HE WORLD’S LARGEST VIKING SHIP TO SAIL INTO THE WHARF THIS OCTOBER
Draken HH Charts Course to Visit 14 Coastal Harbors During Expedition America: U.S. East Coast Tour 2018 Including a 10-Day Stop in Washington, DC
WASHINGTON, DC, July 26, 2018– Norwegian Viking ship, Draken Harald Hårfagre(Draken), along with The Wharf’s development partnership, Hoffman-Madison Waterfront (HMW), and The Norwegian-American Chamber of Commercetoday announced Washington, DC, as the final stop on its Expedition America: East Coast Tour 2018 presented by Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky. The tour will bring the world’s largest operating Viking ship to Southwest DC for a 10-day stopover from Friday, October 5 to Sunday, October 15. The Draken visit promises visitors an engaging look at the modern-day Viking spirit, with guided deck tours and activations in the Draken Village.
“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.”
The largest modern-built Viking ship in the world, the Draken is 115 feet long, with a 26-foot beam and a 79-foot mast made from Douglas fir. It carries 260 square meters of sails, made from silk and was named after the Norwegian king Harald Harfagre, who unified Norway into one kingdom. Construction of the Draken began in 2010 and was completed in 2012.
“We are excited to work with the Draken Harald Hårfagre to deliver this unforgettable experience that is a first for Washington, DC,” said Monty Hoffman, Founder and CEO of PN Hoffman and Co-Developer of The Wharf. “The Wharf is a world-class destination that continues to connect visitors to the waterfront and attract international exhibitors. Through unique experiences such as hosting the Draken, we continue our efforts to provide programming that keeps our waterfront entertaining for all throughout the year.”
“The Viking lifestyle – with its focus on nautical life and shipbuilding – is a perfect match for The Wharf’s Potomac Riverfront environment,” said Amer Hammour, Chairman of Madison Marquette and Co-Developer of The Wharf. “As such, we are delighted to welcome the Draken Harald Harfagre Viking Ship to The Wharf and hope that it brings many hours of fun and recreation to the many Washingtonians and visitors who already enjoy our dynamic waterfront destination,” Hammour added.
Hosted in partnership with The Wharf, the Royal Norwegian Embassy, and the Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce Mid-Atlantic Chapter, the Draken will dock at The Wharf’s Transit Pier 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 marvel at this stunning Viking ship and 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 Norwegian organizations in Washington are very excited to welcome the Draken Viking ship to our city, an international meeting place for cooperation and building partnerships. We are proud to show the people of Washington DC, and the rest of the world, our great Norwegian heritage,” added Idar G. Voldnes, President of the Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce Mid-Atlantic Chapter.
The Draken Experience at The Wharf
Friday, October 5, 3 pm
Draken Arrival Ceremony
Led by Team Norway, 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, October 6 – Sunday, October 14
Draken Village & Deck Tours
The Draken will be open for timed and ticketed deck tours. Tour ticketscan 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.
Following the overwhelming response from the 2016 tour, the Draken Harald Hårfagre North American tour consists of stopovers across the U.S. East Coast states of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, DC, 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. For more information on the Draken’s stop at The Wharf please visit wharfdc.com or download the District Wharf app available onAppleandAndroiddevices
Media Contacts:
En Route for Draken HH
Crystal Casazza, Communications Director
crystal@enroutemarketing.com, 215.867.8060
The Wharf
Sofia Royce, Senior PR Manager at BrandLinkDC
sofia@brandlinkdc.com, 202.733.5223
About Draken Harald Hårfagre:
In 2016, the Draken successfully crossed the North Atlantic Ocean, recreating one of the most epic, mythical explorations of all time in the wake of the Viking Explorer, Leif Ericsson. Visiting numerous ports and encountering thousands of people along her Trans-Atlantic journey, the Draken Harald Hårfagre emerged as a pillar of culture, education, and enrichment, bringing the illustrious Viking age of exploration to life in today’s modern age. Curated by Sigurd Aase, construction of the Draken began in 2010 – creating what would be the largest Viking ship ever built in modern times. Named after Harald Hårfagre, the king who unified Norway into one kingdom, the great dragon ship came together in the town of Haugesund in Western Norway. Draken measures 115 feet from stem to stern, 26 feet wide, with 260 square meters of silk sail, and a 79 foot tall mast made from Douglas fir. She is a seaworthy ship, able to sail the Oceans of the World. www.drakenhh.com.
About Highland Park:
Highland Park is a renowned single-malt Scotch whisky from Orkney, a remote set of islands off the far north coast of Scotland. Established in 1798, the distillery combines the highest standards of craftsmanship with the pride and fierce independence of the early Viking settlers who made Orkney their home over 1,000 years ago to create a perfectly balanced single-malt Scotch whisky that stands apart. Highland Park’s range of single-malt whiskies is consistently acclaimed by whisky lovers around the globe, with the brand receiving the accolade of “Best Spirit in the World” from industry expert Paul Pacult on three separate occasions. www.highlandparkwhisky.com
About The Wharf
The Wharf is Washington, DC’s, most exciting neighborhood. This remarkable mile-long neighborhood along the Washington Channel of the Potomac River reestablishes Washington, DC, as a true waterfront city and destination. Phase 1 opened in October 2017 with two million square feet of residences, offices, hotels, shops, restaurants, cultural uses, marinas, and public areas including waterfront parks, promenades, piers, and docks. When complete in 2022, this $2.5 billion, world-class, mixed-use waterfront neighborhood will feature more than 3.5 million square feet of development. The Wharf is easily accessible to the region by water taxi, Metro, WMATA and Southwest Neighborhood Shuttle buses, bicycle, foot, and car.
Development is led by PN Hoffman and Madison Marquette, in conjunction with ER Bacon Development, City Partners, Paramount Development and Triden Development.More information is available at www.wharfdc.com. Download the District Wharf app for a live news feed, information on events, interactive map, transportation updates and more. The app is available on Apple and Android devices.
About Team Norway:
Team Norway consists of The Royal Norwegian Embassy, The Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce Mid-Atlantic, The Norwegian-American Defense Industry Council and Innovation Norway. These organizations work closely together to promote Norwegian-American relations. Together they connect business, government and industry representatives in the U.S. and Norway, helping them identify strategic partners and resources, reach potential customers and develop business opportunities. The Vikingship Draken Harald Hårfagre will be a great platform for the organizations and their business partners to promote Norwegian-American partnerships.
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