Blessing of the Fleet

Thank you to everyone who helped make our 2025 event so successful! Save the date for our 14th Annual Blessing of the Fleet - June 25, 2026. 

History of the Blessing of the Fleet

In 2012 the Historical Society launched a new event in our community—the Blessing of the Fleet. Drawing on decades of local maritime history, the society’s goal was to develop a compelling and meaningful tradition.

At the first event in August 2012, a boat parade had not yet been introduced though the society hosted a waterfront party in partnership with the local chamber of commerce, dubbed the Summer White Party. The name was a nod to the long-standing practice of putting away white attire after Labor Day and to mirror the garden parties of the 1880s. 

In 2013, a nautical parade was added, to honor the centuries-old tradition of “blessing the boats.” Blessing a fleet at the opening of the fishing season was a common practice in Mediterranean communities and became popular in the United States during the 20th century. Today, blessings are held for both recreational and commercial purposes. The society’s Blessing of the Fleet also includes the tossing of a floral wreath into the harbor as a memorial to those whose lives were lost while on the water.