ERROR RG P4 2.9.1999 In yesterday's Shipping section, it was reported that the Tall Ships Festival will take place in Hamilton between July 9 and 13 of next year. The actual date of the event is June 9 and 13 of next year.

Bermudian organisers of the Tall Ships Race 2000 are looking for companies to produce and sell official merchandise during the ships' three-day sojourn in Hamilton next June.

Tall Ships 2000-Bermuda, whose purpose is to organise and facilitate the event on its way to and while in Bermuda, are seeking bids from retailers, wholesalers, importers, artists and crafts persons for the design, manufacturing and selling of high quality souvenirs.

The Tall Ships Race is an annual event involving hundreds of ships from all over the world.

This year the race took place in July between St. Malo, France and Greenock, Scotland.

Next year, however, the event will be a bit bigger "to mark the new Millennium'' involving races all the way across the Atlantic and back.

The Tall Ships Festival is due to take place between July 9 and 13 after a month-long leg of the race between Cadiz, Spain and Bermuda.

According to a leaflet from Tall Ships 2000-Bermuda, "...Hamilton Harbour will be graced by approximately 100 of these majestic ships'' and "a number of events are being planned for the trainees and members of the public during the weekend''.

Included in the schedule are open houses on selected Tall Ships, activities and sports for sail trainees and the Tall Ships Festival on Front Street, including "entertainment, food, crafts, shopping and fun for visitors and residents alike''.

It is during the festival that the merchandise will be sold.

Events co-ordinator Carol Wills said: "We're not sure exactly what sort of merchandise we're looking for yet. We're hoping that people will present some ideas of their own.'' Mrs. Wills did say that merchandise for these sort of events usually would include T-shirts, rain jackets, fleece jackets and watches.

She added: "Perhaps we could even have some commemoration plates or artwork done especially for the occasion.'' When asked how general fund-raising was coming along for the event, Mrs. Wills said: "We've had a very generous response so far. We have a team of people making one-on-one approaches to Bermudian and international companies.'' The deadline for entries is September 30 and organisers can be contacted for more information and bid forms by telephone on 296-4696, by fax on 296-4860 and e-mail on info y tallships2000.bm.

Port o' call: The Norwegian tall ship Cristian Radich, a regular to Bermuda, arrives in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland this summer.