With all the pomp and circumstance surrounding Washington, D.C.’s America 250 celebrations this summer, it’s easy to lose track of the many events taking place in communities across the country. That’s certainly the case in and around Lewes, where local history takes on special meaning given the town’s role during the War of 1812 and its much earlier roots as a colonial settlement.
Many of Lewes’ regularly scheduled annual activities are being woven into the America 250 celebration, making them especially worth noting during this milestone year. According to its website, Lewes 250 is a community-wide invitation to “look ahead while honoring where we began.” The yearlong celebration features programs designed to bring people together, from concerts and speaker series to tree plantings, historic dedications and other meaningful moments “that connect our past to our future.”
Here are a few highlights:
American Loyalist on the Lawn
American Loyalist on the Lawn is a recurring event at the Zwaanendael Museum, with the next program scheduled for Saturday, September 5, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Visitors can meet the museum’s historian, who portrays an officer of the Loyal American Regiment, and learn about the uniforms, equipment and daily life of a Loyalist from Lewes during the Revolutionary War.
Delaware’s 1776 Declaration of Rights
On Friday, September 11, the Lewes Public Library will host a presentation on the 1776 Delaware Declaration of Rights. Delaware Supreme Court Justices Collins J. Seitz Jr. and Karen L. Valihura will discuss the “historical and legal significance of this early document and its lasting influence on Delaware’s laws and civic ideals.”
The presentation is scheduled for 5 to 6 p.m.
Mirroring Lewes
America 250 also comes to life through public art with Mirroring Lewes, a unique outdoor sculpture installation commissioned by the Lewes Public Art Committee.
Created by local artists Heidi Lowe and Nate Landis, the installation honors the people who have shaped the story of Lewes from the early 1800s through today.
The work features nine silhouetted figures, each representing a community member whose life and legacy helped define Lewes across generations. The installation is located in George H.P. Smith Park, home of the weekly Lewes Farmers’ Market.
Canal Front and Lightship Overfalls Happy Hour
The final Canal Front/Lightship Overfalls Happy Hour of the season takes place Friday, September 17, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Songbird Regina Sayles will perform.
Free tours of the lightship will also be available, offering visitors a chance to learn about the important role lightships and their crews played in keeping local waterways safe for commercial shipping and private boaters. Tour guides will take visitors aboard the ship and describe what life was like working and living on a lightship.
Seating is limited, so visitors are encouraged to bring their own chairs and beverages.
Shanty Night and First Friday Gatherings
Historic Lewes’ monthly Shanty Night at the Sussex Tavern is billed as a “time travel adventure.” Held on the third Friday evening of each month, the event gives visitors a chance to experience epic singing, cheering, ranting and raving “like true British sailors.”
Historic Lewes also hosts a monthly gathering on the first Friday of each month, when the Tavern is open. Period music, campus tours and storytelling are featured. Staff and volunteers dress in period clothing at both events, helping give visitors a sense of what life was like in the 1800s.
Boast the Coast Maritime Festival
The Boast the Coast Maritime Festival celebrates Lewes’ historic and nautical heritage. Dutch seamen landed in Lewes in 1631 and established the first settlement, earning the town its distinction as the “First Town in the First State.”
The festival takes place Saturday, October 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1812 Memorial Park.
A Year of Local History
From Revolutionary War reenactments and historic talks to public art, maritime traditions and community gatherings, Lewes’ America 250 celebrations offer plenty of opportunities to experience local history in a distinctly hands-on way.
For residents and visitors alike, these events are a reminder that America’s story isn’t just something found in history books or at major national celebrations. It’s also reflected in the parks, museums, waterfront and traditions of communities like Lewes—where the past continues to be part of everyday life.
By Mary Jo Tarallo, Resident Journalist
Mary Jo Tarallo spent much of her career in public relations with various non-profits and spent 40 years involved with the ski industry as a journalist, public relations director for a national trade association and as executive director of the Learn to Ski and Snowboard initiative. Prior to her ski industry involvement she worked for the Maryland International Center in Baltimore and United Way of Central Maryland. She won a Gold Award for TV programming for a United Way simulcast that starred Oprah Winfrey. She has been cited for her work by numerous organizations. Mary Jo grew up in Baltimore, attended the University of Maryland and Towson University, lived in Washington, DC for 21 years and has been a full time resident of Rehoboth Beach and Milton since May 2019.
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