Delaware
The Spirit of Philadelphia – 40 years of entertaining down the Delaware – The Philadelphia Sunday Sun
By Kharisma McIlwaine
For years the Spirit of Philadelphia has been a major landmark in Philadelphia.
Year-round, Philadelphians and visitors are greeted by the massive vessel at Penn’s Landing. Originally built in 1988 and located at 401 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd, the Spirit of Philadelphia provides a unique dining experience, combining delicious food and live music as guests cruise the Delaware River.
Now, the Spirit of Philadelphia celebrates 40 years on the Delaware Waterfront. Ryan O’Connor, general manager of City Cruises Philadelphia, spoke with the SUN about the history of Spirit of Philadelphia and the upcoming 40th anniversary celebration.
O’Connor first joined the City Cruises team as an intern in Virginia.
“My journey actually started when Spirit Cruises had their corporate office in Norfolk, Virginia,” O’Connor said. “I started as a sales and marketing intern with the company my spring semester of senior year of college. I had a full-time internship in their corporate office.”
Originally from the Philadelphia area, as a native of Delaware County, O’Connor was able to make the transition with the company to work in his hometown.
“It was a natural fit to come back,” he said. “They hired me full time after I graduated from Virginia Wesleyan University. I started my career down there and then they moved me back to Philadelphia, which is my hometown. So, it was nice to come back. Around 2004, I came back and I’ve been back as the general manager of City Cruises Philadelphia for eight years now. It’s been about 12 years with the company, and I know it well. It’s a wonderful place to work and a great company.”
Philadelphia was one of the first cities that City Cruises chose to start a dinner boat operation. Since then, Spirit of Philadelphia continues to provide unique experiences for guests while cruising on The Delaware River. Those experiences include two-hour brunches, two and a half hour dinner cruises and live entertainment with a DJ and dance floor on board.
In 2019, Spirit of Philadelphia underwent a $1M renovation to further amplify the experiences of everyone on board.
“You’ll see a beautiful refreshed, modern vessel — it’s very clean,” O’Connor said. “We completely painted the exterior of the vessel and really just invested our money in the aesthetics and the looks of the inside. There’s new carpet, new tile and beautiful refacing of the bars with marble bar tops.”
“We know that the Spirit of Philadelphia operating in Philadelphia is a staple and we knew that we wanted to invest money into her to make her look really beautiful and make her be that wonderful venue for any occasion,” O’Connor said. “Whether you’re getting married or celebrating your anniversary, we really strive to create that amazing experience.”
Countless Philadelphians have had wonderful experiences aboard the Spirit of Philadelphia. Those fond memories are sure to continue with the milestone celebration of 40 years on the Waterfront.
“40 years on The Philadelphia waterfront has been spectacular,” O’Connor said. “It truly is a staple in Philadelphia. The amount of people that come up to me when they find out what I do, that have told me that they have been to a wedding on board, a corporate function or that their 8th grade graduation luncheon was on Spirit of Philadelphia — I love hearing all those stories. We have thousands of [crews] out there that have also stepped on board Spirit of Philadelphia and worked with us that we keep in the family. It’s a wonderful experience.”
“Getting ready for the 40th, we have our kick-off event on Thursday, May 12,” O’Connor said. “We’re excited to kick off the season, and we’ll be celebrating the 40th anniversary throughout the entire year. So [there’s] plenty of opportunities for our guests to come on board for brunch cruises. We have bottomless mimosa brunches on Saturdays and Sundays and dinner cruises throughout the week and weekend.
There will be plenty of opportunities to come out and celebrate this milestone with us.”
In addition to the ongoing 40th year celebration, City Cruises Philadelphia is offering an early brunch, a midday brunch and a dinner cruise for Mother’s Day. For more information on City Cruises Philadelphia, visit: www.cityexperiences.com/Philadelphia where you can research the variety of signature cruises offered and book the cruise of your choice. Also be sure to follow @citycruises across social media platforms.
Delaware
Autumn’s newest tradition: The Delaware Fall Festival at Battery Park
The story behind the Kalmar Nyckel
Here’s the story behind the Kalmar Nyckel, the Swedish Mayflower of the Delaware Valley. 10/29/24
Sunday’s autumn weather was perfect for the inaugural Delaware Fall Festival.
The event took place at Battery Park in the historic Old New Castle area of New Castle, providing the ideal setting for a community gathering and a worthy cause.
The free event was organized to raise funds and awareness for the New Castle Outdoor Recreation Coalition’s planned expansion of the park’s playground. Phase 2 of the Battery Park Playground Project will feature a replica of the Kalmar Nyckel, the Swedish flagship that brought settlers who established the first permanent European settlement in the Delaware Valley in 1638.
The festival featured live entertainment, children’s activities, and various food vendors.
Renee Duval, a three-year resident of New Castle, attended the festival with her husband and two children. As regular visitors to Battery Park who often stroll the path near Deemers Beach, they were excited to explore the event after hearing about the food trucks, music, and vendors.
Among the vendors was Theresa Batts, owner of Batts Concessions from Hartford County, Maryland, who learned about the festival through social media. She said the timing was perfect. She and her husband prefer to sell on weekends, but it is very hard to find events on a Sunday. And this weekend, they were celebrating their business’s first anniversary. Batts Concessions offered an array of treats, including kettle corn, homemade peanut brittle, various nuts, and cotton candy. When asked how sales were going, Batts replied, “Fantastic. No complaints. We would definitely do it again next year.”
Delaware Fall Festival organizers hope to make this an annual tradition for the historic waterfront community.
You can contact Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.
Delaware
AAA predicts heavy travel over Thanksgiving holiday
For many people, Thanksgiving means full stomachs, full hearts … and full roads.
According to AAA, travel over the Thanksgiving holiday is expected to set records. Jana Tidwell is with AAA.
“Nearly 217,000 Delawareans will travel 50 miles or more for the holiday,” she said. “That’s more than 20% of the population. Of those traveling in Delaware, more than 91% will travel by car.”
Tuesday and Wednesday are likely to be the worst travel days on the roads.
“The challenge with Tuesday and Wednesday is that holiday travelers will be mixing with commuters, especially in the late afternoon time,” Tidwell said.
Tidwell suggests traveling during off-peak times, like early in the mornings or after the evening rush hour. Whenever you travel, Tidwell says to be patient, follow the rules of the road, and avoid distractions like cell phones and eating behind the wheel.
AAA notes the window for holiday travel is longer this year, adding Tuesday before Thanksgiving and the Monday after to their definition of the holiday weekend. Tidwell says that’s because the advent of remote work and changes in school schedules have allowed for more flexibility in travel.
Delaware
Delaware Lottery Powerball, Play 3 Day winning numbers for Nov. 23, 2024
Claiming lottery in Delaware
18 states have laws that allow national lottery prize jackpot winners to remain anonymous, but is Delaware among them?
The Delaware Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Nov. 23 drawing
12-13-34-44-67, Powerball: 08, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Play 3 numbers from Nov. 23 drawing
Day: 7-9-1
Night: 8-5-1
Check Play 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Play 4 numbers from Nov. 23 drawing
Day: 8-4-2-0
Night: 3-6-9-6
Check Play 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Multi-Win Lotto numbers from Nov. 23 drawing
02-05-09-20-27-31
Check Multi-Win Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Nov. 23 drawing
11-20-21-26-31, Lucky Ball: 07
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from Nov. 23 drawing
02-08-10-14-49, Star Ball: 09, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Play 5 numbers from Nov. 23 drawing
Day: 9-3-5-9-8
Night: 9-9-6-1-6
Check Play 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
- Sign the Ticket: Establish legal ownership by signing the back of your ticket with an ink pen.
- Prizes up to $599: Claim at any Delaware Lottery Retailer, in person at the Delaware Lottery Office, or mail your signed ticket and claim form; print your name/address on the ticket’s back and keep a copy/photo for records. By mail, send original tickets and documentation to: Delaware Lottery, 1575 McKee Road, Suite 102, Dover, DE 19904.
- Prizes up to $2,500: Claim in person at Delaware Lottery Retailer Claim Centers throughout Kent, Sussex and New Castle Counties.
- Prizes of $5,001 or more: Claim in person at the Delaware Lottery Office (business days 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) with a photo ID and Social Security card.
- For all prize claims, directions to the Delaware Lottery Office are available online or via mapquest.com for a map.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Delaware Lottery.
Can I claim a jackpot prize anonymously in Delaware?
Fortunately for First State residents, the Delaware Lottery allows winners remain anonymous. Unlike many other states that require a prize be over a certain jackpot, Delawareans can remain anonymous no matter how much, or how little, they win.
How long do I have to claim my prize in Delaware?
Tickets are valid for up to one year past the drawing date for drawing game prizes or within one year of the announced end of sales for Instant Games, according to delottery.com.
When are the Delaware Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
- Play 3, 4: Daily at 1:58 p.m. and 7:57 p.m., except Sunday afternoon.
- Multi-Win Lotto: 7:57 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: Daily at 10:38 p.m.
- Lotto America: 11:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Delaware Online digital operations manager. You can send feedback using this form.
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