‘Operation Sail’ brought millions to Baltimore. Sail250 hopes to do it again.

It was July 1976, America’s bicentennial.

Construction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was ongoing, the blocky, brick iteration of the Maryland Science Center had only been open a month, and the Harborplace pavilions had yet to be conceived.

Still, organizers in Baltimore had spent more than a year luring “Operation Sail,” a parade of tall ships, to the city’s waterfront, which included largely undeveloped plots of land at the Inner Harbor.

Baltimore got its place in the traveling U.S. show, but no one could predict whether the event would be successful.

Despite heavy storms and a 14-mile traffic jam leading into the city, an estimated 1.5 million people showed up. It was a tourism boon and a great show of potential. The event would quickly spur the redevelopment of one of Baltimore’s largest assets: its waterfront.

Half a century later, as America celebrates its difficult-to-pronounce semiquincentennial, event organizers for the new version of Operation Sail, called Sail250, are hoping for another big turnout — and the economic impact that comes with it.

“Baltimore’s harbor just comes alive and shines when it’s full of ships,” said Christopher Rowsom, director of Sail250 Maryland and Airshow Baltimore. “It’s a great thing for the city; it’s an amazing opportunity for the state.”

The event comes as the Inner Harbor is once again in transition, with a planned $900 million overhaul that is expected to start later this year. And the timeline for the Key Bridge rebuild is in flux after the state fired its contractor.

Attendance estimates are more subdued than they were 50 years ago, with an expected 200,000 to 250,000 visitors this week at Sail250’s waterfront locations. Orioles baseball games at Camden Yards against the Washington Nationals could make the city feel even more packed this weekend.

Sail250 is a five-city showcase of international and domestic vessels, military ships and aircraft. Baltimore’s part, from June 24-30, is a one-time replacement of the biennial Maryland Fleet Week.

Locals and visitors can gawk at some 40 ships and explore multiple festivals at the city’s Inner Harbor, in Fells Point, on Baltimore Peninsula and at Martin State Airport. Baltimore is the only city to include an air show.

Attendance expectations for cities participating in Sail250 are high.

Norfolk, Virginia, which kicked off its Sail250 on Friday, expected 3 million visitors. Boston is anticipating 4 million. New York City is bracing for more than 6 million visitors and $2.85 billion in economic activity.

But these are estimates. Reality might be different. The event in Norfolk ends Tuesday, and it’s not clear how close the area has come to its prediction.

In New Orleans, where the tour kicked off in late May, 125,000 people visited the city’s French Quarter wharf, where the ships were docked, according to data from an artificial intelligence company. Mardi Gras, meanwhile, draws more than a million out-of-state visitors each year.

The 2024 Maryland Fleet Week brought 193,000 people to the city’s Inner Harbor, with over 51,000 visitors on its busiest weekend day, said Jonas Poggi, a spokesperson for the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office. It generated an estimated $63 million in economic impact, according to organizers.

Early hotel and short-term rental data show that out-of-town visitors weren’t lining up early for Sail250.

Hotel occupancy for the week and weekend of the event isn’t half full, and there was more demand for short-term Airbnb and Vrbo rentals for Baltimore Pride weekend earlier this month, according to AirDNA, a data company.

“It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how well the event will perform in terms of hotel demand,” Didio Pequeno, director of hospitality market analytics at CoStar, said in an email.

Still, city officials said they’re “preparing for significant attendance” at Sail250, and Baltimore City Police said they are planning increased deployments throughout the event.

Several streets will be closed in preparation for the event. The city’s Harbor Connector, a free water taxi, and the free Charm City Circulator will have expanded service on some routes.

“We really want to make sure that they leave with a really positive experience and a really positive impression of the city and the waterfront,” said Dan Taylor, president of the Waterfront Partnership. The nonprofit is largely responsible for maintaining the Sail250 host locations, except for Baltimore Peninsula.

Small retail stores, restaurants and cafes along Thames Street in Fells Point are leaning into the upcoming festivities. Businesses have decorated their buildings and storefronts with red, white and blue banners.

Others have commissioned local artists to use their windows as canvases. Laura Mattingly, co-owner of The Spice & Tea Exchange, hired Baltimore-based artist Caroline Lampinen to design and paint her window ahead of the event because “it grabs people’s attention as they’re walking by.”

“People notice us that maybe wouldn’t have otherwise,” she said.

That attention could make the store exceptionally busy. Mattingly said she expects the week of Sail250 to be an “all-hands-on-deck” situation.

The Daily Grind, a popular local coffee shop, is preparing for a busy time. The coffee shop has a front-row seat to the festivities, with locations in Fells Point and Baltimore Peninsula.

The Daily Grind is also launching a commemorative cold cup and a specialty drink: the “red, white and brew,” a latte made with strawberry and white chocolate flavors, topped with whipped cream and red, white and blue sprinkles.

They’ve started selling their own America250 merchandise, including mugs, hats and shirts.

In anticipation of the busy week ahead, Aryan Patel, manager of the Fells Point store, said they’ve started stocking up on cups and other inventory.

The Daily Grind’s outpost in Baltimore Peninsula is expected to have some of the best views of the weekend air shows. The waterfront neighborhood, home to Under Armour’s headquarters, has struggled to fill commercial and retail spaces, and new development there is on hold as a bank looks for new partners after Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank stepped away.

Local businesses welcome events like Sail250. This past winter caused a noticeable slowdown in foot traffic and sales, and the state of the local and national economies poses another challenge for business owners and their customers.

Sail250 could help make up for that and provide a buffer for the next winter season. That’s the benefit of an event like this, Taylor said.

“It’s more than just leaving people with a positive impression,” he added. “It’s saying come and see the special things we have to offer from a business standpoint.”