Delaware
Delaware Weed Olympics & 420 festival 2025: These weed events will smoke the competition
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Two weed festivals expect to attract a couple thousand people at each of their puffed-up events in celebration of the 420 holiday in Delaware.
The two events are Spring Fling at Fire Base Lloyd in Townsend and the 420 Pregamin BlowChella at Hudson Fields in Milton. Both events are from April 19-20.
These 420 festivals are both for ages 21 or older, and guests are encouraged to bring their own weed. Both events will feature live music, vendors, food trucks and more.
Here’s a half-baked preview of some of the highlights from both cannabis fests.
What is 420 Spring Fling in Delaware?
The Delfire Group (hosts of the annual Weedstock festival in September), in collaboration with Delaware NORML, is celebrating 420 with Spring Fling, a party that will last 30 hours.
The event will include over a dozen musical acts like The Wag, Big Boy Brass and Gretchen Emery Band. In addition to vendors and food, there will also be workshops, arts and crafts.
Cynthia Ferguson, event manager for Delfire Group, said Weedstock and Spring Fling have been held at Fire Base Lloyd for several years and the vibes have been chill. Guests should expect the same this year.
“You’ll never get hassled here. People are very friendly. They’re very helpful,” Ferguson said.
What is 420 Blowchella in Delaware?
420 Pregamin BlowChella invites the cannabis community to hang out for a weekend of weed, munchies, canines, vendors, art exhibits and dancing, from April 19-20. While it technically starts at 10 a.m., the celebration will really get underway at 4:20 p.m. on April 19.
Guests will also compete in games from the Weed Olympics and Stoner Obstacle Course. But hours before the weed games, there will be a friendly meetup with bulldogs-themed Bullchella.
BlowChella is a collaboration with ChooseJoy (a Dover-based nonprofit that offers financial support to fire victims who lost their homes), cannabis advocate Phil Hardin of Delaware Loves Cannabis, and Taishawn Frisby (a community leader in Sussex County). Proceeds will benefit ChooseJoy.
What’s the Delaware Weed Olympics and Stoner Obstacle Course?
BlowChella is giving guests a chance to prove marijuana smokers aren’t lazy people through its Weed Olympics and Stoner Obstacle Course at 10 p.m. on April 19.
“Who don’t remember being a teenager and being like, ‘I roll a better joint than you. My blunts look better,’” Dawn said. “Well, now we can actually figure out who really does roll a better joint blindfolded.”
According to the BlowChella website, these games include events like:
- The Blunt Roll & Dash: Roll a (fake) blunt while speed-walking a short track. You have to start over if you drop it.
- Slo-Mo Smoker Sprint: The runner who runs with the slowest time wins.
- Deep Diving: Take a massive bong rip and see who can hold it in the longest.
- Munchie Mow Down: Race against the clock to see who can devour the most hot wings in one minute.
What is Bullchella in Delaware?
BlowChella actually begins with a bulldog meet-and-greet event called “Bullchella” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 19. There will be a designated area where humans can smoke weed during Bullchella, said Theresa Dawn, founder of ChooseJoy.
Fans of bulldogs will have a chance to meet other bullies at Bullchella. Since this event is bulldog themed, guests are only allowed to bring bulldog breeds of any kind, Dawn said. She added that guests must bring dogs that are trained, leashed, and not on their estrus cycle.
Prizes and ribbons will be awarded to bullies in various categories.
What is 420?
April 20, or 4/20, marks the annual holiday to unofficially celebrate all things marijuana.
Marijuana is illegal under federal law in the U.S. But as some states, including Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, legalize or decriminalize it, Americans overwhelmingly favor the legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational use, according to a Pew Research Center survey.
Events like BlowChella and Spring Fling give Delawareans an opportunity to smoke the legal limit of weed in a festival setting.
“We are asking our guests to follow the rules,” Dawn said about BlowChella. “Bring your own bud, don’t bring more than you’re legally allowed to have on you. Follow the rules and let’s have fun.”
How much are tickets for Spring Fling 2025 and 420 BlowChella?
420 Pregamin BlowChella: Hudson Fields (30045 Eagle Crest Road, Milton) starts at 10 a.m. April 19-20. Tickets for General Admission Weekend Pass and Camping are $40 early or $50 at the gate. General Day Pass is $25 early or $30 at the door. For more info, visit 420pregamin.com.
Spring Fling 2025: Fire Base Lloyd (474 Fleming Landing Road, Townsend) at noon April 19. Tickets for general admission are $40. For more info, visit weedstock.org.
USA TODAY reporter Anna Kaufman contributed to this report.
If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters.
Delaware
ISP investigating after Delaware County Sheriff deputy shoots at vehicle
MUNCIE, Ind. — Indiana State Police is investigating an officer-involved shooting that took place in Muncie early Sunday morning.
According to ISP, around 12:13 a.m., officers from multiple agencies were called to an event in the area of Bunch Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on reports of a person shot.
A Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived at the scene and approached on foot. While the deputy was walking, he made an encounter with a vehicle and discharged his sidearm at the vehicle.
The circumstances and reason behind why the deputy fired his weapon remain under investigation.
The gunfire struck the vehicle, but no one was injured during the course of the incident.
The ISP Criminal Investigations Division is investigating the deputy’s use of force. Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be used by the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
The investigation remains active and ongoing; no additional information is available at the time of this article’s publication.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
Delaware
New study finds PFAS contamination widespread throughout Delaware River Basin
A new study released by the Delaware River Basin Commission says PFAS contamination remains widespread throughout the Delaware River Basin, raising continued concerns about drinking water, wildlife and long-term environmental health across Pennsylvania and neighboring states.
The report, released Wednesday, summarizes more than 20 years of research into PFAS — commonly known as “forever chemicals” because they break down extremely slowly in the environment.
The study is especially significant for Northeastern Pennsylvania because several counties either fully or partially fall within the Delaware River Basin, including Pike, Monroe, Wayne and parts of Carbon County, where many communities rely directly on Delaware Basin waterways for drinking water and recreation.
Other NEPA counties with portions connected to the basin include Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties.
Major waterways tied to the Delaware River Basin in Northeastern Pennsylvania include the Lehigh River, Lackawaxen River, Brodhead Creek, Tobyhanna Creek and portions of the Lackawanna River watershed, along with numerous streams throughout the Pocono region.
Researchers found PFAS contamination consistently present in surface water, sediment, fish and blue crab tissue samples collected at 21 locations throughout the basin.
Officials said contamination levels increased as the Delaware River moved downstream toward Delaware Bay, suggesting ongoing pollution sources such as industrial facilities, wastewater discharges and stormwater runoff.
“Safeguarding water for over 14 million people requires science-informed management actions,” DRBC Executive Director Kristen Bowman Kavanagh said in a statement.
PFAS are used in a wide range of products because they repel water and oil. They have been linked to a variety of health concerns and environmental risks.
The study identified different PFAS compounds in different sample types, highlighting what researchers described as the complexity of contamination throughout the river system.
“The Delaware River Basin is a global hotspot for PFAS pollution,” said DRBC Senior Chemist and Toxicologist Jeremy Conkle, who led the study.
The commission said continued monitoring will focus heavily on the tidal Delaware River and tributaries impacted by development and population density.
Officials also announced the launch of a new interactive online mapping tool that allows the public to explore PFAS contamination data across the Delaware River Basin, including local watersheds.
The tool combines information from federal and state agencies along with other organizations to provide a regional look at known contamination sites.
The DRBC will also host a public webinar on June 15 to review the study’s findings and demonstrate the new mapping application.
The Delaware River Basin provides water resources to more than 14 million people across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and New York.
Delaware
Delaware history in News Journal May 31-June 6: royal visit, oil plea
Take a boat ride to Fort Delaware in the Delaware River’s Pea Patch Island
Take a boat ride to Fort Delaware, once a bastion of military defense and a prison camp during the Civil War, on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River.
The Delaware history column features excerpts from The News Journal archives including The Morning News and The Evening Journal. See the archives at delawareonline.com.
100 years ago, The Evening Journal, June 1, 1926
Cordial welcome given Swedish royalty
Thousands of Wilmingtonians yesterday afternoon greeted Crown Prince Gustavus Adolphus and his wife, Princess Louise Alexandra, of Sweden, who were guests of the city. …
The royal party arrived on a special train at French Street Station and were greeted by a reception committee headed by Mayor Forrest. …
The crowd waiting at the station for a glimpse of the couple was so great that it had to be held back by ropes and guards.
When the Princess alighted from the train she was presented with a bouquet by Mrs. Christopher L. Ward, a member of the reception committee. …
The royal visitors were escorted to waiting automobiles to begin their hasty trip to Old Swedes Church. …
During the trip, the Mayor pointed out the Old Town Hall, the public buildings which were decorated with the American flag and the flag of Sweden, and the William P. Bancroft School.
A crowd estimated at 3,000 persons greeted the city’s guests at the church. The royal couple entered by walking through the cemetery and a lane of Boy Scouts bearing American and Swedish flags. …
Near the entrance, the Prince and Princess were greeted by the Rev. Dr. Frederick M. Kirkus, rector of Trinity P.E. Church. …
Inside, they were met by Bishop Philip Cook of the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware. …
A silver plaque was presented to the Prince bearing an engraving of Old Swedes Church and an inscription commemorating the royal couple’s visit. The plaque’s frame is made of wood from the old church. …
Prince Gustavus offered thanks for the warm welcome.
“I am deeply moved by being here at this church and to stand in the place where the first Swedes in this country offered their worship,” he said. “This day I shall always remember and the memory will always be pleasant.”
Also from 100 years ago, The Evening Journal, June 1, 1926
Holiday automobile traffic heavy
An average of 12 cars a minute passed Station No. 2 of the State Police on the duPont Boulevard and the Glasgow-Elkton Road during a 12-hour check-up on Memorial Day yesterday.
In all, 9,101 cars passed the State Police station, according to Superintendent C.C. Reynolds of the State Police.
This was the heaviest traffic State Police have had to handle since last July 5, when 9,221 cars were counted in a 12-hour check-up….
Although there were several accidents, none were serious.
State Police kept the heavy volume of traffic moving fast. On the Philadelphia Pike, the officers speeded up traffic by having slow-moving vehicles pull to one side at times, allowing faster cars to move ahead.
50 years ago, The Morning News, June 3, 1976
Mayor’s overtures may bring oilmen to Delaware
Mayor Thomas C. Maloney will try to convince visiting oilmen today that Wilmington and its port should be the onshore headquarters for offshore oil and gas development.
Maloney has organized a two-day show-and-tell for the American Petroleum Institutes’ Atlantic Offshore Committee, a group touring the East Coast looking for potential onshore support sites.
Maloney’s invitation is one of the few direct Delaware overtures to the oil industry, which generally considers the state unfriendly. That attitude stems, in part, from Delaware’s Coastal Zone law banning refineries, superports and pipelines along the state’s shores.
Although the oil companies like Delaware because of the natural deepwater in the Delaware Bay and its proximity to where future drilling may occur, most oil industry representatives say there are enough other states actively soliciting onshore development. …
When the chairman of the committee heard of Maloney’s invitation, he wrote to other members, urging them to take a “hard look” at Wilmington.
Offshore oil drilling has been a controversy in Delaware for about five years. The Interior Department expects to hold a lease sale this summer for ocean bottom land 50 to 100 miles off the coasts of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
20 years ago, The News Journal, June 5, 2006
Kenseth tames Dover’s ‘Monster Mile’ before planned changes
The scene was a familiar one after the NASCAR Nextel Cup series race at Dover International Speedway on Sunday.
Sunburned fans filed down from the grandstands, coolers in tow, heading back to their cars. The driver crews hustled their machinery back to the haulers.
And Matt Kenseth, who won the Neighborhood Excellence 400 presented by Bank of America, celebrated in victory lane. …
An estimated crowd of 134,000 fans included Rocky and Gloria Chase of Cape May, N.J., who got married in the infield before the race with the Kent County Clerk of the Peace performing the ceremony. …
But nothing will be the same at Dover now that the speedway is about to undergo a five-year improvement that track officials dubbed “The Monster Makeover.”
Changes will include more parking, an outdoor concert area, improved concession areas and more skyboxes. All of it is being done to appeal to a younger demographic while not alienating hard-core fans who have supported the sport for years.
Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com.
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