Auckland Anniversary Regatta organisers are encouraging sailors and spectators to mark their diaries now for one of the world's oldest sailing regattas.
Regatta spokesperson, Eric Mahoney says the 173 year old event has something for everyone - events for all types of yachts big and small, dragon boats, tugboats remote controlled yachts, and more.
"If you grew up in Auckland, you may have memories of getting up early on Auckland Anniversary Day to get down to the water," Eric Mahoney says. "If you weren't going sailing, you were probably looking for a picnic spot with a view of the harbour, so you could watch hundreds of sails moving around the racecourse."
"The world has changed a lot over the decades, but Anniversary Regatta is still about one thing: boating. The classic yachts of yesterday are joined by grand prix race machines, children's dinghies, tug boats and dragon boats, and it all comes together for a fantastic spectacle."
Eric urges anyone that owns a boat to get it out on the water for Auckland Anniversary Regatta, and for anyone that knows someone who owns a boat, to convince them to take part in the festivities.