Amsterdam welcomes back sail festival after 10-year hiatus

AMSTERDAM, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Sail Amsterdam, the Netherlands' major maritime festival first held 50 years ago, kicked off its 10th edition on Wednesday after a decade-long break.

The festival officially began with the traditional Sail-In Parade along the North Sea Canal and IJ River, led by the three-masted clipper Stad Amsterdam (City of Amsterdam). The vessel was welcomed with cannon salutes and a flyover by jets from the Royal Dutch Air Force.