18 ships and a festival of fun

Harbor Fest 2009 will transform the Charleston's Maritime Center, Patriot's Point, Ansonborough Field and Liberty Square into a fun-filled celebration of land, air and sea.

The festival kicks off Thursday and runs through Monday.

Despite the shaky economy, more advance tickets have already been sold this year than total tickets last year, according to Meaghan Van Liew, deputy director of the South Carolina Maritime Foundation, which organizes the annual festival. She expects thousands of visitors from all over the world.

"It's a very exciting year," she said. "We expect the biggest festival ever."

This year's festival boasts 18 tall ships from all over the world, including Charleston's own "The Spirit of South Carolina." It's the biggest fleet ever, Van Liew said. A major attraction is the four-masted Russian

Kruzenshtern, the second-tallest in the world at 376 feet.

Residents might get a glimpse of the Kruzenshtern today. The ship is expected to arrive at Union Pier this morning for a mast repair before the festival and should be visible from a distance. The pier won't be open to visitors until Friday morning.

The ships will sail into the Charleston Harbor Thursday. They've all been involved in the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge, a race that started April 30 in Vigo, Spain, and ends Aug. 13 in Belfast, United Kingdom.

"Kids will love the tall ships, because they can climb aboard and explore them with their imaginations," Van Liew said. "They can hold the ship's wheel and pretend they are the captain."

The festival also includes an air show, featuring free-fall parachuting by the U.S. Special Operations Command Parachute Team.

Freedom Village will include NASA's Exploration Experience, an interactive exhibit that will take kids on a simulated journey through space.

Visitors can also peer under the sea. A popular feature from last year are the ROVs, or Remote Operated Vehicles used by scientists to explore ocean life. Kids can remotely control these "underwater robots" to pick up objects inside a water tank.

Kids can also learn about pollution and how they can protect our environment in the new "Water Walk" exhibit.

Old Charles Towne will feature reenactments of events from Charleston's history starting in the late 1600s. The Children's Pirate Parade starts at 11 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Maritime Center flagpole. Kids can dress up like pirates and hunt for hidden treasure. Roaming pirates will break out in sword fights and tell stories throughout the day.

In the Kids' Zone, children can build their own wooden ship, take a plunge down the inflatable Super Water Slide, scale the climbing wall, or even try out the Spider Jump, an exciting (but safe) version of bungee jumping.

On Saturday, families can build their own 12-foot rowboat. Aided by volunteers, families can use materials such as cedar and plywood framing provided by the festival plus their own tools from home. The boats are tested in the water Sunday.

The closing ceremony, called the Parade of Sails, is from 4 to 6 p.m. next Monday,. People can see all 18 tall ships in the harbor with their sails up. The ships can be viewed from land or boats or from cruise lines such as Spiritline Cruises and Charleston Harbor Tours.

The Maritime Foundation is a non-profit organization that teaches Charleston's schoolchildren about their environment and water resources. Proceeds from the festival help improve public education and fund the "Spirit of South Carolina" program, which takes more than 2,000 low-income school students a year on sails across the harbor.