Newport's Ocean Live Park to promote sailing and sustainability

School children celebrate The Ocean Race with Wisdom, the race's albatross mascot © Ainhoa Sanchez/Volvo AB/The Ocean Race

Sailing and environmental awareness will be central themes when The Ocean Race visits Newport, R.I., May 13-21, for the only North American stopover of the circumnavigation race.

The Ocean Race Newport Stopover will showcase the intersection of sailing and sustainability. Ocean Live Park, the race village at Fort Adams State Park, will host more than 4,000 school children for an immersive experience focused on the health of the world's oceans. The park will be open daily, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and admission is free to all.

"The Education Program is similar to the the 2018 stopover, but we're promoting The Ocean Race curriculum, which aligns with the environmental goals of the United Nations," said Cortney Kingsley, the Sail Newport education manager.

With Sail Newport's assistance, The Ocean Race curriculum has been taught to more than 60 teachers at 20 schools and eight outdoor education facilities across Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. The Ocean Race promotes ocean literacy and marine stewardship through science, English, math, and art from kindergarten to high school.

"The curriculum is for students aged six through high school," Kingsley said. "Our goal is to raise children's awareness about issues affecting the oceans and the important symbiotic relationship we, as humans, have with the oceans."

All visitors to the park will have the opportunity to enjoy interactive exhibits highlighting sailing, marine life, coastal environments, climate solutions, restoration, and blue technology, with learning activities for all ages.

Visitors will also see the race boats up-close at the dock at Sail Newport, team bases, and watch sailboat racing within yards of the shoreline at Fort Adams. Also, the Ocean Live Park has a packed schedule of opening ceremonies, live music and entertainment, family games, free Try Sailing!, special events, food trucks, cocktail cafes, a sailor parade, and a dock-out show on Sunday, May 21, at noon.

Two special features of the Ocean Live Park are One Blue Voice, presented by 11th Hour Racing, and The Exploration Zone-presented by BankNewport.

The One Blue Voice Immersive Experience, presented by 11th Hour Racing, is a multi-sensory show that takes visitors to sea on an IMOCA 60. Once "offshore," visitors will explore from the surface to the depths to discover everything the ocean does and what individuals can do to protect it.

Also, The Exploration Zone-presented by BankNewport includes unique hands-on exhibits focused on sailing, marine life, the coastal environment, ocean health, science, technology, and art.

"The race village will be incredibly dynamic in terms of what sailing is about," says Newport Mayor Xaykham Khamsyvoravong. "It's going to offer interactive opportunities that have a high educational benefit in addition to displaying sailboats at the cutting-edge of technology in the sport."

Fleet around Cape Horn

The Ocean Race fleet safely rounded Cape Horn earlier this week and is now in the South Atlantic Ocean, bearing down on the finish of the arduous Leg 3 in Itajaí, Brazil. Today marks Day 33 of the longest leg on record at 12,750-nautical miles that began in Cape Town, South Africa, on Feb. 26. The first finisher could arrive in Itajaí this weekend.

Upon arrival, the sailors will enjoy a respite of nearly three weeks before setting off on April 23 for Leg 4 to Newport. The fleet is expected to arrive May 10-12. The Ocean Race Newport is hosted by the State of Rhode Island, Sail Newport, the non-profit community sailing center, and 11th Hour Racing, the Newport-based global sustainability organization that is focused on restoring the health of the planet's oceans.

For more information visit, The Ocean Race Newport or The Ocean Race