Elizabeth II Taking Voyage to Elizabeth City
The Elizabeth II, whose homeport is Roanoke Island Festival Park, will be docked on the Elizabeth City waterfront this week, Oct 22-25.
The 16th Century representative ship will start her outreach voyage, weather permitting, to Elizabeth City on Wednesday, October 21. The voyage is sponsored by the Friends of Elizabeth II, a 501c3 non-profit organization supporting history, education and arts programs of the Elizabeth II and Roanoke Island Festival Park.
The ship will host 4th grade students from Pasquotank County Friday, October 23, and the general public Saturday, October 24, from 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. when it will be free and open to the public. The Elizabeth II will begin her return to RIFPOctober 25 and back at her homeport October 26 ready to receive visitors October 27.
Kim Sawyer, Executive Director of Roanoke Island Festival Park says “The Elizabeth II crew is excited to return to Elizabeth City. The beautiful waterfront is the perfect setting to board the ship and step back into history with our costumed interpreters. Thanks to the Elizabeth City CVB and the City of Elizabeth City for their support of this voyage. They have been great planning partners in support of the sail.” The Elizabeth II has previously traveled to Elizabeth City in 1986, 1996 and 2006.
Christina Rehklau, Director of Elizabeth City Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, adds, “We are thrilled to host theElizabeth II for the third time in Elizabeth City! The Elizabeth II brings history alive in a unique way for children and adults. Plus, I cannot wait to hear the ship’s gun being fired.”
The City of Elizabeth City is centrally located in northeastern North Carolina, midway between New York and Florida and between Hampton Roads to the north and the Outer Banks to the east. The city is on the Pasquotank River and is an attractive stop for boaters on the Albemarle Sound and the Intracoastal Waterway. It was incorporated in 1793. Its beginnings dates to 1663 when the Lords Proprietors of Carolina laid out the Albemarle area with Pasquotank County right in the center. Today, their “Harbor of Hospitality” plays host to an inviting waterfront which includes the Museum of the Albemarle, a vibrant downtown, places to shop and dine, historic homes and a thriving arts community. The area is also home to one of the U.S. Coast Guard’s busiest bases and three colleges- Elizabeth City State University, College of the Albemarle and Roanoke Bible College.
Roanoke Island Festival Park, the home of Elizabeth II, is part of The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) a state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state’s natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. Led by Secretary Susan Kluttz, NCDNCR’s mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state’s history, conserving the state’s natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.
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