Charleston's annual maritime festival has just changed it's name to the Charleston Harbor Fest, and it's scheduled for May 16 - 18, 2008.

The festival has been expanded this year to include locations on both sides of the harbor in a true harbor-wide celebration of the sea. 

A Water Action Village Expo (WAVE) at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant will highlight extreme water sports and modern boating, modern marine sports equipment, water sports non-profits, and boat, kayak, kite boarding, and surfing vendors.  In addition, a Maritime Village downtown at the Maritime Center and in Ansonborough Field will highlight traditional maritime activities and past times, pirate themes, marine related non-profits and vendors selling traditional marine items.  A water shuttle and bus shuttle will provide transportation between the downtown location and the Patriots Point location.

Access to the Charleston Harbor Fest is FREE to the public and 50,000+ visitors are expected throughout the weekend.

Attractions downtown will feature tours of tall ships including the Amistad, Schooner Virginia, the Spirit of South Carolina and the Corwith Cramer, an authentic pirate camp, wooden boats, a children's village, family boat building, an education village, food, music and more.

Across the harbor at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant attractions will feature extreme wake boarding demos, an aerobatic flight demonstration, the Water Action Village Expo (WAVE), a static boat display, helicopter harbor tours, a children's village, food, music and more.

Charleston Harbor Fest will take place in the following locations:

Charleston Maritime Center Docks and Lawn: Amistad, Schooner Virginia, Corwith Cramer, Spirit of South Carolina, Classic Wooden Boat display, Family Boatbuilding, Maritime Village vendors, Merchandise Tent, Main Food tents, VIP Tent, Children's activities.

Liberty Square: Education Village, African American Village, water shuttle

Ansonborough Field: Pirate Camp, Children's activities, Inflatables, Merchandise Tent, Food Vendors, stage, food café.    

Patriots Point: Satellite Parking, water shuttle to and from Downtown operated by Spirit Line Cruises, bus shuttle to and from Downtown, the Yorktown, Water Action Village Expo (WAVE), static display boat show, extreme sports displays (rock climbing wall, kite surfing display, etc), Harbor Helicopter Tours, Aerobatic Flight Demonstrations, Children's Village, food and music.

This is going to be a day packed with lots and lots to do, so make sure you come on out and enjoy just one of the reasons that Charleston is an awesome place to live!