September 14, 2026
Photo Credit/David Dormond
Sailboats race on the Delaware River with the Ben Franklin Bridge in the background during the 2025 Philadelphia Cup Regatta. More than 30 boats have registered for this year's race on Saturday, Oct. 3.
More than 30 sailboats will race along the Delaware River during the Philadelphia Cup Regatta on Oct. 3, turning a stretch of the river in front of Penn's Landing into a racecourse. Boats from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware already have signed up to compete.
Racing is scheduled to begin around 10:30 a.m., with no race warning signal after 3:30 p.m. Boats will race around marked courses while contending with the Delaware's current, the wind, and one another.
The racing area will stretch a little more than a mile, from north of the Ben Franklin Bridge south toward the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay base. The setup is intended to give people on shore views of the racing from locations along the Philadelphia waterfront.
Sailboats compete on the Delaware River during the 2025 Philadelphia Cup Regatta.
Penn's Landing has been one of the main viewing areas for previous races. Race Street Pier, Cherry Street Pier, and Spruce Street Harbor Park also have been recommended as places to watch. Spectator admission is free, and the event is open to all ages.
Two restored Philadelphia boats also will be on the starting line. Delaware and Tinicum are 24-foot Corinthian Sloops designed by Philadelphia naval architect Thomas Bowes in 1951. Delaware was rebuilt in 2018 and Tinicum in 2023 at the Independence Seaport Museum's Seaport Boat Shop, and both will race in this year's regatta.
They'll be part of a fleet that includes a mix of dinghies and larger keelboats, ranging from 14-foot Lasers to boats around 30 feet long.
The historic Delaware, a 24-foot Corinthian Sloop designed by Philadelphia naval architect Thomas Bowes in 1951, was rebuilt at the Independence Seaport Museum's Seaport Boat Shop in 2018. It will race in this year's Philadelphia Cup Regatta.
Sailors can also enter the regatta. Registration costs $40 for Lasers and Sunfish, $55 for other dinghies, and $80 for keelboats. Late registration on Oct. 2-3 costs $115 per boat.
The regatta also will tie into celebrations of America's 250th anniversary. After the racing, an awards ceremony will be followed by a patriotic-themed reception celebrating the anniversary at the Independence Seaport Museum. Tickets for the reception are sold separately.
The Philadelphia Cup Regatta was hosted from 2011 to 2016 before returning to the Delaware River in 2024. The Cup itself dates back more than 40 years. This year's race is hosted by Liberty Sailing Club, Riverton Yacht Club, and the Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia.
Saturday, Oct. 3
Racing begins around 10:30 a.m.
Delaware River along the Philadelphia waterfront
Where to watch: Penn's Landing and other waterfront locations
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