NEWBURYPORT — They rose and fell on the swells of the world's oceans en route to exotic ports of call, selling spices or goods from their ports of origin.
Now, some of those tall ships, which have been captivating spectators across the globe, may make their way next year to Newburyport, a city with a rich maritime history of its own.
"It's very exciting," said Ann Ormond, president of Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce & Industry, who met with other regional leaders last night at Ten Center Street restaurant to flesh out a plan for bringing the boats to Newburyport's waterfront in 2012.
The mission of the 2012 Merrimack River Maritime Festival will be to "recognize, celebrate and preserve the maritime heritage of Merrimack River basin while engaging local businesses in an opportunity to generate economic activity and visitor spending, all while showcasing the allure of Greater Newburyport as an iconic maritime regional destination," Ormond said.
The four-day festival would coincide with the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, offering a host of opportunities to spotlight local history from the period, Ormond said. She expects local museums, such as the Custom House Maritime Museum and Historical Society of Old Newbury in Newburyport, as well as historical and marine organizations in Amesbury and Salisbury that have deep roots in the area's rich maritime past, to be involved.
"Visiting sailing ships will be the focus of the event, and ancillary land-based activities — such as live music, a clam chowder contest, nautical merchandise sales and children's activities — would occur," she said.
Ormond said the plan involves reorganizing the former Merrimack River Maritime Festival, spearheaded in 2008 and 2009 by the Salisbury Beach Partnership, to create a new nonprofit company to manage the event. While the company would include officials and business owners from Salisbury, Amesbury and Newburyport as stakeholders and members, the event would take place on Newburyport's picturesque waterfront.
Ormond said Conventures — a special events agency based in Boston that provides event management, public relations and marketing services — has proposed working with local officials in Newburyport, Amesbury and Salisbury, as well as area chambers of commerce to plan and promote the festival.
"We're really billing it as a regional event working with Salisbury and Amesbury," she said. "But Newburyport is really the focal point of it. In the eyes of many people, Newburyport is a real maritime destination."
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