LEWES, Del. - The Overfalls Lightship Foundation and the Cape May Lewes Ferry are heading up the planning team once again in partnership with the City of Lewes and Lewes Chamber of Commerce to celebrate Lewes Maritime Day and the seasonal opening of the Lightship Overfalls. This year’s annual event is planned for Saturday, May 16th and will start off with a brief opening ceremony at 11:00 AM in Canalfront Park, Lewes, Delaware.  The opening ceremony will be followed with exhibits, arts and crafts, demonstrations, ship tours and boat rides that continue until 3:00 PM. 

Lewes Maritime Day is held as part of a national celebration for National Maritime Day which takes place May 22nd each year. Lewes Maritime Day is celebrated to inform and educate the public about the contribution of maritime resources in the local community and to share the community’s rich maritime history, including that of the U.S. Lighthouse Service and U.S. Lifesaving Service (precursors to the U.S. Coast Guard), the Delaware River and Bay Pilots, and various other maritime entities; and to do this in a celebratory and fun way that guests can enjoy.

Because this event is free to the public and intended to help promote the maritime interests of the community, exhibitors are not charged a fee and are welcome to sell merchandise or raise money for their organizations. 

“Lewes has a rich maritime history – one worth celebrating, and this day gives the public plenty of interesting exhibits and fun things to do that remind us in Lewes of whence we came- the sea,” said Heath Gehrke, Director of the Cape May – Lewes Ferry, and one of the organizers of the event.  “We are registering exhibitors now, so please reach out!”

The preferred theme for Lewes Maritime Day exhibitors is always maritime or nautical related, but DELMARVA themed activities and organizations are always welcome.

Those who can offer family-friendly activities or themed services are certainly welcome. Past exhibitors and demonstrators have included bait & tackle shops, boating organizations, maritime museums, crafters and artisans, face painters, tour groups, libraries, churches, nautical themed businesses, food trucks, musicians, banks, social groups, veterans’ organizations and government organizations. The average exhibit space is 10 feet by 10 feet (larger is available) Please note that exhibitors are responsible for their own equipment (tables, chairs, signage, tents) and any licensing.

Those who respond to this announcement by April 1, 2026, will be contacted to confirm participation and will be included in 2 virtual planning meetings. Additional details can be found at https://www.cmlf.com/event/annual-lewes-maritime-day
 
Interested participants should respond to us at lewes.maritime.day@overfalls.org.

Businesses, organizations and individuals interested in sponsoring the event and/or in volunteering with event preparation, are also encouraged to contact us at the same email address, lewes.maritime.day@overfalls.org.  All sponsors offering a minimum of $500.00 will be included in the program and will have their logos and weblinks added to the Lightship Overfalls website for 1 year.

About the Cape May-Lewes Ferry 
Owned and operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority, the Cape May – Lewes Ferry is open year-round and has carried more than 50 million passengers since its inception on July 1, 1964. As an integral transportation system connecting the communities and economies on both sides of the Delaware Bay, the Ferry service is a significant catalyst for economic growth and regional tourism activity in New Jersey and Delaware. Its operations sustain over 4,000 jobs while generating tens of millions of dollars in local taxes and hundreds of millions in regional economic activity. For schedules and rates, please visit www.CMLF.com or call 800-643-3779.