Lewes Celebrates 4^th of July
Old-Fashioned Games for Children on Second Street 9 am
Followed by the Independence Day Lewes Boat Parade 2 pm
Doo-Dah Parade at 5 pm

FIREWORKS at Dusk

The City of Lewes continues its long tradition of hosting old-fashioned games for children on Second Street beginning at 9 am on Friday, the 4^th of July. The games are open to children of all ages and include an egg toss, hoola hoop contest, a barrel roll and spoon, sack  and three-legged races. No advance or day-of registrations are required. Second Street will be closed to vehicular traffic in advance of the Second Street games’ beginning and will reopen after the Doo Dah Parade has ended. The sidewalks will be available for pedestrians to access the shops and restaurants.

Following the games, the Lewes Independence Day Boat Parade will wind its way down the Lewes – Rehoboth canal from the Roosevelt Inlet to Fisherman’s Wharf as part of the City of Lewes’ 4^th of July holiday festivities The parade entrants will leave from Roosevelt Inlet across from the Coast Guard Station at 1:30 pm and at approximately 2 pm they will pass in front of the judges’ reviewing stand  at Fisherman’s Wharf and turn before reaching the Savannah Road Drawbridge. Lewes Mayor Amy Marasco will announce the parade with amplification in the area of Fisherman’s Wharf and the City Dock. The parade judges are members of City Council, Lightship Overfalls Foundation and the Lewes-Rehoboth Rotary Club. This is the 19^th year that the Overfalls Foundation has co-hosted the Independence Day Boat Parade and the eighth year of their collaboration with the Lewes-Rehoboth Beach Rotary Club. This year’s parade is sponsored by the Freedom Boat Club of Delaware.

All pre-registered boat entrants will be eligible for prizes.  First, Second and Third Place plaques will be awarded. Boats will be judged on the best use of patriotic decorations. At the conclusion of the parade, all boat entrants are invited to attend the Awards Ceremony on the deck of the Lightship Overfalls at 3:30 pm.  To be eligible for a prize, the vessel must be registered no later than 3:00 pm on Thursday, July 3^rd. 

Registration forms are available at the Lewes Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center in the Fisher-Martin House in Zwaanendael Park and the Lewes Harbour Marina Bait and Tackle at the end of Anglers Road.  For more information, call the Lewes Chamber of Commerce (302) 645-8073.  Late, unregistered entries are invited to join the parade by arriving at the Roosevelt Inlet at 1:30 pm, but will not be eligible for prizes. There is no charge to participate as an entrant in the boat parade or to be a spectator.  Good viewing spots line the canal on both sides and go on a first come basis.

The fun continues with the unique and quirky Doo-Dah Parade that forms in the vicinity of Lloyd’s Market on Savannah Road and winds its way down Kings Highway to Second Street and ends on Savannah Road, heading back towards Lloyds. No preregistration is required and everyone is invited to participate. The parade kicks off at 5 p.m.

Finally, the day caps off with the annual, fully-sanctioned fireworks that will be launched from a barge off Lewes Beach at dusk. The fireworks are funded by donations from the Lewes area business community, local residents and out of town donors. The “Go Fourth” Committee was formed with Chairman Russ Palmer leading the group of volunteers who have been meeting to coordinate the fundraising, promotion, logistics and stage the event which is open to the public. Information about the event is on the committee’s website – www.GoFourthLewes.org. with links from the City of Lewes website (www.ci.lewes.de.us) or the Lewes Chamber of Commerce website (www.LewesChamber.com).