Harbour and Dogfish Inn to host July 4 fireworks fundraisers

Harbour at Canal Square and the Dogfish Inn will host special events Thursday, July 4, to benefit Go Fourth Lewes, the nonprofit community group that funds and organizes the Lewes fireworks. The events also support Go Fourth's request that people come into town early and stay late, to avoid a crush of people entering and leaving at the same times.

For the third year, Harbour restaurant proprietors Gary and Lorraine Papp will host a luncheon and party from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. for patrons to watch the decorated boat parade from its canalfront deck. The event will feature a sumptuous buffet and some of the best views of the boat parade from the deck and bar. The restaurant is closed to the public July 4, and only 60 tickets, at $125 per person, will be sold. All profits will benefit the Go Fourth Lewes fireworks fund. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available only through Go Fourth Lewes, not at Harbour or at the event. For details and to reserve a ticket, go to gofourthlewes.org/special-events or email debraevalds@yahoo.com. In 2023, the event raised $3,500 for Go Fourth Lewes Fireworks.

For the second year, Dogfish Head will partner with Go Fourth Lewes by hosting a drop-in event all day starting at 11 a.m., July 4, at 104 Savannah Road, Lewes. Canned cocktails and off-centered ales will be sold, with all proceeds supporting Go Fourth Lewes. It's a perfect spot to stop and take a break between parades, and before or after the fireworks. Dogfish’s event last year raised $1,500 for Go Fourth Lewes.

The main event, the 2024 Go Fourth Lewes Fireworks, will be launched from a barge off Lewes Beach at dusk. This is the sixth Go Fourth Lewes Fireworks show, and organizers encourage all who enjoy the fireworks to make a donation to fund them. The fireworks are paid for by individuals and local businesses, not the City of Lewes, taxpayers, the Lewes chamber or any big corporation. The fireworks are for the people, by the people, and organized every year by volunteers who plan the event and raise the money to make the fireworks fly July Fourth. To donate and for more information about viewing the fireworks, and safely getting in and out of town, go to gofourthlewes.org.