Beloved Tall Ships festival draws record crowds

Tall Ships Erie is a unique spectacle, a family-friendly festival drawing thousands of visitors to experience majestic ships from around the world in full sail along Erie’s waterfront.

Challenge:

To elevate the event from a regional attraction to a national must-see, we looked to enhance Tall Ships Erie’s appeal while also preserving the event’s rich maritime heritage.

Strategy:

• Creating a compelling brand narrative
• Elevating the festival’s visibility
• Leveraging local partnerships for community involvement

Impact:

Solutions:

A brand anchored in history

The U.S. Brig Niagara is a gem along the Great Lakes, seminal in the story of the Battle of Lake Erie and in her capacity as the flagship of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We sought to celebrate Erie’s rich maritime heritage as well as the festival’s diverse offerings. With a blend of history-filled public relations, captivating visuals and strategic social media campaigns, we highlighted the festival’s rare opportunity to explore ships from different eras and countries.

To equally connect with longtime maritime lovers and first-time attendees, Engel O’Neill emphasized the allure of interactive ship tours, day sails, artisan markets and live performances. Additionally, the digital strategy amplified event anticipation, allowing audiences to experience Erie’s waterfront entertainment and the festival’s highlights before the ships even arrived.

Achieving national coverage

Engel O’Neill rolled up our sleeves to meet the challenge of extending the Tall Ships Festival’s visibility by creating more than 20 press releases that focused on showcasing Erie as a must-visit port. We touted this landmark event as one that would resonate with new visitors and returning enthusiasts alike. Our approach included a blend of PR, traditional media and digital marketing to elevate the festival’s visibility and attract people from across the United States.

It worked. ABC World News Tonight’s “Moment of Zen” featured Tall Ships Erie, posting the coverage on its Facebook page, garnering more than 142,000 views. National media attention also included coverage in The New York Times.

The Tall Ships Erie festival drew record-breaking attendance, broadening its demographic to include visitors from every corner of the country, and the festival’s success earned Erie its second-straight “Port of the Year” title from Tall Ships America.

The festival revitalized Erie’s local economy, with vendors reporting high-volume sales and local hotels reporting increased bookings, as well as significant bumps in dining and shopping activities.

Leveraging Local Partnerships

The entire Engel O’Neill team has roots in Erie County, so we knew that another key to the festival’s success would be getting the community involved. We positioned the festival as an essential cultural event, benefiting tourism and the local economy. We carefully curated experiences and community-driven initiatives that leveraged our partnerships with local businesses and organizations. Attendees, vendors and city officials praised the festival’s organization, attractions and overall experience, reinforcing Erie’s reputation as a top destination for maritime events, and turning this regional festival into a nationally recognized one. To top it all off, Tall Ships Erie was awarded “Port of the Year” by the National Tall Ships America Association.