Canada's largest sailing tall ship, the Empire Sandy, is coming to Erie for the Tall Ships 2019 festival.

The ship weights 740 tons and currently operates as a charting vessel for special events.

The Empire Sandy is 203-feet long and can hold up to 275 passengers, in in addition to a 25 member crew, seating up to 160 guests below decks.

It was not originally built as a tall ship in 1943, but it is the last of the large Empire fleet to still exist. A fleet of 1,464 other also carried the title after being built by the British Government for service in World War II.

Empire Sandy was originally a tugboat. It was used to recover damaged merchant ships after a battle, as well as other Royal Navy duties. 

The ship was to be sold off as scrap and broken apart in 1970s as steam-powered vessels were replaced with diesel power. However, the ship was sold again, rebuilt as a three-masted schooner and renamed Empire Sandy.

The Empire Sandy will be docked at the Bayfront Convention Center after the Parade of Sail on Thursday, Aug. 22.

Tall Ships Erie, which runs Aug. 22-25, 2019, will showcase 12 tall ships and offer deck tours, day sails, live music and entertainment, children's activities, a festival marketplace, food vendors, a beer garden and more.

You can learn more or purchase tickets here.