Delaware
Things to do near Philly: Craft show, Noir City, National Dog Show
Fans of black-and-white movies, rejoice! Prince kicks off the weekend with a screening of “Under the Cherry Moon.” It’s not the Prince movie that first comes to mind, we know, but it has its charms. During Noir City: Philadelphia, film noir is celebrated in a three-day festival at the Colonial Theater with host Bill Muller of Turner Classic Movies.
Art reigns supreme at two of the biggest art shows of the season — the Philadelphia Art Museum’s annual craft show and the Delaware Antiques Show. (It’s just too bad they are on the same weekend). Musicians in town include rapper G-Eazy, jazz stalwarts the Django Festival All-Stars and Jessica Vosks singing the Laurel Canyon songbook. In the ‘burbs, the annual National Dog Show is tapped, which will be televised on Thanksgiving Day.
Delaware | New Jersey | Special Events | Arts & Culture | Food & Drink | Comedy | Music
Delaware
Delaware Antiques Show
- Where: Chase Center on the Riverfront, 815 Justison St., Wilmington, Del.
- When: Friday, Nov. 15 – Sunday, Nov. 17
- How much: General admission, $25, Opening night party $125 – $250
More than 60 dealers head to the First State to share art, antiques and design. During the three-day event, several lecturers will share their knowledge on the field, including keynote speaker Barbara Israel on the enduring appeal of garden ornaments.
New Jersey
Paul Anka
Paul Anka made music history by having hits in seven different decades. Among those classics are songs like “Lonely Boy,” “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” and “Diana.” The Canadian-born crooner will sing those classics and more at his South Jersey tour stop.
‘God of Carnage’
- Where: South Camden Theatre, 400 South Camden St., Camden, N.J.
- When: Friday, Nov. 15 – Sunday, Nov. 24, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.
- How much: $5 for Camden residents, $25
When two Brooklyn kids get into a fight, their parents get together to try and resolve the issues that led to it. Instead, the parents learn more about each other and themselves than they bargained for. That’s the premise of the Tony Award-winning play that heads to South Jersey Friday.
Special Events
Manayunk Tree Lighting
- Where: Canal View Park, 4418 Main St.
- When: Thursday, Nov. 14, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
- How much: Free
Philly is now officially in holiday mode, though we haven’t even gotten to Thanksgiving yet. Manyunk jumps on Yuletide celebrations with Tree Lighting 2024, kicking off the month-long Manayunk Gets Lit celebration. Live music performances with local star Emily Drinker, a meet and greet with Santa and a kid’s activity station are part of the fun. Wear your best and most creative Eagles gear to compete for a $100 gift card.
The National Dog Show
- Where: The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, 100 Station Ave., Oaks, Pa.
- When: Saturday, Nov. 16 – Sunday, Nov. 17, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- How much: $10 – $20
It’s that time again, when adults dressed in business casual run with the dogs! The American Kennel Club bestows its coveted Best in Show distinction during the two-day National Dog Show in the Philly ‘burbs. Saturday’s event is televised on Thanksgiving Day, and Sunday is a family-friendly interactive day of activities. (Please note: No strollers and no, you can’t bring your dog.)
The 48th Annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Contemporary Craft Show
- Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St.
- When: Friday, Nov. 15, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 17, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- How much: $5 – $25
The annual juried show is one of the most anticipated events on Philadelphia’s arts calendar. The 2024 edition welcomes 24 guest artists from Italy and 195 artists from around the country working in multiple disciplines. The three-day event starts Thursday with a preview party (a gala cocktail buffet) that benefits museum programs.
Arts & Culture
44th Jewish Film and Media Festival: Fall Fest 2024
- Where: Multiple venues
- When: Through Sunday, Nov. 24
- How much: $20 – $220
The annual Jewish Film and Media Festival’s Fall Fest screens 12 films in 10 days, an extension from seven days in years past. The 2024 fest further expands to encompass parties, panels, master classes and films in multiple mediums, including virtual reality. Thursday’s kickoff event is a screening of “The Blond Boy From The Casbah.”
‘Under the Cherry Moon’
Prince starred in three movies but “Purple Rain” is the one you remember, as it was a pop culture phenomenon in 1982. Two years later, he followed it up with “Under the Cherry Moon,” his directorial debut, initially earning derisive reviews. But it’s now viewed as the kind of movie Philadelphia Film Society exalts in its Passion Pit series, which celebrates the work of iconoclasts. They screen it Thursday, so grab your popcorn and ruffled shirt, and celebrate when watching movies on the big screen was the norm.
‘Moreno’
It’s 2016, Luis Moreno is an NFL player who cares most about his money and career. But when Colin Kaepernick takes a stand for social justice, Moreno has to decide exactly where his loyalties and conscience lie. In a fictionalized version of the controversial events that shook the league, “Moreno” brings the football field to the stage. On Saturday, Frank Jiminez, who plays Luis, is featured in a post-show talkback.
‘American Moor’
When an actor comes in to audition for one of Shakespeare’s greatest roles he soon finds out that he and the director don’t see “Othello” in quite the same way. Through their interaction, some truths about race come out. That’s the story within the story in “American Moor,” which uses Shakespeare as an entry point to make a statement about contemporary race relations.
Noir City: Philadelphia
- Where: The Colonial Theater, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville, Pa.
- When: Friday, Nov. 15 – Sunday, Nov. 17
- How much: $40 per day
Turner Classic Movies “Noir Alley” host Eddie Muller heads to the Philly suburbs for this three-day noir film festival. He’ll sign copies of his books “Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir,” “Noir Bar: Cocktails Inspired by the World of Film Noir” and “Kid Noir: Kitty Feral and the Case of the Marshmallow Monkey” Saturday. This year, the ten films include English language rarities and faves like “The Asphalt Jungle” and noir from France, Italy, Argentina and Japan.
The Ecology of Fashion
The first-ever exhibit co-curated between Drexel University’s Westphal College and the Academy of Natural Sciences opens on Saturday. Using clothing culled from the university’s Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection, The Ecology of Fashion reveals the connection between the clothes we wear and the natural world. Friday’s opening night celebration at the museum starts at 6:30 p.m.
Food & Drink
Philly Wine Fest: Fall Edition
- Where: Live! Casino & Hotel, 900 Packer Ave.
- When: Saturday, Nov. 16, noon – 10 p.m. (split into 3 general admission and VIP sessions)
- How much: $39 – $59
If there’s nothing else you can count on aside from Ben Franklin’s acknowledgment of death and taxes, it is that Philadelphia will have an event that includes adult beverages. The seasonal Philly Wine Fest includes samples from local and natural brands, and a gaming credit. Early entry VIP tickets are available for the three sessions but there are designated driver tickets for the event.
Germantown Night Market
- Where: Maplewood Mall
- When: Saturday, Nov. 16, 8 p.m.
- How much: Free, pay as you go
Night markets have gone from an idea to a popular reality in Philly and this weekend adds yet another neighborhood to the mix. Germantown’s Maplewood Mall brings food trucks, live music and vendors to its version of the popular community-based nights out.
Comedy
‘How Did This Get Made? Live!’
If you follow the popular podcast hosted by actors Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas and June Diane Raphael, you already know there’s no movie trope they haven’t already skewered. In the interactive live version of “How Did This Get Made?” the movie “Bad Boys 4” warrants their takedown. We wondered about a few things in the movie too, but c’mon guys, it’s Will Smith! Bad Boys for life over here!
Music
Tropadelic
Reggae fusion bands don’t usually form in Ohio, but don’t tell Tropadelic that. The six-member crew has made its reputation putting on energetic shows featuring their blend of traditional reggae with elements of hip-hop and funk. They’re in the Philly burbs in support of their latest project “Royal Grove.”
Strings on Stage
The string section of the No Name Pops comes to the Ggayborhood to share their prodigious musical talents with the community. It’s part of the Artcinia concert series that aims to bring classical and jazz music to non-traditional venues and directly to the people instead of the other way around.
California Dreamin’: Jessica Vosk Sings The Songwriters of Laurel Canyon
Laurel Canyon is the Southern California enclave where musicians of the ’60s and ’70s gathered to create pop and rock music that became the playlists for their generation, Jessica Vosk joins the No Name Pops and Chris Dragon, the resident conductor of the Colorado Symphony, for a concert highlighting those classic songs.
Dorado Schmitt & Sons Samson and Amati – Django Festival All-Stars
Gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt continues to influence musicians in multiple genres despite his untimely death at 43. The musicians who play in the Django Festival All-Stars band are furthering his legacy. On their Philly tour stop, Dorado Schmitt and his sons Samson and Amati bring their unique flavor and musical chops to Reinhardt’s music.
G-Eazy
Rapper and actor G-Eazy is in town Saturday. He’s finishing up the North American leg of the “Freak Show,” before heading to Australia and Europe in 2025. So if you’re a fan, see him now while he’s performing to promote his upcoming release “Nada.”
Why Should Delaware Care?
As lawmakers face their final working day of the year, a slew of significant bills have yet to be considered. Any bill that is not approved by both chambers as of midnight June 30 is officially marked dead, and must be reintroduced in the next General Assembly that begins in January.
As the final day of the 2026 legislative session approaches on Tuesday, several bills face uncertain futures, including a slate of property tax reforms and legislation that seeks to rein in healthcare costs.
Also pending is the state’s often-contentious capital budget that would distribute nearly $1.26 billion dollars to state building projects.
The list of pending legislation remains despite a lively penultimate week in Dover during which lawmakers passed immigration enforcement reform, gun control legislation, and affordable housing requirements for municipalities.
Lawmakers also shockingly failed to advance a proposed amendment to the Delaware Constitution that would enshrine the rights to gay and interracial marriage in the state. Both are currently legal in Delaware, but an amendment would make it considerably harder for lawmakers to remove those protections.
In all, the final days of the 2026 legislative session cap off a generally subdued year of lawmaking – particularly when compared to last year’s fights over the state’s corporate franchise, the Port of Wilmington and control of zoning rules for marijuana shops and a wind-farm substation.
The session also heads toward a close as several lawmakers prepare for what is expected to be hard-fought campaigns for reelection.
What passed this week?
Lawmakers passed a slew of significant bills this past week relating to land use, immigration, education funding and part of the state’s 2027 fiscal year budget.
Those bills now will all advance to Gov. Matt Meyer’s desk to be considered for signatures or vetoes.
Senate Bill 23, which generated substantial pushback from local governments across the state, passed the House on Tuesday with an unusual mix of bipartisan support. If signed into law, the bill would require municipalities to increase housing density and incorporate additional affordable housing reforms in their comprehensive plans.
Lawmakers also passed Senate Bill 13, which would greatly increase the number of patients eligible to receive free or reduced-price treatment – often called charity care – from the state’s nonprofit hospitals.
That bill was introduced months after a Spotlight Delaware investigation called into question the charity care practices at the state’s largest healthcare system, ChristianaCare.
A pair of immigration reform bills passed the Senate on Thursday, following a lengthy debate about the role of local law enforcement in federal immigration policy.
House Bill 368 would prohibit local and state law enforcement officials from detaining individuals simply because of their immigration status. People accused of serious crimes could still be held for prosecution. House Bill 94 would ban law enforcement from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in specific spaces — schools, churches and healthcare facilities.
Two bills focused on the funding structure for public schools unanimously passed the House on Wednesday, following up on long-debated changes to how education is funded in Delaware.
Senate Bill 302 allows the state to begin implementing the new hybrid school funding formula, which allocates more money for schools with more low-income or English-language learning students. Senate Bill 303 charges the Public Education Funding Commission to continue studying education funding in future years.
Both chambers also passed the fiscal year 2027 operating budget with relatively little fanfare. The budget includes a 6.3% spending increase from last year, above the 5% growth that Gov. Meyer called for in his original budget proposal in January.
What’s left to do?
Several bills are left to be considered during the General Assembly’s final working day on Tuesday, including the state’s billion-dollar capital budget.
That bill, which requires a three-fourths majority vote in order to pass, presents a rare opportunity for Republicans to exert power over the negotiations. Democrats are currently one seat short of a three-fourths majority in the Senate and four seats short in the House, requiring them to receive at least some Republican buy-in on the final proposal.
There could be a few sticking points in bond bill negotiations, including $35 million earmarked for the expansion of Legislative Hall. It would be the third largest appropriation anywhere in the bond bill.
John Flaherty, a director of the Delaware Coalition for Open Government, decried the lack of public notice or input for such a massive project in the waning days of the legislature.
“The Delaware General Assembly is in full session for just 43 days out of the entire year. Spending $35 million to expand a complex that sits largely empty or underutilized for more than 300 days a year is an indefensible use of state revenues, especially when community-facing infrastructure projects face strict funding limits,” he said in a statement.
Other bills left to be considered include a slate of property tax reforms that were introduced earlier this month in response to the fallout from last year’s first-in-a-generation property reassessments.
Those bills, which were filed following months of committee hearings to investigate what exactly went wrong in the aftermath of reassessment, include a proposal to indefinitely extend New Castle County school districts’ controversial ability to tax commercial and residential properties at different rates.
Another healthcare-focused bill, Senate Bill 1, also remains up for consideration in the House.
A primary care reform bill that also includes price caps for government-regulated insurance plans, SB 1 was scaled back from its original form through months of negotiations with the state’s healthcare lobby.
Those changes would delay the implementation of price caps on hospital procedures, limit some state oversight in setting those caps, and completely exempt some hospitals from the law altogether.
The bill unanimously passed in the Senate last month, but it has not yet been considered in the House.
Lawmakers in both the House and Senate are set to reconvene for the final time this year at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30. Those hearings could extend long into the night depending on how readily legislators can strike deals, reach consensus or find compromise on any number of the proposals remaining before them.
Read more from Spotlight Delaware
The Hagley Museum and Library houses a collection of patent models
The Hagley Museum and Library houses the nation’s second-largest collection of patent models, many of which the public never gets to see.
For most, 41 years of service is more than enough. For State Librarian Annie Norman, though, even retirement can’t slow her down.
“The work is never done; there’s always something to do,” she said. “I’m going to have to continue to help in other ways.”
Norman will step away this fall after 24 years as the Delaware state librarian and director of the Delaware Division of Libraries.
Throughout her tenure, Norman made waves; the director helped create the Delaware Library Consortium, which allowed all of Delaware’s Public libraries to share items, and brought the library system along during a wave of technological change. For these achievements, she was named to the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame in 2016 and appointed by President Joe Biden as a member of the National Museum and Library Services Board.
We spoke with Norman as she wraps up an accomplished career about her proudest achievements, and the state of libraries in 2026.
Question: As you look back on your tenure, what was your proudest accomplishment?
Answer: What I’ll be known for more than anything is probably the statewide library catalog and consortium. The politics of bringing all of those libraries together, after years of there being four separate library catalogs in Delaware, took about eight years. More recently, I think bringing the school libraries into that catalog is going to be really significant. We’ve got more than 50 school libraries to be a part of the statewide catalog, something we think can really help with the literacy crisis in this state.
One of the biggest challenges of your tenure was adjusting to the large wave of technology that came about. How have you and the Delaware libraries handled it?
It’s been very systematic. We have a great IT team that helps manage for us, as well as the state funding 100% of library technologies. The growth of the iPhone has certainly had a huge impact on literacy, but we’re really just working hard to bring back the excitement of reading.
The Delaware libraries’ programming have always been a popular resource. How important do you view these offerings to local communities, and will they continue to expand?
Yes, libraries are about enrichment, which means helping support people in things like entrepreneurship, education and innovation. We’ve had libraries start up job centers, which were so successful we could expand to entrepreneurship, and even help with more basic social needs, by starting a “social innovation team” to help with more of the social services-type work.
Where we still struggle is we can only help people access Delaware systems to help with their needs, not fix things within those systems. For that reason, we always encourage these systems to work with us, so the Delaware library system can fit everyone’s needs.
Cuts toward libraries just occurred in New Castle County, with the potential for more to come. How will the library system look to stay afloat?
Because of the economy, because of federal changes, things can get difficult, it’s not the first time we’ve experienced budget cuts. We’ve progressed significantly over the years, but there is much more work to do, and I don’t know that the public understands how critical libraries and librarians are to literacy.
The power of walking into a library and being able to choose what you want to read for a child is powerful, and until people understand that, we can’t achieve our literacy goals.
Adam Denn is an intern reporter for Delaware Online/The News Journal. You can reach him at apdenn@delawareonline.com.
Inspiration
Do you have a suggestion for our Inspiration page? E-mail Tammy Paolino at tpaolino@usatodayco.com
DELAWARE COUNTY, Ohio — People in Delaware County said it feels like new housing developments are popping up on every corner.
WSYX
“What haven’t you noticed, right? The whole area just exploded,” said Scott Shonebarger.
Scott Sanders, the executive director of the Regional Planning Commission, said companies like Intel and other industries are a main driver for thousands of people moving to Delaware County.
With the big boom comes an urgent need for more housing.
John Wicks is the developer at Real Property Design and Development.
He has spent over a decade building homes for families in Delaware County.
Wicks said the Olentangy School District is one of the hottest spots for new homes.
“I started with one high school up until the 90s, then now we’re up to four up to five different high schools so it’s just a big draw,” said Wicks. “It’s a beautiful community.”
The district has grown into the fourth largest in Ohio with a new elementary school opening next year, and a fifth high school in 2028.
Wicks said the growth has presented some challenges over the years like labor shortage and some opposition.
“It’s become a big issue for a lot of people that live in and around these areas. They tend to oppose new growth and new development, so restrictions have gotten a little bit harder. Costs have obviously gone up over the last 20 years,” said Wicks.
The planning commission says between 275,000 and 350,000 people could call Delaware County home by 2040.
That’s up from 214,000 in 2020.
Scott Shonebarger said he supports growth but wonders when is enough.
“I mean to a certain extent I think you know at some point right you have to have some sort of boundaries I think, getting into the fact that now you have five high schools,” said Shonebarger. “What’s the limit?”
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