Here’s the schedule for this year’s show. Take a good look and plan your visit. Listen to the Peninsula Symphonic Band playing on the Promenade by the Granary. Hear about Evinrude outboards and the family that made them famous from Dennis Evinrude, our Saturday featured speaker. Watch the building and racing of the Sikaflex fleet. Which boats will float and which will sink? It’s going to be great fun. And of course, explore the classic and wooden boats on display, the tug John Purves, and the museum’s fantastic new exhibits. Don’t miss a terrific weekend.

It’s true that today is a real scorcher! But looking ahead, the long-range forecast for our Classic and Wooden Boat Show promises temperatures in the mid to upper 70’s. That would be delightful and perfect weather for boaters and the public. So there’s not a moment to lose- register now. We have plenty of display space available both in the water and on shore.

Check out this great picture of two of the super boats you can visit at the show. That’s Utopia and Stjarna docked at home at the museum. Don’t miss seeing them.

Now that the Fourth of July holiday is behind us, it’s time to register your boat for our show. There’s not a moment to lose as July 31st is right around the corner. Bring your home-built boat, or your classic runabout. Show off your sailboat, canoe, or cruiser. All boats are welcome. And if you own a fabulous early fiberglass classic, we’d be honored if you’d join us for the weekend.

We’ve got a terrific speaker lined up for Saturday afternoon. Dennis Evinrude will join us to share stories about his family and the story of Evinrude outboard motors. If you’re a fan of classic engines and boats, you won’t want to miss this presentation.

So don’t wait. Register now.

Ahoy there! Are you ready to join us for our 35th annual Classic and Wooden Boat Show? Registration for this year’s event is now open. There’s not a moment to lose- register now.

This year, we’re extending a special invitation to owners of classic early fiberglass boats and have designated them our “Marque of the Year” These jet-age fanciful craft sparked the imagination of many families in the 1950’s and 60’s and we hope to give their owners a chance to show them off to the public.

So in addition to our collection of fine wooden boats and home-built masterpieces, this year we’re looking forward to a great collection of craft from the age of Rock and Roll.

Remember, this is a Museum show, so your boat’s history, design, and personal story are more important than a “show-perfect” appearance. Boats that see regular use are very welcome along with those set aside for boat show audiences. They are all welcome. So join us!

The weather forecast for the weekend could not be better. So there’s no time to lose. Register now!

Now’s the time to act if you haven’t registered for our 2025 show! Nearly 50 craft are already in the fleet and there is room for more. So there’s not a moment to lose!

We’ll have a terrific variety of boats again this year- everything from model ships to a 63′ John Trumpy and Sons classic yacht. There are canoes, kayaks, pulling boats, sailing skiffs, Chris Crafts, Thompsons, Centurys and much more. Join us in Sturgeon Bay- August 1-3.

Only days to go! There’s not a moment to lose. Register now for the 2024 edition of the Door County Classic and Wooden Boat Show. Registration is open until 10am Saturday. Over 40 boats will be on display at the Museum, along the Promenade, and in the Harbor Club Marina next door. Here’s the schedule for the weekend. Plan to attend, there’s fun for the whole family.

Registration is open for this year’s Door County Classic and Wooden Boat Show. Have you registered yet? There’s no time to lose, August will be here before you know it.

So what’s new this year? Our featured Marque of the Year is Amateur-built Boats. We hope home-builders will bring their craft to show to the public. We’ve even created a special award to recognize the best of the builds. In addition, we also have a terrific featured speaker, Roberta Hegy, who built a gorgeous Glen-L Torpedo. She’ll talk about building the boat at 2pm Saturday, August 3rd in the museum. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a very successful home boatbuilder.

We’re hoping to see home-built sailboats, canoes, kayaks, pulling-boats. If you’ve built a boat, please join us.

We’ve got some neat boats already registered. Lyman, Chris Craft, Wagemaker, Permacraft, Thompson, Cruisers Inc, Larson, Chrysler and more. Gorgeous mahogany, white-painted lapstrake, and fiberglass with fins! It will be there.

Don’t forget to visit the show’s website where you can register and take a look at what awaits you in Sturgeon Bay this year. www.dcclassicboatshow.com

Cheers, Everyone!

Here it is- the schedule for this year’s Door County Classic and Wooden Boat Show. Take a look. If you’ve got a boat to show, either ashore or afloat, we’ve still got room for you. The same goes for model boats, which are always welcome. And remember, this show welcomes “user” boats and boats undergoing restoration as well as those that are gloriously picture-perfect. If your boat has a story to tell, we’re interested. Big or small, fiberglass, wood, aluminum, home-built, sail, power, or unpowered- they are all welcome. Register now. There’s not a moment to lose.

Registration is open for the 2023 Door County Classic and Wooden Boat Show!

It’s going to be a great weekend full of classic boats, displays, food, music and more. So if you are a classic boat owner, now is the time to register.

Watch, too, for more Newsflashes highlighting this year’s special events. We’re featuring a famous Wisconsin marque- Thompson Boats, the Peninsula Symphonic Band, an illustrated seminar on the history of Thompson Boats, the wild Sikaflex Boatbuilding Challenge, Sturgeon Bay’s Bloodies, Brew, and Bacon Social, the best Whitefish sandwiches in Wisconsin and all the new displays in the Jim Kress Maritime Lighthouse Tower. Oh, and did we mention gorgeous classic boats?

There’s not a moment to lose! Plan to attend and register now.

This year, you can explore the world of classic and wooden boating throughout the Museum’s grounds. Look for trailered boats and shore displays in front of the Museum, near concessions, family activities, our Boathouse Sale, the Sikaflex Boatbuilding Challenge and more.

You will also discover boats displayed on the beautiful new Westside Promenade along the waterfront between the Museum and our famous tug, the John Purves.

Want to see even more? Check out the boats in the water. Immediately next to the Museum, you’ll find boat rides and several wooden beauties at the dock, but you’ll lose out if you don’t visit the Harbor Club Marina next door to see the majority of our classics afloat!

Cross the street carefully!

Lyman, Streblow, Cruisers Inc, ChrisCraft, Alden, SeaStar, Permacraft, Century, Thompson, Wagemaker, T&T- names boats enthusiasts all know.

We’ve got dozens of classic boats for you this year at the 2022 Door County Classic and Wooden Boat Show. There is more, too. Home-built beauties, gorgeous models, a one-man shipwreck-finding submarine, historic 100+ year-old vessels. Even an ancient ship in a bottle.

Join the fun. Plan to visit, or bring a boat. You can register right up to showtime Saturday.

This year’s show is going to be one of the best, ever. There is a lot to do and more to see. Fun for the whole family.

Check out these highlights:

Friday- Bay to Lake Lighthouse Cruise pre-event for registered boats followed by Docktails and Delights pizza party and drinks. Cruise meets at 1pm at the museum! Register by August 1st.

Safe and Secure Dock space provided yet again by Skipperbud’s Harbor Club Marina for registered boats. Thanks, Skipperbud’s!

Saturday- Show opens. Lots of boats to see in the water, on shore, models too. Then at 5pm on the Promenade A Salute to the US Coast Guard concert by the Door County Peninsula Symphonic Band!

Saturday- Door County Whitefish Sandwiches– the best in Wisconsin- at the museum. And the Sikaflex Challenge boatbuilding competition begins.

Saturday- Kids activities brought to you by the Door County Maritime Museum and Green Bay’s Hands on Deck. Boatbuilding, crafts, fun for kids of all ages.

6:30pm Saturday, Classic Boat and Fireworks Parade led by the US Coast Guard. A slow cruise through Sturgeon Bay. The public gets to see classic boats underway.

8:30 Saturday, Sturgeon Bay’s rain-delayed Fourth of July Fireworks over Dunlap Reef. Watch from your boats, the docks, or on shore. There are no bad views!

Sunday, 10am Destination Sturgeon Bay’s Bloody Mary Social at Sonny’s Pizza (Harbor Club Marina). Enjoy your favorite beverage, listen and dance to live music. Tickets required.

Sunday, 1pm The Sikaflex Challenge on the water race. Who will sink, who will finish? No one knows!

Sunday, 3pm Sikaflex and Boat Show Awards presentation.

And there is much more! Have you registered yet? Don’t wait!

Spring is just about here, and registration for our 2022 Door County Classic and Wooden Boat Show is now open. You can register on line or via the US Mail. Take your pick. Remember to register early, and if you are coming in from out of town, don’t wait too long to find lodging. Door County is very popular in August!

Enjoy the spring. Get that boat ready. We’ll see you soon here in beautiful Sturgeon Bay!

Just a few days to go. The weather report for the weekend is fantastic- mid 70’s and sunny. Perfect weather for the Festival.

Have you ever heard of these boats? Wizard Boats, Inc? Permacraft? A Marsh Cat? How about a Warren Cole or a Delta? The Rice Brothers or Higgins or Burger? They will all be represented at our Festival this weekend. Come and learn about the history of recreational boating and experience the boats yourself.

Have you visited the museum lately? It’s a real treat for the entire family. Learn about the Door Peninsula and its fascinating history with Lake Michigan, Green Bay, shipbuilding, and more. Visit the new Jim Kress Maritime Lighthouse Tower and see Sturgeon Bay as only the lucky seagulls can!

Check out Our Museum!

After checking out all of the wonderful classic boats at this year’s Festival, you need to find a little something to take home with you. So, the best idea is to visit our annual Boatyard Sale. Look for the big tent in front of the museum and there you’ll find all kinds of nautical treasures. The proceeds support the Museum and it’s mission, so you can feel really good about making a purchase.

What will you find? Try this!

This lighthouse was built by Leroy Liebe and Mike Maltby and donated for The Boathouse Sale by a couple in Jacksonport. It is 7ft 3in tall and 27in at the base. The lens is wired and it’s ready to shine! Just what you need! It is all steel and very well built. The price? Only $500! See this unique gem at the Boathouse Sale or, right now, at 1205 N. 3rd Street in Sturgeon Bay.

When you visit our Festival, you get to see great classics, but you also get to experience life with the Great Lakes’ really big boats. They are classics, too! Whether it’s the Coast Guard, working tugs, or Great Lakes freighters, Sturgeon Bay has it all.

And don’t forget that ashore, adjacent to the Museum, the new pedestrian Promenade is open for your enjoyment. It will be a great place to watch Saturday evening’s Classic Boat Parade.

Built right across the bay, Thompson boats are some of the most popular classics in Wisconsin and their owners put them in the water and have fun. Andreas Rhude is bringing this terrific example to the Festival this year. Come and see her.

She is a 1959 Thompson 17’-0” Sea Lancer wooden lapstrake boat powered by a 1958 Johnson 50 HP Super Seahorse outboard motor. The motor is original to the boat. The rig was sold at Krueger’s Boats and Motors on Harper at Nine Mile Road in Detroit. She spent most of her life in the greater Detroit area. The boat was restored in Peshtigo, WI about 500 feet from where she was born in 1959. She is a typical plywood lapstrake by Thompson, one of the tens of thousands the company made as the world’s largest builder of outboard boats.

Yes, there will be classic fiberglass boats at the Festival! And, as always, there will also be beautiful wooden boats for you to enjoy. Here are three. A 1929 Port Carling Seabird, seen here in the shop prepping for the event. A rare (1 of 16) 18′ 1939 Century Deluxe Utility Sedan named Relic. She’s a beauty. And last, but certainly not least, The Jeffery Dave, a gorgeous 23′ 1949 Higgins. Jeffery Dave is making her second appearance at our Festival. Don’t miss her. Photos just don’t do justice to these boats, by the way.