SAIL Amsterdam: The Netherlands' premier sailing show

The SAIL Amsterdam festival is one of the main calling cards of the Netherlands. The boat show, incredibly large in scale, is held once every five years. Over the course of several days, hundreds of different vessels and ships pass through the canals of Amsterdam.

At SAIL Amsterdam you can find sailboats from different eras, from modern boats and yachts to replicas of historical warships and vessels. In 2025, 800 vessels of various sizes are expected.

Features of SAIL Amsterdam

The central event of the festival is the Ship Parade, which takes place along the Noordzee Canal or the North Sea Canal. This canal is located between the cities of Amsterdam and IJmuiden. The ships sail along the canal, creating an absolutely phantasmagoric picture - yachts, cargo sailing ships and military ships float down the river in a single endless stream. This part of the festival is called "Sail In".

After the ships have sailed through the canal, the participants of the event moor on the embankment of the river IJ, where they spend the next few days. On the last day of the festival, the participants head back in a crowd of sailors. The final exit of all the sailing ships from the North Sea Canal is called "Sail Out" and marks the end of the exhibition.

Parade of homemade boats

One of the most interesting parts of SAIL Amsterdam is the parade of self-propelled boats. It takes place along the inner canals of the city. To participate, you need to register, as well as a vehicle. It is not without reason that we used the term "vehicle", since ANY watercraft is allowed to participate. The main criterion is buoyancy. You can take part in the procession of homemade boats for free. 

All boats are judged by a jury, and at the end of the day, prizes are awarded to the most beautiful and original boat. A separate award is given to the "least fortunate" boat, that is, the boat that either looks really bad or floats really badly. The parade of homemade boats is usually held on the second day of the SAIL festival. 

A Brief History of SAIL Amsterdam

SAIL Amsterdam was first held in 1975 as part of the city's 700th anniversary celebrations. Dozens of historic sailing ships and training vessels entered the harbour, which was a real surprise for residents and tourists. The event was so successful that it was decided to repeat it every five years. 

The festival has gradually evolved into the largest maritime festival in the Netherlands and one of the largest in the world. It combines parades of Tall Ships (those same big sailing ships), modern yachts, warships and a cultural program with concerts, exhibitions and educational initiatives.

Over the decades, SAIL has become a maritime symbol of Amsterdam, attracting millions of visitors and hundreds of unique vessels from all over the world. With each subsequent festival, the format has expanded: new routes, environmental projects, demonstrations of shipbuilding innovations have been added. This event has become not only a celebration of maritime culture, but also a platform for international cooperation and the popularization of yachting.

COVID and the SAIL 2025 Peculiarity

In 2020, the festival was cancelled for the first time in its history due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions on public events made it impossible to hold an event that usually attracts over 2 million spectators. The cancellation was a serious blow to both the organizers and the city, as SAIL traditionally brings a huge tourist flow and image effect to Amsterdam. 

This is why SAIL 2025 has acquired a special significance: for the first time, the festival was held not once every five, but every ten years due to a forced break, and also coincided with an anniversary – the tenth in a row and dedicated to the 750th anniversary of Amsterdam.

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23.08.2025