For nearly half a century, the first weekend of September has belonged to the classic yachts of Newport. On September 5 and 6, 2026, the city's harbor will once again fill with the silhouettes of gaff-rigged sloops, century-old 12-meters, and gleaming Spirit of Tradition boats as the 47th Annual Newport Classic Yacht Regatta, presented by IYRS School of Technology & Trades, closes out the summer. It is a weekend that has become a cherished part of Newport's Labor Day ritual, and one that traces its roots to a group of Newport-based classic yacht owners and fans who wanted to preserve and promote the culture of classic yachting.
The regatta was born in 1980, when that group of Newport-based classic yacht owners and enthusiasts gathered with a simple but urgent mission: to preserve and promote the culture of classic yachting. That founding vision still guides the event today, and the regatta has grown into one of Newport's most beloved maritime traditions.
For several decades, the event was organized by the Museum of Yachting at Fort Adams. Then, in 2007, a remarkable handoff took place. IYRS — then known as the International Yacht Restoration School — acquired the Museum of Yachting, and with it the stewardship of the regatta. It was a natural fit. IYRS had been founded in 1993 on the Newport harbor front, and its students learn the hands-on skills of the marine trades. When the school took over the museum, the beloved regatta continued under its leadership, run each year over Labor Day weekend from its downtown Newport campus.
In 2016, the event made a significant move, shifting its base from Fort Adams State Park to the IYRS campus itself. Organizers hoped the change would make the regatta more accessible to the public and give the event room to grow. The move was greeted warmly by owners and crews, who welcomed the convenience of a downtown base, and it cemented the school's role as the beating heart of the weekend. Today the regatta is organized by the Ida Lewis Yacht Club, with the school's own alumni deeply involved — the 2026 regatta chair is Jens Lange, an IYRS graduate, and the principal race officer is Peter Gerard.
The racing itself is a study in living history. The fleet spans generations of design, from historic 12-meters of different eras to ocean legends like the Sparkman & Stephens sloop Dorade, to brand-new Spirit of Tradition boats that honor traditional lines with modern materials. Because the boats are so varied, they race under the Classic Rating Formula, a handicap system that allows boats of different eras to compete fairly against one another. The regatta is part of the CYOA's Classic Yacht Challenge Series, which keeps the history and heritage of Rhode Island sailing alive.
The competition is fierce, but the weekend's most beloved moment is not a race at all. On Sunday morning, the Classic Yacht Parade sends a procession of classic sail and motor yachts around Newport Harbor, beginning at the south end of Goat Island and winding past the wharves, the IYRS campus, King Park, the Ida Lewis Yacht Club, and Fort Adams. Unlike the racing, the parade is open to any classic boat, power or sail, whether or not it is registered for the regatta, and organizers encourage owners and crews to join the procession. Spectators line the waterfront parks and public walkways, and the sight of these historic vessels underway against the backdrop of one of the world's premier sailing destinations is, in the words of IYRS vice president of advancement Liz Isdale, 'one of the most visible and inspiring moments of the weekend.' The parade has become a highlight of the regatta weekend, drawing crowds both on land and on the water, and it connects Newport's rich maritime heritage with the craftsmanship that continues to define the waterfront community.
The weekend's trophies carry the weight of that heritage. Perpetual awards like the Atlantic Trophy, the Sappho Trophy, the Leiter Cup, the Clingstone Cannon, and the Tom Benson Restoration Awards recognize achievements across the fleet, while designer awards honor the best boats from the great American masters — the best Herreshoff, the best Sparkman & Stephens.
The regatta is more than a competition; it is a celebration of the community that keeps these vessels alive. The weekend culminates on Sunday evening with an Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Party in historic Restoration Hall at the IYRS waterfront campus, complete with live music, an open bar, and hors d'oeuvres. The party is open to the public, and it has become a destination for locals who may never set foot on a race course but share a passion for classic yachts and for the school that trains the next generation of the people who build and restore them. It is a fitting end to a weekend that, for forty-seven years, has reminded Newport — and anyone who visits — that the great yachts of the past are not relics to be admired from a distance, but living vessels, still racing, still beautiful, and still very much at home in the harbor where they were saved.