▁and ▁ ▁being ▁constructed ▁there . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁first ▁International ▁Festival ▁of ▁the ▁Sea ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁Br istol ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁with ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁as ▁primary ▁participants . ▁Following ▁the ▁decl ining ▁numbers ▁of ▁visitors ▁to ▁Port sm outh ▁Navy ▁Day ' s ▁encourag ed ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁to ▁inv ite ▁the ▁festival ▁to ▁Port sm outh ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁followed ▁again ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁Both ▁events ▁were ▁highly ▁successful ▁with ▁over ▁ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁visitors ▁to ▁each . ▁This ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁International ▁Festival ▁of ▁the ▁Sea ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁T raf al gar ▁ 2 0 0 ▁and ▁Sea ▁Britain ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁festiv ities ▁to ▁mark ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 th ▁An ni versary ▁of ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁T raf al gar ▁ ▁Event ▁Sp ons ors ▁The ▁main ▁spons ors ▁of ▁the ▁event ▁were ▁the ▁Th ales ▁Group ▁and ▁Roll s - Ro y ce , ▁each ▁of ▁which ▁spons ored ▁a ▁specific ▁day ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁four . ▁Th ales ▁were ▁spons ors ▁of ▁ 3 0 ▁June ▁as ▁Youth ▁and ▁Education ▁Day , ▁whilst ▁Roll s - Ro y ce ▁spons ored ▁ 2 ▁July ▁and ▁the ▁Sea ▁the ▁Future ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁festival . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁this , ▁The ▁History ▁Channel ▁spons ored ▁a ▁special ▁Sea ▁History ▁area ▁and ▁Vol vo ▁provided ▁vehicles ▁as ▁the ▁official