First Minister attends final day of Tall Ships festival

22nd July 2025

First Minister John Swinney will be among the crowds of people gathering in Aberdeen today to watch the Parade of Sail on the last day of the Tall Ships Races festival.

The First Minister will meet young trainees who are taking part in the races, event organisers and volunteers before watching the 50 Tall Ships leave the harbour.

Speaking ahead of the event, the First Minister commented, "The Tall Ships Races 2025 is a major international maritime and cultural moment for Aberdeen and Scotland as a whole. Over the past four days it has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors, making it the city's biggest event in a generation.

"The success of this festival is a testament to Aberdeen’s role as a maritime city with a focus on international engagement and community involvement.

“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting world-class events, such as the Tall Ships Festival, that raise Scotland’s profile as the perfect stage and showcase our event and tourism assets.

“Scotland is set to host several other major international and national events, including the Commonwealth Games in 2026, Tour de France Grand Depart in 2027 and the 2028 UEFA European Championships - further enhancing our global profile and supporting economic, cultural and community development across the country."