The traditional May fleet parade on the Elbe to mark the start of the Saxon Steam Navigation (SDS) season in Dresden begins and ends behind the Carola Bridge this year. The four ships moored on the Terrassenufer will pass the partially collapsed structure, which is currently being demolished, without passengers as part of the special regulations for commercial shipping to the starting point, according to the responsible authority.
The total of nine paddle steamers and two saloon ships of the White Fleet are fully booked, said a company spokesperson. A total of 3,000 guests as well as hundreds of onlookers are expected to attend the spectacle, which has been postponed slightly upriver this time due to the bridge collapse.
This time, the historic and modern ships decorated with flags will not set sail in front of the baroque old town backdrop towards Pillnitz, but opposite the Saxon State Chancellery, with live music on board and the sound of steam whistles and thyphones. They dock at the same place again later. On the way, spectators and walkers always greet them along the route, which runs along the banks and castles of the Elbe and under the Waldschlößchenbrücke and Blauem Wunder - a steel bridge that is over 100 years old.
