THE final countdown has begun for The Tall Ships Races Sunderland 2018 - a five-day festival of magnificent ships, circus, theatre and music.

With just one month to go to the event, organisers have revealed the scale of the event in numbers and the economic impact it is expected to have on the city.

Fifty five ships from 16 countries are now making final preparations before setting sail for Sunderland, with one ship, the Tarangini, facing a 3,600-nautical mile journey.

One of the largest ships taking part is Christian Radich from Norway, at 73m long and 33.6.m high, while the smallest is the Wyvern at just 13m.

Visitors will be able to enjoy a sneak preview on Tuesday July 10, with the festival officially beginning the following day, when ships taking part will be in position in the River Wear and the port.

Along with their crews of 466 experienced international sailors, 152 young sail trainees from Sunderland will join ships on Friday July 13.

They will also join the 1000-strong Crew Parade through Sunderland on Thursday July 12, from 3pm to 4pm, and later take part in the first leg of the Races, to Esbjerg, Denmark.As host port for the event, Sunderland has laid on its biggest-ever, free public festival, spread across four event zones.

There will be 200 performances of theatre, circus and music, from school choirs, brass bands and local bands such as The Lake Poets and Smoove and Turrell to international performance artists and a high-wire spectacular from Cirque Bijou.

And 250 bars and catering concessions will be on hand selling everything from coffee and crepes to pints and pizza.

Sunderland City Council culture portfolio holder Councillor John Kelly said the event is expected to generate £30m for the city’s economy.

Those keen to swap dry land for the open sea can now buy tickets for a trio of tall ships cruises, including a series of afternoon cruises, a fireworks cruise on Wednesday July 11 and a VIP Parade of Sail Cruise on the last day of the event.

For full details of the festival and to buy tickets for the cruises, visit www.tallshipssunderland.com.