Norwegian Viking ship, Draken Harald Hårfagre(Draken), today announced Newport, RI as the sixth official stop on its Expedition America: East Coast Tour 2018 presented by Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky. The tour, which launched in July 2018, will bring the world’s largest operating Viking ship to Newport for a four-day stopover from August 10-13. Beginning with an arrival ceremony on August 10 and continuing with three days of ship tours and activations in the Draken Village, the Draken visit promises visitors an engaging look at the modern-day Viking spirit.

“Newport is synonymous with sailing, and this island, with it’s natural harbor is the ancestral home of many merchants and seafarers,” said Trixie Wadson, Marketing Director, Bowen’s Wharf Co. Company founder, President Bart Dunbar added,“As a the host of many Tall Ships events over the years I believe the visit of theDraken ship will be a spectacular attraction in our historic town. The construction of expedition and recreation vessels is near to my heart and closely aligned with our Rhode Island marine industry. We all welcome this great wooden ship.”

The Draken will dock at Bowen’s Wharf Marina (1Bowen’s Landing) and will offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for visitors to relive history in a way never experienced before. Draken will allow guests to not only marvel at this stunning Viking ship – but also to interact with the crew as they share their personal experiences of thrill, fear, and exhilaration while enduring the ship’s 2016 transatlantic crossing – reliving the Viking discovery of the New World more than 1,000 years ago.

The Draken Experience in Newport
Friday August 10, 2018 3:30pm
Draken Arrival Ceremony
Guests are invited to greet the Draken ship as it sails into port with a display of Viking valor and excitement. Captain Björn Ahlander and his crew will step ashore to welcome the crowd and introduce the Draken. This event is free and open to the public.
Saturday August 11– Monday August 13, 10:00am to 8:00pm
Draken Village & Deck Tours
Beginning daily at 10:00a.m., Draken will be open for timed and ticketed deck tours. Tour tickets, which run $6 for kids (ages 5 to 15, free admission for ages 4 and under); $12 for adults (ages 16 and over); and $30 for a family pack (includes two adults, and up to three children) can be purchased online at www.drakenhh.com, or on-site at the Draken Village. During each 30-minute tour, guests are guided through the ship and offered a look at a day-in-the-life of the crew and the historic craftsmanship used to build the ship with oak, tar, hemp, iron, and silk.
Within the Draken Village, which is free and open to the public, guests can experience a photo and video exhibition illustrating Viking history, modern explorers, and the adventures of the Draken; land-side views of the ship; the Highland Park Whisky hospitality tent; local food and beverage vendors; official Draken merchandise, and more.

Additional ticketed Draken events include a lecture with Captain Björn Ahlander outlining the adventurous expeditions of the Draken (Saturday,August 11,7:00pm to 9:00pm, $25).

“The Vikings were accomplished navigators, artisans, traders and storytellers, but their greatest triumph was the ships they built,” said Captain Björn Ahlander. “Each Draken stopover offers guests a tangible tie to history. We hope our visitors are inspired by the vigor of the Viking spirit and our modern-day adventures.”

Following the overwhelming response from the 2016 tour, the next leg of the Draken Harald Hårfagre North American tour will consist of stopovers across the U.S. East Coast states of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, and more. The final tour schedule and all stopover ports are set to be announced in the coming weeks.

The crew on board Draken is a team of 35 men and women from all over the world, representing a diverse mix of age, gender, nationality, and background. The Draken is now accepting applications for public volunteer crew positions. To take part in this rare opportunity visit: www.drakenhh.com/join-the- crew.

To learn more about the Draken ship, team, and 2018 tour, visit www.DrakenHH.com or @DrakenHH on social media.

Ryan Belmore is the Owner and Publisher of What'sUpNewp. Although not the founder or original owner, Belmore has been with What'sUpNewp since its early beginnings in 2012.

Belmore was born in Providence, Rhode Island; grew up and graduated high school in Coventry, Rhode Island; and lived in Newport, Rhode Island for more than ten years. He currently serves as Vice President of the Board Of Directors for Fort Adams Trust and on the Board of Directors for Potter League For Animals.

He and his wife, Jen, as well as their two dogs (Aero and June), recently moved to Alexandria, Virginia. Belmore travels back and forth to Newport every couple of weeks to cover events, work on story ideas, to meet with What'sUpNewp's on-the-ground contributors, to visit friends, and to eat as much seafood as possible.

Belmore is a member of Local Independent Online News Publishers, Society of Professional Journalists, and the North American Snowsports Journalists Association.