A replica of the Hermione sailed into jubilation Saturday morning, as hundreds packed into a sunny Boston Harbor, wearing colonial garb and straw hats, listening to the sound of bagpipes, and waving French and American flags.
The Friends of Hermione-Lafayette in America, Inc. (FOHLA), a non-profit educational and cultural organization, is sponsoring the historic return of the Hermione to Boston, as part of her U.S. summer tour up the eastern seaboard.
When the French military officer Marquis de Lafayette landed in Boston more than 200 years ago — bearing news that changed the course of the American Revolution — Bostonians greeted him with the roar of guns, the ringing of the city’s bells, and the music of a band.
The masterful, hand-crafted, recreation of the original tall ship which the Marquis de Lafayette sailed to Boston with news for General Washington of full French support for America's cause, docked in Rowes Wharf.
Harbor Fest, which continues today, features face painting, juggling acts, kayak and paddleboard demonstrations, windsurfing, sand sculpting, acrobatic performances and maritime storytelling, as well as an annual art show and Chinese auction by the Fairport Harbor Historical Society.
The attractions are split between the Lake Metroparks’ beach and the Osborne Dock near the mouth of the Grand River.