• 2026 Lewes Maritime Day and Overfalls Opening Ceremony

    2026 Lewes Maritime Day and Overfalls Opening Ceremony

    Join us on Saturday May 16th between 11 am and 3 pm for a celebration of Lewes’ maritime history! Free and open to the public, there will be an opening ceremony at 11 am to recognize National Maritime Day, acknowledge our Overfalls members who have recently passed over the bar, to announce our 2026 education scholarships and to celebrate the reopening of the Lightship Overfalls (LV-118) for the season. Come stroll the vendor exhibits, have a bite to eat, enjoy live music provided by Historic Lewes and Minus 2 Plus 1 and experience the boat tours and demonstrations throughout the day. Exhibits will include an active pilot boat, the Lewes Fireboat, a liferaft opening demonstration and a Sussex Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) live radio station.   Lightship Overfalls will be open for free visits and tours starting at noon.

    For further information click here.

    If looking to be an Exhibitor, please email us at [email protected]

  • 2025 Lewes Maritime Day and Overfalls Opening Ceremony

    2025 Lewes Maritime Day and Overfalls Opening Ceremony

    Join us on Saturday May 17th between 11 am and 3 pm for a celebration of Lewes’ maritime history! Free and open to the public, there will be an opening ceremony at 11 am to recognize National Maritime Day, acknowledge our Overfalls members who have recently passed over the bar, to induct the 2025 Delaware Maritime Hall of Fame honorees and to celebrate the reopening of the Lightship Overfalls (LV-118) for the season. Come stroll the vendor exhibits, have a bite to eat, enjoy live music provided by Historic Lewes and Minus 2 Plus 1 and experience the boat tours and demonstrations throughout the day. Exhibits will include an active pilot boat, the USCG cutter Heron, a liferaft opening demonstration and a Sussex Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) live radio station.   Lightship Overfalls will be open for free visits and tours starting at noon.

    For further information click here.

    If looking to be an Exhibitor, please email us at [email protected]

  • Lewes Maritime Day and Overfalls Opening Ceremony

    Lewes Maritime Day and Overfalls Opening Ceremony

    Join us on Saturday May 18th between 10 am and 2 pm for a celebration of Lewes’ maritime history!  Free and open to the public, there will be an opening ceremony at 10 am to recognize Merchant Mariners who have served our country and to celebrate the reopening of the Lightship Overfalls (LV-118).  Come stroll the vendor exhibits, boat tours and demonstrations throughout the day.  Exhibits and the ship will be open for free visits and tours starting at 11 am.  Some boating and sailing excursions will be offered for a fee, including the AJ Meerwald sailing on Sunday.  Click here for complete details on the day or download the program below.

    Event Schedule 

    8:45                      Early Cruise! “History Happens Here” with Lewes Historical Society and Cape Water Taxi                                                             (Book Cruise Here)

    10:00                    Opening Ceremony 

    10:00-4:00           New Exhibit – “The Wireless: Lewes and the Dawn of the Electronic Age, 1906” at the                                                                  Cannonball House

    10:45-2:00            Exhibits, Tours, Food Truck and Boat Rides open.

    11:00-3:00            Schooner A.J. Meerwald – Walk Aboard Public Tours

    12:00                     DRBA Liferaft Demonstration 

    5:00                     “Lewes, A Light in the Dark:  Over 340 Years of Helping Mariners in Distress” at the                                                                     Lewes Public Library

    Sunday, 10:00       Schooner A.J. Meerwald – Schooner Sailing (Book Cruise Here)

    Delaware Daily State News Article, May 14

    2024 Opening Day Printable Program (recommended to print double sided)

    2024 Maritime Day Sponsor & Exhibitor Poster

  • Lewes Maritime Day and Overfalls Opening Ceremony

    Lewes Maritime Day and Overfalls Opening Ceremony

    Join us on Saturday May 20th between 10 am and 2 pm for a celebration of Lewes’ maritime history!  Free and open to the public, there will be an opening ceremony at 10 am to recognize Merchant Mariners who have served our country and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Lightship Overfalls’ (LV-118) arrival in Lewes.  Come stroll the vendor exhibits, boat tours and demonstrations throughout the day.  Exhibits and the ship will be open for free visits and tours starting at 11 am.  Some boating and sailing excursions will be offered for a fee, including the AJ Meerwald sailings on Saturday and Sunday.   FREE parking is available at the Ferry Terminal and a circulator bus will transport people between 2nd Street and the Ferry Terminal parking lot between 9 am and 3 pm.   For complete details on the day and links to purchase tickets for the sailings, visit the website below or click here.

    Event Schedule 

    10:00                      Opening Ceremony 

    11:00-2:00              Exhibits, Tours and Boat Rides open. Music by Jgar. 

    11:00                      “History Happens Here” Cruise with Lewes Historical Society and Cape Water Taxi (tickets required) 

    12:00                       Overfalls Exhibit “Rope Cutting” Ceremony at Cannonball House 

    1:00                         DRBA Liferaft Demonstration 

    2:00                         Schooner A.J. Meerwald Schooner Sailing (tickets Required) 

    4:00                         HMS DeBraak Program at the Zwaanendael Museum 

    4:00-7:00               “Chantey Tavern Night” at Lewes Historical Center (tickets required)