From June 25–28, Philadelphia and Camden will be celebrating the Tall Ships festival along the shared waterfronts. I had the chance to take a sneak peek at the festivities yesterday, but unfortunately strong weather earlier in the week delayed the arrival of the tall ships, and I didn’t get to see the full parade. A highlight — should your schedule allow for a visit this weekend — The Hermione, a French replica of the 145-foot-long Concorde-class frigate of the French Navy, famous for carrying General Lafayette to the United States in 1780, allowing him to rejoin the American Revolutionary War. At a luncheon celebrating the arrival of the ship in a room overlooking the waterfront, I learned more about the history. In 1997, Hermione fans had the idea to rebuild the frigate in its identical form. Led by the Hermione-La Fayette Association, the 17-year construction project took place in Rochefort, France, with companies from around the Poitou-Charentes region participating. Construction wrapped in 2014, and on April 18, 2015, Captain Yann Cariou and his crew of 78 set sail for Philadelphia, among other stops. Also creating a buzz at this year’s event? The World’s Largest Rubber Duck! Just how big, you may be wondering? It is 61 feet tall and weights 11 tons and will certainly be a highlight of the waterfront viewpoint this weekend. — Kim Krol, managing editor