Lewes boat parade organizers seek entrants for July 4 event
In preparation for the traditional Lewes Independence Day Boat Parade, hosted by the Overfalls Foundation and the Lewes-Rehoboth Beach Rotary Club, local boat owners and operators are encouraged to sign up early.
To be eligible for prizes, vessels must be registered no later than 3 p.m., Wednesday, July 3. Registration forms are available at the Lewes Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center in the Fisher-Martin House in Zwaanendael Park, and Lewes Harbour Marina Bait and Tackle at the end of Anglers Road.
Decorated boats will wind their way down the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal from the Roosevelt Inlet to Fisherman's Wharf as part of the City of Lewes' Fourth of July holiday festivities, leaving the inlet at 1:30 p.m. to pass the judges’ reviewing stand at Fisherman’s Wharf around 2 p.m.
Boats will be judged on the best use of patriotic decorations. After the parade, all boat entrants are invited to attend the awards ceremony at 3:30 p.m. on the Lightship Overfalls deck. In addition to a grand-prize trophy, the judges will award first-, second- and third-place trophies.
Lewes Mayor Andrew Williams will announce the parade with amplification in the area of Fisherman's Wharf and the City Dock. The parade judges include members of city council and the Overfalls Foundation, and Lewes-Rehoboth Beach Rotary Club Past President Chuck Ward. This parade is sponsored by the Freedom Boat Club.
For more information, call the Lewes Chamber of Commerce at 302-645-8073. There is no charge to participate in the boat parade or to be a spectator. Good viewing spots line the canal on both sides and fill on a first-come basis.
