# 30 sailboats race the Delaware this Saturday

> A free October morning on the Philadelphia waterfront, where the river itself is part of the competition.
- Title: 30 sailboats race the Delaware this Saturday · PhillyVoice
- Summary: A free October morning on the Philadelphia waterfront, where the river itself is part of the competition. Show up at Penn's Landing around 10:30 a.m. on Oct…
- Keywords: sailing, philadelphia, regatta, delaware river, free events, news, local, sailboats, race, Delaware, Saturday, PhillyVoice
- Source: PhillyVoice — https://phillyvoice.com/philadelphia-cup-regatta-delaware-river-sailboat-racing-penns-landing-2026
- Published: 2026-09-14T16:30:18.334+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: sailing, philadelphia, regatta, delaware river, free events, news, local
## The river becomes a racecourse
More than 30 sailboats will race in front of Penn's Landing on Oct. 3 for the Philadelphia Cup Regatta. Crews have signed up from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
## Racing starts at 10:30
The first boats go off around 10:30 a.m., and no race warning signal sounds after 3:30 p.m. That gives you a five hour window to wander down.
## Wind, current, and each other
Boats sail around marked courses while fighting the Delaware's current and the wind at the same time. The river is a third competitor, not just a venue.

> contending with the Delaware's current, the wind, and one another
## A mile of waterfront
The course runs a little over a mile, from north of the Ben Franklin Bridge south toward the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay base. It was laid out so people on shore can actually see the racing.
## Where to stand
Penn's Landing has been the main viewing spot in past years. Race Street Pier, Cherry Street Pier and Spruce Street Harbor Park are also good vantage points.
## Free and open to all ages
Spectator admission costs nothing and there is no age restriction. Bring kids, bring a coffee, stay as long as you like.
## Two 1951 sloops return
Delaware and Tinicum, 24-foot Corinthian Sloops drawn by Philadelphia naval architect Thomas Bowes in 1951, will be on the starting line. Delaware was rebuilt in 2018, Tinicum in 2023.
## From 14 feet to 30
The fleet mixes small dinghies with larger keelboats, running from 14-foot Lasers up to boats around 30 feet. Expect very different shapes moving at very different speeds.
## Sailors can still enter
Entry runs $40 for Lasers and Sunfish, $55 for other dinghies and $80 for keelboats. Waiting until Oct. 2 or 3 jumps the price to $115 per boat.
## A party for the 250th
After the awards ceremony, a patriotic reception at the Independence Seaport Museum marks America's 250th anniversary. Those tickets are sold separately from the free racing.
## A cup with history
The regatta ran from 2011 to 2016, then came back to the Delaware in 2024. The Cup itself is more than 40 years old, and this year's race is hosted by Liberty Sailing Club, Riverton Yacht Club and the Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia.
## Key takeaway

Show up at Penn's Landing around 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 3, it costs nothing to watch a full fleet race the Delaware.