The Lewes Historical Society, in Lewes, Delaware, will celebrate its 18th Annual Sea Glass & Coastal Arts Festival on Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8, 2025. This popular event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, rain or shine, and will take place on the Society’s Shipcarpenter Street campus. The festival, which features an array of activities, will engage visitors in the exploration of the world of sea glass and coastal arts.

Festival goers will have the opportunity to appreciate a wide variety of coastal arts, all while learning about the history and significance of sea glass. The festival brings together over 70 talented artists who will showcase their creations and share their expertise and passion for unique coastal treasures in the areas of jewelry, sculpture, ceramics, paintings, glass, textiles, photography, wood, and metal arts.

This year’s event will focus on the fascinating history of glass, hosting the largest sea glass collection in the region. The exhibit will provide a comprehensive look at how these beautiful fragments have shaped our understanding of historic glass in America.

Attendees are invited to bring their favorite shards of sea glass to the festival. Experts from the Delmarva Antique Bottle Club will be on hand to help identify the age and origins of these treasures, offering a wonderful chance to gain insight from knowledgeable professionals and uncover the history behind each piece.

Throughout the weekend, the festival will host a variety of educational activities suitable for both children and adults. Highlights include hourly glass-blowing demonstrations, which will reveal how glass manufacturing has changed throughout history. On Saturday, attendees can explore a fascinating display of Native American artifacts, offering a glimpse into the region’s rich cultural heritage, and watch skilled artisans demonstrate the ancient craft of flint knapping, revealing the techniques used to create stone tools and weapons. Young minds can engage in interactive activities designed to inspire creativity and learning. These hands-on experiences will be available all weekend.

Educational lectures are scheduled on both Saturday and Sunday throughout the event with interesting, diverse subjects including a presentation by Maryland native and sea glass collector, Stu Jacobs, speaking on “Historical Sea Glass” both Saturday and Sunday. David Liemer, a local Lewes resident and collector will talk Saturday afternoon on “Why don’t I ever find Sea Glass in Delaware?” Angie Barker, Curator of “Treasures of the Sea” exhibit, Del Tech, Georgetown, DE, will be speaking about the treasures discovered on the shipwreck, Atocha, a Spanish galleon that sank in a hurricane off the Florida Keys in 1622. Barker’s talk is entitled, “Minecraft, Magic, and Mystery at The Treasures of the Sea”, and will be given on Sunday.

Visitors will enjoy a lineup of talented musicians throughout the weekend, including The Pros from Dover, Little Hustle, The Jazzmen, and Rick & Regina. Food will also be available at the festival and the opportunity to sample historically made hot chocolate, coffee, and teas. The Society’s historic Sussex Tavern will be open all weekend, serving their famous colonial concoctions and local beer. Other historic properties on campus will be open during the event, including the Antique Shop and the Burton Ingram House, which will be staffed with period interpreters sharing the history of the building with visitors.

Tickets are $10 per person, per day. Children 12 and under are free. Tickets are available at the gate and in advance at: https://givebutter.com/seaglassfestival25

This event is sponsored by the Delaware Division of the Arts and by The Price Automotive Group.