Delaware River Festival

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kate Layton
Phone: (302) 255-6878
Aug. 26, 2026 E-mail: klayton@delawareestuary.org

Sights and sounds:

See photos from the 2025 Delaware River Festival on our Flickr Page

Find more information on the official event website at www.delawareriverfest.org

Make Sept. 26 a Day to Remember
Join us for a FREE day of family fun at the annual Delaware River Festival

WILMINGTON — Mark your calendar for Saturday, Sept. 26 at the annual Delaware River Festival — a day of FREE family fun you will surely remember. Ride a swan boat, see exotic birds up close, tour a historic ship, and enjoy great views of the river from a ferry boat.

Join us from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia and Wiggins Park in Camden for exciting activities, engaging exhibits, and plenty of opportunities to connect with the majestic Delaware River.

The river is at the heart of the festival, so we’ll have free water-based interactive activities throughout the day, including swan boat rides from Wheel Fun Rentals. The RiverLink Ferry will run throughout the festival, carrying you and your crew between both sides while you take in spectacular views of battleships, nature, the sparkling river, and the Philly and Camden skylines. You can also step aboard the Gazela Primerio, a turn-of-the-century Portuguese fishing ship for deck tours and on-board programming.

Prefer to stay on land? We’ve got you. Face painting, games, and crafts will be available throughout the day. Interactive environmental exhibits from local organizations will offer hands-on fun and education. A scavenger hunt will encourage kids of all ages to explore and engage with exhibitors in the many offerings on both sides of the river, with the chance to win a prize!

Take wing with two live bird shows from Animal Behavior & Conservation Connections. Admission to the Independence Seaport Museum building will be free all day, but please note that the Olympia and the Becuna, the museum’s two historic ships, will still require the purchase of tickets to visit.

“Find your center through Tai Chi. The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation will offer free Tai Chi lessons on the day of the festival at Spruce Street Harbor Park at 11:00 a.m., along with an exhibit of Austen Camille Weymueller’s “Here, Twice a Day, We Are Held by the Ocean” at The Quay at Penn’s Landing. This special installation combines sculpture and augmented reality animation to connect visitors with the rhythms of the Delaware River. The installation is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome.”

Stay hydrated! The Philadelphia Water Department’s and New Jersey American will have free, cold, refreshing tap water. Bring your reusable water bottle.

Come out for this incredible event that brings the community together to celebrate the beauty and vitality of the Delaware River. Mark your calendars, gather your family and friends, and join us for a free day of joy, learning, and connection! The festival also serves as a fitting finale to National Estuaries Week, a nationwide celebration of the bays and rivers where fresh water meets the sea.

Due to ongoing construction on the Delaware Riverfront at Penn’s Landing, we recommend that visitors carpool or use public transit when traveling to the festival. Limited parking is available along the Philadelphia waterfront. Visitors can also park in Camden near Wiggins Park or the Adventure Aquarium and take the RiverLink Ferry to visit Penn’s Landing.

Again, all activities are available for free from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26, and while supplies last. Stay up-to-date through the festival’s official website, www.DelawareRiverFest.org, and on social media by following the handle @DelRivFest.

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Philadelphia Water Department, the Center for Aquatic Sciences, and the Independence Seaport Museum have partnered to plan this magical day along the river. Additional thanks to New Jersey American Water and Camden County for their support.

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Inc. received support from Philadelphia Water Department as well as the Environmental Protection Agency under an Assistance Agreement to support this work.

This project is also financed in part by a Federal Coastal Zone Management Grant provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection with funds provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Additional funding support has been provided by Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages.

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary is committed to providing equal access to information about its programs, including document translation services for all individuals. Please contact byerger@delawareestuary.org to request PDE’s free access services.