The 37th Annual Wooden Boat Show: What to Know Before You Go

For one weekend every October, Georgetown’s waterfront fills with boats that were built by hand — and the people who built them.

The 37th Annual Georgetown Wooden Boat Show returns October 17 and 18, 2026, along the Harborwalk and Front Street. It has grown into one of the Southeast’s signature maritime events, and it remains exactly what it sounds like: a celebration of wooden boats, the craft behind them, and a harbor town that has always made its living on the water.

What you’ll see. Dozens of wooden vessels on display along the waterfront and in the water, ranging from restored classics to recently finished builds.

Plan for parking. The historic district is compact, which is wonderful most of the year and a challenge on Boat Show weekend. Arrive early, be prepared to walk a few blocks, and treat the walk as part of the experience.

Make a weekend of it. Mid-October is Georgetown at its best — warm days, cool evenings, and the summer crowds well behind us. Front Street’s restaurants and shops are open, the museums are a few steps from the show, and lodging in and around the historic district books up for this weekend. Reserve early.

Bring a camera and low expectations about your schedule. The best part of this show isn’t a listed event. It’s standing on a dock while somebody explains how they spent three years steaming and bending planks in their garage, and realizing you have nowhere else to be.

If you have only been to Georgetown in summer, this is the weekend to come back!