Salem Maritime Festival

SAVE THE DATE! The 2024 Salem Maritime Festival will be held on Saturday, August 3rd from 11 AM to 6:30 PM.

Join us for the annual Salem Maritime Festival on Saturday, August 3, 2024, at Salem Maritime National Historic Site on Derby Street. This event is free and open to the public. Salem Maritime Festival will feature musicians, a magician, visiting vessels, historic craft demonstrators, and hands-on activities. The day will kick off the Great Salem Maritime Cardboard Boat Regatta. Teams of two will test their engineering, ingenuity, and artistry by building homemade boats constructed on cardboard and duct tape. Launching from Derby Beach in a series of heats, teams will race to paddle their cardboard boats in the Salem Sound.

Schedule of Events

11 am – 1 pm: The Great Salem Maritime Cardboard Boat Regatta (races and award ceremony)
12 noon – 6 pm: Demonstrators, exhibits, and activities
1 pm – 6:30 pm: Live music and entertainment
1 pm – 5 pm: Reopening of the Salem Custom House
1 pm – 4 pm: Free kayak and paddleboat rentals

The Great Salem Maritime Cardboard Boat Regatta

Join Salem Maritime National Historic Site for Salem’s favorite cardboard-themed event! Taking place during the Maritime Festival, local teams will race their homemade cardboard boats in Salem Harbor. Spectators are encouraged to line Derby Wharf and cheer on the racers.

If you would like to learn more about competing in the Cardboard Boat Regatta, please follow this link (https://www.nps.gov/sama/planyourvisit/cardboard-boatregatta.htm) to review the rules and submit an application.