19th British Motorcar Show set May 3 in Lewes
The Lewes British Motorcar Show The British are coming...Again! will welcome a wide array of classic British vehicles to Lewes Saturday, May 3 (no rain date). The Lewes Chamber of Commerce sponsors the show with assistance from the British Car Club of Delaware. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lewes Historical Society Complex, Third and Shipcarpenter streets in Lewes. The show is supported by County Bank, Great Scott Broadcasting and Southern Delaware Tourism.
The British Motorcar Show is scheduled the same weekend as the Merchants’ Spring Sidewalk Sale in the historic Lewes Commercial District around Second Street. The three-day sale, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, begins Friday and ends Sunday. There are other events sponsored by Lewes Chamber members taking place that weekend including the Lewes in Bloom Spring Plant Sale, Friends of the Lewes Public Library Book Sale, the Blessing of the Fleet at Fisherman’s Wharf and the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays Native Plant Sale. Details about all these events are on the Lewes Chamber of Commerce calendar at www.LewesChamber.com.
Nineteen years ago, car show Chairman Mike Tyler and the British Car Club of Delaware originated the concept of staging a British Motorcar Show in the spring to attract visitors to Lewes before the summer season got into full swing. Each year the show features a different marque. The 2014 Featured Marque is the Spridget, which started as the Austin Healey Sprite and morphed into the MG Midget.
Betsy Reamer, executive director of the Lewes Chamber of Commerce, said, “The popularity of this show has continued to grow over the years, and the change of venue to the Lewes Historical Society several years ago significantly increased attendance to the show. Car show attendees not only are able to view the cars, but the close proximity to the commercial district surrounding Second Street allows them to explore the shops, restaurants and other museums operated by the Lewes Historical Society and the state’s Zwaanendael Museum."
Mike DiPaolo, executive director of the Lewes Historical Society, has been working with the other members of the Car Show Committee for the past 11 years. “Our historic buildings where the car show is taking place will be open free of charge as part of the show. Folks coming to the show as well as car collectors have interest in things historic,” he said.
One of the most popular features at the show is the society’s concession stand, Hiram’s Pub, serving traditional British pub entrees, English soft drinks, British tea and British ales. For the second year, The Rose & Crown Restaurant will be operating Hiram’s Pub during the hours of the show, and the members of the British Car Club of Delaware will be sponsoring a bake sale with authentic British desserts.
The show begins at 11 a.m. and concludes at 3 p.m. with the Winners’ Circle Parade down Second Street. Admission is $3 for adults, and children under 12 enter free. For more information and to register a car in advance, call the Lewes Chamber of Commerce at 302-645-8073. The fee to register the car in advance is $15, and $25 on May 3. Car entrants can download the entry form by visiting www.LewesChamber.com, clicking on Calendar of Events and scrolling down to British Motorcar Show entry form.
