Paid programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Maritime Museum in Beaufort.
48th Annual Wooden Boat Show
May 4 @ 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Free
Join us for the 48th Annual Wooden Boat Show, the longest running boat show in the southeast! Whether you’re a boating enthusiast or prefer to keep your feet on dry land, the Annual Wooden Boat Show has activities for all ages.
This free event, held each year on the first Saturday in May, celebrates the art of North Carolina’s traditional wooden boatbuilding and the sport of boat racing.
Dozens of handcrafted wooden boats will be on display, along with nautical demonstrations and activities for children. Interested in registering a boat for display? Register online or by calling 252-504-7758.
Here is the day’s schedule:
May 4, 2024
8 a.m.–10 a.m.
BOAT CHECK-IN and SETUP – Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
10 a.m.–5 p.m.
MUSEUM OPEN – Free admission
BOATING SKILLS VIRTUAL TRAINER – N.C. Maritime Museum Library
10 a.m.–4 p.m.
EXHIBIT OF WOODEN BOATS – Front Street and Parking Lot
IN-WATER BOAT SHOW – Beaufort Waterfront Docks
WOODEN BOAT KIDS – N.C. Maritime Museum Front Patio & Breezeway
NAUTICAL BOOK SALE – N.C. Maritime Museum Front Patio
CAROLINA MARITIME MODEL EXPO – Be sure to vote for your favorite model boat – N.C. Maritime Museum Auditorium
PLEIN AIR ARTISTS – Throughout the showgrounds
KNOT TYING BY DON VAN HOY – Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
DAVE MAHONEY VINTAGE TOY OUTBOARDS – Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
BEAUFORT PIRATE INVASION
Pirate encampment – N.C. Maritime Museum back patio
Pirate demonstrations – N.C. Maritime Museum front patio
BOB ZENTZ – Sea shanties and maritime-themed music – Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
10:30 a.m.
ALL COMERS SAILBOAT RACE – Taylor’s Creek
1–3 p.m.
GO SAILING IN A TRADITIONAL WOODEN BOAT – Free, $5 per person donation suggested – Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
4 p.m.
WOODEN BOAT SHOW AWARDS RECEPTION – Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
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Registration and Refund Policy:
Registration costs, less a 10% fee, are refunded when the museum receives cancellation notice at least 48 hours before the start of a program. There is no refund within 48 hours of the start of a program, and tickets cannot be transferred to a later program date within that 48 hour timeframe. Due to material costs and supply, Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center Courses require a 2-week notification for cancellations; only the course fee is refunded if cancellation occurs prior to 2 weeks. The Museum reserves the right to cancel any program that does not meet the minimum participant requirement up to one week before the program is scheduled. In the event of cancellation due to low enrollment, participants who have submitted a fee will receive a full refund. If a program is canceled due to inclement weather and unable to be rescheduled for another date, the participants will receive a full refund.