There are so many Delaware events and Delaware festivals that you can catch year round, that it almost seems impossible to miss one when enjoying Delaware vacations. The Delaware festivals and events celebrate a number of things, from shopping and sandcastle building, to antique cars and sidewalk sales. The rich history of Delaware lends itself nicely to the Delaware historical events, and at a good number of Delaware State Parks, you can catch outdoor summer concert series events that feature some great live music. Should you be able to experience one of the Delaware festivals, events or holidays, you will be adding considerable substance to your trip. It might even become a highlight, providing a lifetime of great memories.
One of the more interesting Delaware historical events
is the yearly “A Day in Old New Castle”. New
Castle was once the capital of Delaware, and its historic
district remains very much like it was centuries ago.
This festival of sorts also serves as a featured Delaware
tour, because visitors are able to make stops at the
city’s private gardens and historic homes that are
otherwise closed to the public for the rest of the year.
This is a one-day affair that takes place every year in
May, so you’ll certainly need to plan for this one.
It certainly merits it. In the state’s capital,
the annual Old Dover Days festival is another one of the
recommended Delaware historical events, and it also takes
place in May. Legend has it that this star among Delaware
festivals has been going on since 1933. To make it all
the more authentic, Old Dover Days is held in the heart
of the city’s historic district, set on the famed
Legislative Mall and The Green. Thousands of visitors
put this at the top of their list for Delaware events,
partly for the celebratory parade. Various walking tours
can be enjoyed during this three-day bash, and there’s
plenty of food and free entertainment. Also free is the
admission and parking, which doesn’t hurt matters.
The Delaware holidays are a joy to take part in, including
the annual Christmas celebrations. It is a treat to see
the most historic parts of the state all decked out in
Christmas decorations. Somehow, a building that dates
back hundreds of years just seems perfect for Christmas
garb. Delaware is known as the First State, as it was
the first one to join the Union and to ratify the constitution.
As such, it’s hard to top the Dover 4th of July
celebration when picking which Delaware holidays to enjoy.
There’s something so just about celebrating a country’s
Independence Day in the first region to declare independence.
The Delaware State Fair isn’t exactly one of the
Delaware holidays, but it might be for some. Every year
in the town of Harrington, the Delaware State Fair runs
its course in July. It’s more than a week of live
entertainment, livestock exhibits, and fun rides. Also
found in Harrington is the Harrington
Raceway and Casino, whose racing season offers weekly
events in the form of its Sunday-Thursday horse races.
Speaking of races, Dover is again
the scene for two of the top Delaware events.
On a weekend in July and a weekend in September, NASCAR comes to Dover, and boy does the city see a lot of visitors during these weekends. The races are held at the Dover International Speedway, and you will want to make your reservations way in advance if you hope to get into one of the Dover hotels. As mentioned in the opening paragraph, you can make a sandcastle contest your choice for Delaware events. Appropriately called the “Sandcastle Contest”, this event takes place at Rehoboth Beach every year in August. There are separate divisions for kids and adults, and the categories range from sandcastles, of course, to animals. Very interesting indeed, and something you can even take part in directly. Who knows. You might just walk away with a great prize package! Does that awake the artist and sculptor within?
The Delaware festivals and events that focus around music are fun to experience for visitors who love music of all kinds. South of Dover, Killens Pond State Park is the scene of the Delaware Jazz Blues & BBQ festival. May is a popular month for Delaware festivals it seems, and this one joins the May schedule as well. Arts and Crafts shows are great Delaware festivals for families, and the Delaware food festivals are simply good for everybody. In November, the Dover Downs Wine and Music Festival takes place in the capital, and in Milton, Delaware, seafood lovers can enjoy the Delmarva Crab Festival in August, which is in its infancy. Put the words “crab” and “festival” together, and it seems that this event has a chance of staying on the scene for a while. With so many fun things to do throughout the year, Delaware is truly a complete vacation destination. It certainly seem difficult to get bored here.