Seawall festival honors OpSail 2012

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - Merchants are anticipating one of the largest maritime events to come to our region in more than a decade.

OpSail 2012 is held this year in conjunction with Norfolk's Harborfest and the Seawall Festival in Portsmouth.

"It's exciting," David Cartier told WAVY.com. Cartier owns the Starboards Coffee Kiosk in Portsmouth off High Street.

"It's actually refreshing to see both side of the water working together for an event like this,"
Cartier said.

Nearby at Skipjacks Nautical Wares, owner Joe Elder told WAVY.com, "It's probably a once in a lifetime opportunity for a store like ours to be in the middle of it so we're very excited." 

He has special plans for the weekend. "We're going to have some of our maritime artists on hand throughout the weekend to demonstrate things like scrimshaw caring, knot tying and wood carving and other maritime related art," Elder said.

Valora Baskerville is coordinating the Seawall Festival/ OpSail 2012 in Portsmouth. "We have some of the tall ships coming into the area that everyone will be able to go on and take a tour." 

She said food vendors, national and local musical entertainment, plus expanded children's activities will highlight the weekend. Thousands of people are expected to attend the free events.