Chicago has been shaped by her waterways. From the early days of the canoe to the days of sail and steam, the lives of people around the Great Lakes, and many around the world have been touched by the maritime heritage of Chicago. The Chicago Maritime Festival is an international gathering to celebrate Chicago's maritime community. It is a program organized by the Chicago Maritime Society, the Chicago Historical Society, and Common Times. The festival takes place at the Chicago Historical Society located on Clark Street at North Avenue in Chicago. Additional activities, such as school outreach and informal shanty sings, take place at various sites throughout the city.

The seminars, workshops, and exhibits are for everyone --from recreational sailors and boaters to professional mariners; shipwreck divers to beach bathers; maritime artists and historians; and for anyone who loves the water. The sessions are presented by organizations such as the Friends of the Chicago River, the Underwater Archeological Society of Chicago, the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, the International Shipmasters Association, the Chicago Maritime Society, and the National Weather Service. There are exhibits from Chicago's maritime past and activities geared for the young people who are Chicago's maritime future.

Music is a big part of the festival. Songs and stories of the sea are presented by some of the finest maritime performers in the world in daytime workshops and in the international sea music concert on Saturday evening. This concert will feature music from the Great Lakes as well as performers from across the Atlantic and other parts of the world who all share a place in the world's maritime community. When these performers go back to their home waters, they take with them stories of the Great Lakes nautical heritage and new friends from Chicago's maritime community. Concerts will also be presented for area schools on Friday.

2005 Sponsors include:

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