The 27th annual Boast the Coast event will take place on Saturday, October 7, 2023. Boast the Coast was conceived in 1996 to showcase Lewes’ nautical heritage and to feature activities that complemented the already long-established University of Delaware’s annual “Coast Day” event that takes place on the first Sunday in October. This year’s Boast the Coast activities are sponsored by Irish Eyes Pub & Restaurant, Delaware Public Media and Beebe Healthcare with partial funding from Southern Delaware Tourism.

There are a number of free activities associated with Boast the Coast taking place in 1812 Park adjacent to the City Dock on the canal from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Freedom Boat Club will offer free boat tours leaving from City Dock, also from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. There are no advance reservations for these short excursions on the canal. It will be on a first-come, first-served basis with 6-8 passengers per trip. Visitors to the park and dock will be entertained by Lewes-vocalist Jgar Helwig, who will be performing his repertoire of Broadway show tunes and other popular favorites from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Chuckles the Pirate will be demonstrating balloon artforms and giving them away to the audience from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Copy Cat Paint Parties will be doing free face painting from Noon – 2 p.m.  

Other activities simultaneously taking place at the City Dock in 1812 Park and in the park include a Seafood Tasting with food priced individually and Cape Water Tours is offering two, hour-long narrated tours departing from City Dock at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The tour, entitled “Floating Through Lewes Maritime History,” will be narrated by Marcos Salaverria, Director of  Education at the Lewes Historical Society. The cost is $20/adults and $15/children under 12. Reservations are available to purchase online at www.CapeWaterTours.com.

Two other chamber members-the Lewes Historical Society and the Overfalls Lightship- are partnering with the chamber on Boast the Coast to offer free tours. The Lewes Historical Society’s Lewes Maritime Museum at the Cannonball House at 118 Front Street and the U.S. Life-Saving Station in Canalfront Park will be open from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and the Overfalls Lightship, also in Canalfront Park, will be open as well.

The annual Lewes Merchants’ Fall Sidewalk Sale has long been associated with Boast the Coast. It is a three-day event, wrapped around Saturday’s Boast the Coast events, beginning on Friday, October 6 through Sunday, October 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The majority of the retail businesses in the Historic Lewes Business District participate. Other events taking place on October 7 are the Historic Lewes Farmers Market at Lewes Elementary School parking lot, Peninsula Gallery’s Opening Reception for Brook Hedge’s photography exhibit, Coastal Concerts’ performance by pianist Michelle Cann , Cape Artists

Gallery’s sidewalk/tent art sale, Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park’s Annual Bird Seed Sale pickup and the Zwaanendael Museum’s “Mysteries of History” walking tour.

 Date: October 7, 2023; 11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Location:  1812 Park adjacent to the City Doc

Lewes, DE 

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