The free, daylong celebration will feature live music, food trucks, a car show, children’s activities, the Duck Dash, and FIREWORKS along the Mispillion Riverwalk.

MILFORD, Del. — Milford’s largest outdoor community celebration will return Saturday, Sept. 19, bringing live entertainment, food, vendors and family activities to the city’s downtown and riverfront.

The 26th annual Riverwalk Freedom Festival will run from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. along the Mispillion Riverwalk and throughout downtown Milford. Admission is free.

Organized by the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Milford, the festival is expected to feature more than 150 vendors, food trucks, live music, a brew garden, a car show, children’s games, a pet park and paddleboat rides. Fireworks will close the celebration at dusk, according to Visit Central Delaware.

The festival brings residents and visitors together while showcasing local businesses, nonprofit organizations, restaurants and community groups. Activities will stretch through the downtown area, giving attendees opportunities to explore Milford’s Riverwalk and nearby shops.

Duck Dash offers cash prizes

One of the festival’s signature attractions will be the Mispillion River Duck Dash, scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.

Participants may purchase numbered ducks for $5 each. The ducks will be released into the river, with prizes awarded based on the order in which they cross the finish line.

The first-place duck will earn its owner $500. Second place will receive $250, and third place will receive $100. Participants do not need to be present to win.

Duck Dash entries may be purchased through the Chamber’s website at milfordchamber.com.

A full day along the river

The festival’s mix of activities is designed to appeal to visitors of different ages and interests. Families can spend time in the Kids Corner, pet owners can visit the Pet Park, and automobile enthusiasts can explore the car show.

Food trucks and vendors will operate throughout the day, while live music and other entertainment will provide a backdrop for the celebration. Adults also can visit the festival’s brew garden.

The day will conclude with a fireworks display over Milford at dusk.

People who previously requested Chamber information but have not received festival emails are encouraged to check their spam or junk folders. Chamber messages may come from donotreply@chambermate.com.

Milford’s only fireworks of the season

The Riverwalk Freedom Festival will end with Milford’s only fireworks display of the season, making the nighttime show one of the day’s biggest attractions. Fireworks will be launched over the Mispillion River after dark, with organizers expecting the display to begin between 8:30 and 8:45 p.m.

Families should arrive early and find an open viewing spot along the Riverwalk or in Memorial Park. Visitors are encouraged to bring blankets or folding chairs and settle in before dusk, as the most popular viewing areas are expected to fill quickly. The display can be seen from several locations throughout downtown, but areas closest to the river will provide the clearest views.

The free fireworks show will bring the daylong festival to a dramatic close, lighting the sky above downtown Milford and giving residents their only opportunity this season to enjoy a community fireworks celebration without leaving the city.

To Go

• What: 26th annual Riverwalk Freedom Festival
• When: Saturday, Sept. 19, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Where: Mispillion Riverwalk and downtown Milford
• Admission: Free
• Highlights: Live music, more than 150 vendors, food trucks, brew garden, car show, Kids Corner, Pet Park, paddleboat rides, Duck Dash and fireworks at dusk
• Duck Dash: 3:30 p.m.; entries are $5 per duck
• Information: milfordchamber.com or 302-422-3344

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REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. — Visitors to Delaware Seashore State Park may see construction activity and access restrictions beginning in mid-September as the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control prepares to restart Sand Bypass operations at the Indian River Inlet.

Work is expected to begin around Sept. 11, according to DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship.

The Sand Bypass moves sand that accumulates on the south side of the Indian River Inlet to the north side. The project supports beach nourishment and long-term shoreline management along the Delaware coast.

Areas of the south inlet beach near the Sand Bypass intake will be restricted through mid-May 2027 while the system is operating. Visitors are asked to stay out of fenced or posted areas and follow directions from project personnel and Delaware Seashore State Park staff.

Access restrictions on the north side of the inlet will generally be temporary as equipment and pipes are moved into position. DNREC said the project will not affect water access on the north side.

The Sand Bypass moved more than 73,500 cubic yards of sand during its spring 2026 operating season. DNREC said that amount is equivalent to more than 7,300 standard dump truck loads and helped replenish the beach on the north side of the inlet.

The bypass system is part of ongoing efforts to manage sand movement around the Indian River Inlet and maintain the shoreline at Delaware Seashore State Park.

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