Delaware
Festival frenzy for Delawareans in 2024: Lineup of 14 dope events in new year
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Who in their right mind in Delaware is already thinking about can’t-miss festivals for 2024? It’s the type of person who messed around and found out that events do sell out.
To avoid that drama, you can get an early start on planning your schedule for 14 sweet festive events located in and around the First State in 2024.
There’s a strong focus on spring and summer events for this preview, stick with us for updates.
Kennett Winterfest, Kennett Square, Pa.
The beer event Kennett Winterfest gives new meaning to the phrase “cold drinks.” The February festival has over 60 breweries on tap serving over 130 beers, joined by live music and food trucks.
The event has a Delaware vibe since it’s just down the road and features local breweries like First State Brewing, Iron Hill, Bellefonte Brewing, Big Oyster Brewery, Wilmington Brew Works, and Dewey Beer. A regular admission ticket gets you an unlimited number of tastings. Designed drivers pay $15 (plus fee) and will receive a mocktail.
Kennett Winterfest (600 S. Broad St., Kennett Square, Pennsylvania) from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24. General admission $60 (plus fee); Designated driver $15 (plus fee). Visit kennettwinterfest.com.
Dover NASCAR weekend in Fan Zone
During NASCAR weekend there’s always a festival atmosphere at Dover Motor Speedway’s Fan Zone, a place that often offers free and fun activities for supporters.
The Fan Zone is home to driver autograph sessions, free concerts (which have hosted big names like Jimmie Allen and X Ambassadors), games and attractions for kids and adults.
The Monster Monument at Victory Plaza is a huge attraction and some of fans’ favorite NASCAR drivers and executives are usually spotted doing interviews at the 46-foot-tall Monster.
When NASCAR returns with a tripleheader to the Monster Mile in April, fans can look forward to the Track Treasures Trailer that features mementos, NASCAR collectibles, one-of-a-kind autographed items, clothing and advertising banners for sale near the Monster Monument.
Proceeds will benefit Speedway Children’s Charities, Dover Motor Speedway Chapter, per Dover Motor Speedway’s website.
Race fans are encouraged by the Speedway to keep checking the website for added attractions, event times and more about Fan Zone festivities for the spring.
Dover Motor Speedway (1131 N. Dupont Highway, Dover) from Friday, April 26 to Sunday, April 28. More details TBA. Visit dovermotorspeedway.com.
WrestleMania 40, Philadelphia
The Super Bowl of professional wrestling is back in the City of Brotherly Love for the first time in 25 years with WrestleMania 40. This two-day event also marks WrestleMania’s first time in the home of the Philadelphia Eagles.
It’s confirmed (via a promo image on their website) that the Mania card includes wrestlers Brock Lesnar, Cody Rhodes, Rhea Ripley, Roman Reigns, Asuka, Bianca Belair and Seth Rollins. Other stars that fans want/expect to see on the card are CM Punk, Randy Orton, John Cena and Stone Cold, and plenty others. More clarity about who is participating in WrestleMania will likely be revealed after the Royal Rumble happens Jan. 27.
Lincoln Financial Field at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7. Tickets combos for both days are $560 to $10,000+. Tickets for each night are $188 to $5,000+. Visit wwe.com.
420 weed party and more, Townsend
You and your best buds can roll up to one of the First State’s biggest 420 celebrations for a one-of-a-kind, 24-hour event that’ll unite marijuana lovers in the same month that Delaware legalized weed in 2023.
Delfire Group and Delaware NORML are teaming up to deliver two marijuana-themed events in one: Delfire’s Spring Fling event and Delaware NORML’s 420 Party.
This fully baked collaboration features art vendors, merch, live music, cannabis advocacy and camping at, and lots of weed. The event is for ages 21 or older.
Fire Base Lloyd (474 Flemings Landing Road, Townsend) on Saturday, April 20. More details TBA. Visit Facebook.com/weedstockde or Facebook.com/DENORML.
Dover Days Festival
One of Delaware’s oldest and largest festivals is in the Capital City, Dover Days takes guests back to the Colonial era for two days.
The first day has fireworks and the second offers a full festival and parade. Dover Days is known for Maypole dancing, balloon rides, historic re-enactments, artisans, games and food vendors, and more. This festival is rain or shine.
Near Leg Hall (411 Legislative Ave.) on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4. More details TBA. Visitdelawarevillages.com.
Point-To-Point, Winterthur
A fashion show, carnival and horse racing — these ingredients make up the 46th annual Winterthur Point-To-Point Steeplechase.
The yearly event raises money for the preservation and maintenance of the garden and estate at Winterthur. It features a parade of pups and carriages, steeple chase racing, vintage vehicles, raffles, community vendors and lots of family activities. But folks love to come out for tailgating to show off their extravagant outfits.
Winterthur (5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur) from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 5. More details TBA. Visit winterthur.org or (302) 888-4600.
Wilmington Flower Market
A lavish garden of fun and entertainment will blossom at a festive, three-day event that’s a staple in northern Delaware. The 103rd annual Wilmington Flower Market has live music, rides, food, beer and (of course) flowers, and lots more. The event also has a habit of booking musical acts that’ve played Firefly.
Proceeds from the Flower Market benefit children’s charities in Delaware.
Rockford Park (2629 W. 19th St., Wilmington) from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 9; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, May 10; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 11. More details TBA. Visit wilmingtonflowermarket.org.
Dover Comic Con
Since actions speak louder than words, you can tell everyone who your favorite anime is by cosplaying them at Dover Comic Con.
The free event is family-friendly and particularly good for folks who are new to cosplay and/or want to get a taste of what a comic convention is all about. (The con is also perfect for folks who love to people watch.) Lots of vendors and artisans sell wares and items at the convention.
There’s usually cool vehicles on display like replicas of the Batmobile or “Jurassic Park” Jeep. Last summer, “Pokémon” fans went wild over a replica of the Pikabug car pulled up.
Near Leg Hall (411 Legislative Ave.) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 8. More details TBA. Visit delmarvaevents.net.
June Jam, Houston
The longtime festival June Jam will make some noise with its 46th annual musical rodeo featuring headliner Shoot to Thrill, the all-female tribute to AC/DC.
June Jam, which is a nonprofit, is self-branded as the longest-running music festival in the nation (since the pandemic couldn’t even stop it).
Over the years, proceeds from June Jam have benefited all sorts of causes, from helping people struggling with medical bills to supporting Toys for Tots.
G&R Recreation Campground (4075 Gun and Rod Club Road, Houston) on Saturday, June 19. More details TBA. Visit junejam.com.
Delaware State Fair, Harrington
From pig races and concerts to crunchy fried Oreos, there’s a little something for everybody to enjoy at Delaware’s hottest event of the summer: the Delaware State Fair.
Last year’s event attracted 308,989 guests over 10 days with headline performances by comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, rappers Nelly and Vanilla Ice, country acts Lainey Wilson, Tyler Hubbard, Jackson Dean and Riley Green, plus Christian artist Zach Williams.
Delaware State Fair (18500 S. Dupont Highway, Harrington) Thursday, July 18 through Saturday, July 27. General admission tickets are up to $10 in person or $10.50 (online). Concerts on the Grandstand are extra. More details TBA. Visit delawarestatefair.com or (302) 398-3269.
Phish festival, The Woodlands Dover
The iconic jam band Phish will debut a new four-day festival in The Woodlands of Dover this summer.
The Woodlands have been starving for a festival since Firefly took a break and skipped 2023. The surprise announcement of the Phish event (which isn’t part of Firefly) is giving the Capital City renewed excitement by attracting a fresh audience of music lovers. Phishheads tend to be little older than the college-aged Firefly crowd, yet they’re still passionate and intense about seeing live shows (something “Phish phans” have a reputation for).
Details about Phish’s event are bare at the moment. But ticket prices and more information is probably coming soon. Check back with us soon.
The Woodlands (1131 N. Dupont Highway, Dover) from Thursday, Aug. 15 to Sunday, Aug. 18. More details TBA. Visit Phish.com.
Firefly Music Festival, The Woodlands Dover
Despite some fan speculation that Firefly Music Festival might not return for a second straight summer, Firefly organizers said in 2022 that they will come back to The Woodlands for 2024.
So far, the festival producers haven’t said otherwise. The last Firefly brought four days of music to The Woodlands with over 100 acts including headliners Halsey, My Chemical Romance, Green Day and Dua Lipa.
With Firefly attendance dropping over the years, the annual festival took the year off in 2023 to “recharge our lights.” Firefly producers have been quiet during their hiatus and haven’t revealed their festival lineup yet.
The Woodlands (1131 N. Dupont Highway, Dover). More details TBA. Visit fireflyfestival.com.
Delaware Renaissance Faire, Townsend
Vikings, elves and everyone in-between are welcome for a third season at the Delaware Renaissance Festival, organizers announced.
In 2023, Delafaire expanded to three weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) and sold out each Saturday. The fall festival also drew new vendors and entertainers to this family-friendly event that offers archery, axe-throwing and much more.
Since launching in 2022, Delafaire has quickly become one of the First State’s most beloved events. The Ren Faire’s website announced it’s coming back for its third annual event in 2024. Ticket prices and dates haven’t been announced yet.
Fire Base Lloyd (474 Flemings Landing Road, Townsend) in fall 2024. More details TBA. Visit delafaire.com.
Oceans Calling — Ocean City, Md.
The debut of Oceans Calling in the fall saw more than 30 artists hit the stage across three days. Acts included John Mayer, Alanis Morissette, Incubus, Jack Johnson and The Lumineers.
Festival organizers recently promised “a triumphant return” back to Ocean City this September. Oceans Calling hasn’t announced its lineup yet.
Ocean City Inlet Beach (809 South Atlantic Ave., Ocean City, Maryland) from Friday, Sept. 27, to Sunday, Sept. 29. More details TBA. Visit oceanscallingfestival.com.
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.
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NEW CASTLE COUNTY, Del. – A Wilmington man was arrested and charged in connection with three armed robberies in New Castle County earlier this month, police announced.
What we know:
Michael Reynolds was charged on Friday with eight felonies, including three counts each of robbery and possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, according to the Delaware State Police.
The first robbery happened on May 3, at a Shore Stop on South Old Baltimore Pike in Newark. According to police, Reynolds walked into the store around 8:15 p.m., armed with a knife and wearing a mask. He demanded money from the clerk, police said, then walked off.
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The next robbery happened less than 24 hours later. Around 7:30 p.m. Reynolds is accused of doing the same thing at a Shell gas station on New Castle Avenue in New Castle. Police say he walked in with a knife and demanded money from the cash register.
After this robbery, officers were able to identify the suspect’s car, a white Ford Taurus, and appeared to find it in Wilmington. Officers tried to chase the car, but the driver got away. Police found the car abandoned.
Reynolds was arrested shortly after that. Once in custody, police said they connected Reynolds to “additional incidents” New Castle County that are currently under investigation.
What we don’t know:
Police did not say what those other incidents were.
The Source: Information in this story is from the Delaware State Police Department.
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Problem Solved
Newly released data from Realtor.com for February shows that potential buyers and sellers in New Castle County saw lower home sale prices than the previous month’s median of $335,000.
The median home sold for $325,000, an analysis of data from Realtor.com shows. That means February, the most recent month for which figures are available, was down 3% from January.
Compared with February 2025, the median home sales price was up 2.2% compared with $318,000.
Realtor.com sources sales data from real estate deeds, resulting in a few months’ delay in the data. The statistics don’t include homes currently listed for sale and aren’t directly comparable to listings data.
Information on your local housing market, along with other useful community data, is available at data.delawareonline.com.
Here is a breakdown on median sale prices:
- Looking only at single-family homes, the $395,000 median selling price in New Castle County was down 2.9% in February from $407,000 the month prior. Since February 2025, the sales price of single-family homes was up 11.3% from a median of $355,000. Five single-family homes sold for $1 million or more during the month, compared with four recorded transactions of at least $1 million in February 2025.
- Condominiums and townhomes increased by 6.1% in sales price during February to a median of $255,000 from $240,360 in January. Compared with February 2025, the sales price of condominiums and townhomes was up 11.9% from $227,940. No condominiums or townhomes sold for $1 million or more during February.
About recorded home sales in New Castle County in Delaware
In February, the number of recorded sales in New Castle County dropped by 19.9% since February 2025 – from 347 to 278. All residential home sales totaled $101.6 million.
Across Delaware, homes sold at a median of $380,000 during February, a slight decrease from $381,000 in January. There were 631 recorded sales across the state during February, down 33.4% from 947 recorded sales in February 2025.
Here’s a breakdown for the full state:
- The total value of recorded residential home sales in Delaware decreased by 13.8% from $351.3 million in January to $302.8 million this February.
- Out of all residential home sales in Delaware, 6.18% of homes sold for at least $1 million in February, up from 4.01% in February 2025.
- Sales prices of single-family homes across Delaware decreased by 2.4% from a median of $410,000 in January to $400,000 in February. Since February 2025, the sales price of single-family homes across the state was up 4.2% from $383,757.
- Across the state, the sales price of condominiums and townhomes rose 3.1% from a median of $303,000 in January to $312,500 during February. The median sales price of condominiums and townhomes is down 6.7% from the median of $335,000 in February 2025.
The median home sales price used in this report represents the midway point of all the houses or units listed over the given period of time. The median offers a more accurate view of what’s happening in a market than the average sales price, which would mean taking the sum of all sales prices then dividing by the number of homes sold. The average can be skewed by one particularly low or high sale.
USA TODAY Co. is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Realtor.com. Please leave any feedback or corrections for this story here.
The Mount Pleasant School House at Bellevue State Park was one of the first public schools in Delaware. Photo by DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation
Part of New Investments in the Park
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control held a ribbon cutting for the historic Mount Pleasant School House at Bellevue State Park, one of the first public schools in the state of Delaware. It is one of several major projects completed in the last six years.
The Mount Pleasant School House was built under the Free School Act of 1829, which divided each county into many school districts and provided funding to build a school house in each district. The one-room school house, designated as School District No. 2, was a common school where children of all ages learned reading, writing, arithmetic and English grammar together, led by a single teacher. It was used for nearly 35 years from 1830 to 1864, primarily serving the children of the local farming community. Today, Mount Pleasant Elementary School and Mount Pleasant High School are schools that descended from the original school house and are part of the Brandywine School District.
“Our state history matters, and I believe it is our duty as Delawareans to preserve what we can so that each generation that comes after us can not only access educational materials, but see these landmarks for themselves,” said Rep. Debra Heffernan of District 6, who serves as chair of the Joint Capital Improvement Committee.
“The Free School Act of 1829 was not perfect, but it began the process of ensuring that every Delaware child has access to quality education, no matter their background. The Mount Pleasant School House is a physical representation of the progress we have made in our state: from a small schoolhouse for the local farming community led by a single teacher, to two spectacular schools that serve students from all walks of life. I am grateful to have played a role in making sure that this piece of history is accessible to everyone in our community.”
After the original school house fell into disrepair in 1857, Hanson Robinson, a Philadelphia wool merchant and an advocate for racial and gender equality who lived at neighboring Woolton Hall, offered to build a new, larger school on the other side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in exchange for the original school and land. The original school property was later used as a guest house and sold to several new owners. In 1893, it was purchased by William du Pont, Sr. and renamed the Bellevue Estate. The school house continued to be used as a guest house or employee housing, most notably by the estate’s lead racehorse trainer.
Bellevue opened as a state park in 1977, and the school house has been used as a park office, holiday venue and gift shop before it sat empty and unused for nearly three decades. Initial restoration began in 2019-2020 thanks to funding advocated for by the Friends of Bellevue State Park in 2020. A thorough preservation plan was created in 2022 for total exterior and interior renovations. It will now serve as an interpretive center for programming to recount the rich history of Bellevue and its community.
“As one of the historical sites in Delaware State Parks, it is critical to invest in its preservation to help educate residents about important landmarks in Delaware history,” said Matt Ritter, director of the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation. “We couldn’t have done this project without the dedicated support of the Friends of Bellevue State Park. With more than 390 historic structures in the system, we are continually updating and improving our amenities for future generations to enjoy.”
In addition to the restoration of the school house, more than $5.2 million in capital improvements have been invested in Bellevue over the last six years. Among the improvements are:
• a new roof for the Figure 8 barn, a facility used for events and programming
• parking lot improvements for the Tennis Center and pavilion
• a paved pathway linking the Bellevue Mansion to the Figure 8 Barn and Tennis Center
• upgrades to the track, with a new surface and drainage enhancements
Bellevue State Park offers lots of other activities, such as a fishing pond, a concert bandshell, stables, trails, disc golf and cross county trails. For more information on Bellevue and its programs, visit the destateparks.com/park/bellevue-state-park webpage.
About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo and the Indian River Marina. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.
Celebrating A Milestone Year
Delaware State Parks is celebrating 75 years of outdoor adventures and lasting memories. What began in 1951 with three parks has grown into a system that now includes 17 state parks, 22 nature preserves, the Brandywine Zoo and the Indian River Marina — together protecting more than 27,000 acres. In 2026, the division will honor the people, parks and partners who built this legacy and invite visitors to join in inspiring exploration, discovery and a deeper connection to the outdoors for generations to come.
Media contact: Beth Kuhles-Heiney, elizabeth.kuhlesheiney@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov
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