a world-class event space. Volunteers are essential to delivering a successful festival and giving the international crews a warm Aberdeen welcome.
“Our volunteers will be the welcoming face of Aberdeen,” continued Ms Wadee.
“They'll have the chance to be part of something truly special, meet new people, and create memories that will last a lifetime. This is the biggest event to come to the city in a generation, and our volunteers will play a crucial role in its success.”
More than 670 young people applied to be a sail trainee, with 1,389 applications from eager would-be volunteers.
The selection and training process for both the sail trainees and volunteers is now underway.
Sail trainees are coming together in a Welcome Day session at the Beach Ballroom in March, while successful volunteer applicants will be matched to roles by April.
Main picture caption: Tall Ships Youth Ambassador Finn Dixon demonstrates the art of knot-tying to Ellen Bennett at public engagement event in Peterhead in January.
