Where tradition meets the open water.

Championing the Nova Scotia schooner—its history, its craft, and its place on the waters of tomorrow.

Photo by Chris Knight on Unsplash

65th Annual Schooner Race Week: Sunday, Aug 2-8, 2026

Schooners from all over Nova Scotia will gather in Hubbards by Sunday, Aug 2, to be ready to greet the public on the Community Waterfront at 20 Yacht Club Road.

Daily races to win historic trophies will be held from Monday, August 3, through Saturday, August 8. The start-horn blasts at 12:30 pm each day near the start line at the mouth of the cove. This will offer the most exhilarating view of the schooners, close to one another as they battle to be the first to cross the line.

65th Annual Schooner Race Week Sun, Aug 2–8, 2026

Calendar

Aug 3

Race No. 1

Our media sponsor, COVE FM, and NSSA social media will announce the daily racecourses, best land-sighting points, and daily race results for each race all week.

Watch our social media for the best vantage points to view racing boats for each race.

Aug 4

Race No. 2

We have some young students from the new Africville Sailing School racing with us today. See a dozen schooners leave the harbour for a day of competition and adventure in St. Margaret’s Bay each day.

Aug 5

Race No. 3

Old rivalries are reignited. The NS schooners will be trying to beat BLACKBIRD all week, a 40-foot schooner joining us this year from the US. Finally, we’ll have a chance to win back the Halifax Herald – International Schooner Race Trophy!

Aug 6

Race No. 4—Female Skipper Race

The Female Skipper Race brings out the real rivalry as women compete for the Willa Creighton Memorial Trophy, created over a decade ago by postmistress Rochelle Whynot from Riverport. Captain Val Doan, a Master Mariner and international sailor, has won this beautiful trophy for two years in a row, on Rencontre (2024) and on Commet II (2025). Can anyone beat Captain Doan this year?

Aug 7

Race No. 5

Each morning at the Skipper’s Meeting on the wharf, the previous day’s race results are shared. We then determine which course to race based on the weather, wind strength, and other variables. Crews are always eager to get back to their boats and out into the Bay.

Aug 8

Race No. 6

The final day of racing brings it all home. The schooner crews enjoy themselves out on the water for a final day of safe hijinks. Of course, fine weather is always appreciated, but what really thrills a schooner captain is plenty of good ol’ NS wind!

Announcing the winners

Social media and Cove FM announce the trophy winners from the private NSSA event the night before. Say goodbye to the white sails and wooden vessels. See you again Hubbards, in another 5 years for our 70^th birthday!

Race Week Funders

This year’s Schooner Race Week event has received generous funding from the Halifax Regional Municipality (Councillor Nancy Hartling and Deputy Mayor Patty Cuttel), the Municipality of the District of Chester (Councillor Clarissa Coolen and the Events and Festivals grant) and the Aspotogan Heritage Trust.

Photos by Rhinelander

See all the 65th Schooner Race Week schedule or racecourse.

Featured events

Calendar

See 65th anniversary race week events here.

Celebrating 65 Years of the NSSA!

On July 25, 1961, the first Nova Scotia Schooner Championship was held in Hubbards Cove, Nova Scotia. After a successful inaugural race event, the skippers gathered aboard the beautiful, 1905 Tancook Island Schooner Adare, and the Nova Scotia Schooner Association (NSSA) was formed. Its mission was to further interest in, and the preservation of, schooner vessels, and to hold schooner races at least once a year. Schooner Race Week was the result and lives on today to the delight of traditional boat lovers around the province!

Photos by Dream Imagine Believe Photography

What is a Schooner?

Historically, schooners were the workhorses of the sea. The first genuine schooner was developed in North America around 1713, but they became the absolute backbone of Nova Scotian maritime trade, transport, and fishing from the mid-18th century onward.

These early vessels were the backbone of Nova Scotia's marine legacy. The tradition is being kept alive today with boat builders around the province, found especially in Lunenburg, where you can still view, tour, and even sail on classic schooners like the famous Bluenose II.

Masts: while modern day schooners have a main mast and a fore mast, older schooners often had three or more 'spars’!.

The Rigging: schooners are known for their "fore-and-aft" sail rigging. This means the sails run parallel to the ship's length, making them easy to maneuver.

Did you know?

In Canada and the US, a schooner refers to two types of vessels: a two-masted sailboat and a very large beer glass, typically holding 18 to 21 fluid ounces.