Tall ships beating toward the Harbor and surfer chicks and dudes shooting the curl are all part of the annual Sea Festival in Santa Barbara April 12 and 13.

Classic ships sail Central Coast

 

The event’s sponsor is the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.

“We’ve had the Sea Festival every year since we opened in 2001,” said Greg Gorga, the museum’s director of development. “And don’t forget, all the events at the festival are free.”

 

The festival’s hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. An opening ceremony for the Marilyn S. Tennity Surfing Exhibit will take place Saturday at 1 p.m. This is the most recent permanent display for the museum, and highlights local surfers and surf spots. It will showcase “the surfing innovators who influenced the sport through competitions, film, art and photography, board design, and surf equipment,” according to a museum press release.

 

There will be book signings on Saturday with Linda Chase, author of “Surfing: Women of the Waves” and Shaun Tomson, author of “Surfer’s Code.”

Tours will be offered aboard the tall ship Dana Point, which is owned by the museum, as well as the 91-year-old flagship Ranger and the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Blackfin.

In keeping with the history of sailing ships, Irish music will be played on Sunday at 1 p.m. by the group Foggy Dew.

 

Other events planned include docent-guided tours of the Dana Point, “totally tubular” crafts, sea and surf sing-a-longs and storytelling.

Also available during the evenings are sunset sails aboard the Dana Point, from 5-7 p.m. (boarding at 4:30 pm). Tickets are $40 for adults (ages 13+) and $19 for juniors (4-12). The museum said space is limited, and advance purchase is suggested.

More information is available by calling (805) 962-8404, ext. 115.