Visit Dover - Delaware's Capital Region

77th Annual Dover Days Festival!

Schedule of Events – April 30, May 1 & 2, 2010

For information on accommodations or other details, contact Kent County Tourism at 734-4888 or www.visitdover.com

Free shuttle service will be available 11:30AM until 4:30PM at pre-determined stops throughout the festival area. Compliments of the Delaware Antique Tractor Club.

April 30 - Friday

8AM –8PM First State Heritage Park Welcome Center open. 121 Duke of York St.
2PM –4PM High Tea at the Century Club on The Green. $10
5-7PM “Love Comes Softly” vintage wedding gown exhibit. Free.
5PM-10PM “Tourism Gives Back” Free concert with the Funsters! Vintage Car Show (registration fee). Purchase dinner from food vendors and relax and enjoy the evening. Delaware Food Bank will be collecting canned goods for local food pantry. Legislative Mall.
5PM New This Year: Colonial Rotary’s 23rd Dover Mile mile fun run/walk. 302-363-5766
5PM-9PM Carnival Rides; parking lot behind the Tatnall Building $

May 1 - Saturday

Saturday & Sunday:
Historic Homes of Kent House Tour.
Milford, Smyrna, Camden, Dover. Over 45 homes!
$30 per ticket covers all 4 towns/2 days
Tickets for sale at: Kent County Tourism 302-734-4888

7AM.-Noon Wesley United Methodist Men’s Pancake Breakfast & Bake Sale: ($) Grace Fellowship Hall ($)
9AM-3PM Friends of Old Dover Commemorative Old Dover Days Exhibit. 323 S. State Street: (Golden Fleece Tavern Bldg.)
9AM-5PM Carnival Rides/parking lot behind Tatnall Building. Rock Wall/William Penn.
9AM-4PM Early American Craft Artisans demonstrate and sell wares. Near The Green.
9AM-4PM Century Club on the Green: “Love Comes Softly” vintage wedding gown exhibit. Free.
9:30AM Parade: Begins at Hazel Rd. & State St., moves south to The Green. Breakup is at Bank Lane & Governors Ave. (parking lot) (reviewing stage on The Green)
10AM-4PM Dover City Hall: In Council Chambers, traditional nursery rhymes come to life with a visit from Mother Goose. Ages 3-5. Open House. Refreshments/restrooms.
10AM-4PM Downtown Dover; Merchant windows decorated for Dover Days. 302-678-2940/Downtown Dover Partnership.
10AM-3PM Maybasket making with fresh flowers; FREE. Visit participating downtown Dover merchants to collect your flowers and then take them to the Friends of Old Dover office at 323 S. State Street. Old Dover Days exhibit here also.
11AM-3PM Auburn Heights Steam Cars; board at Kings Highway at Woodburn. Free.
11AM-3:30PM Amish Quilt Auction. All handmade by Amish hands. Table toppers to king size quilts.
Noon Little School Maypole Dancing: Scull Mansion/State Street
Noon-4PM International Food Festival at Holy Cross Church. 631 S. State Street
2PM First State Heritage Park walking tour. Tales of Slavery and Freedom. Free. Meet at the Old State House.
4PM-7PM Loockerman Street Block Party; street will be closed. Contests and music.
7PM Dover Symphony Pops Concert; Calvary Assembly of God Church

Woodburn, the Governor’s House (151 Kings Highway)

10AM-3PM Woodburn,the Governor's home,and Hall House open to the public for tours. English Country Dancers, children's colonial games, refreshments.
11:30AM-3PM Auburn Heights Steam Cars gives rides.

Museums/Attractions:

9AM-4:30PM First State Heritage Park Welcome Center; 121 Duke of York St./ DE Public Archives Building.

“Pathway to Freedom” the Underground Railroad in Delaware. Film “Whisper of Angels”

10AM-4PM Biggs Museum of American Art: 10AM-4PM: Paper flower making; history of the May Basket. Free.

9AM-4:30PM Johnson Victrola Museum: Johnson’s Radio Age. Free.

10AM-3:30PM John Dickinson Plantation: Open for tours Free.

Christ Episcopal Church:(501 State Street)

9AM-3PM: Guided & self-guided tours. (S. State St. & Water St.)
9AM to Noon: Youth Group Bake Sale & Flower Sale
Dawn to Dusk: Churchyard open for self-guided tours

Legislative Mall:

9AM-5PM Craft Faire; over 130 vendors
9AM-5PM Food Court: William Penn Street
9AM-5PM Energy Village: solar, wind, electric, geothermal vendors and exhibits.
10AM-3PM “The Woodpile” for children. Sponsored by DE Architecture Foundation. Free
10AM-4PM WWII Encampment /Civil War Encampment/Trapper Demo/Sharpshooters/ Renaissance actors
Noon & 2PM In-depth history tour of local WWII heroes by Danny Waite.
11AM Isshinryu & Tai Chi demonstration/Rigby’s Karate Academy
11AM-11:30AM Native Americans of All Nations Dancing & Drumming
11AM-5AM Children’s activities; games, art, chalk mural and more.
Noon- 1:30PM Dover Fire Dept.’s Bucket Brigade. Wm. Penn Street
11AM-3:30PM Amish Quilt Auction. All handmade by Amish hands. Table toppers to king size quilts

Entertainment Schedule - State on Legislative Mall (east end)

Noon-12:30PM Dover High School Select Ensemble
1PM-2PM 287th Army Rock Band
2:30PM-3PM Larissa Moore
3:15PM-3:45PM Mike Root / Jim Burke

Entertainment Schedule - Delaware Public Archives

9AM-4:30PM Delaware Public Archives open. USS Delaware Exhibit.
10:30AM-4:30PM Mike Neilson on the harp. Lobby of the Archives.
1:30PM-2:30PM Guided tour of the Archives. Ever wonder what goes on here? Find out!

Entertainment at the Archives in the Delaware Room:
12:45-1:30 Rising Stars Dance Team
2PM-3PM Danaher & Cloud Traditional Music & Storytelling
3:15PM-3:45PM Children’s Theater of Dover: a new twist on Sleeping Beauty!

Legislative Hall

9AM-4PM Tours hosted by the First State Heritage Park at Dover(photo ID is required for all adults)
9AM-4PM Children’s Scavenger Hunt in Legislative Hall. Uncover the secrets of Delaware history through clues in Delaware’s state capitol building. Free.

The Green

9AM-Noon Daughters of the American Revolution, free cookies and lemonade. (near State House)
9AM-3PM Audio walking tours of historic district available at First State Heritage Park Welcome Center/DE Public Archives. 121 Duke of York St.
9:30AM-4PM Century Club; 40 The Green. “Love Comes Softly” vintage bridal gowns. Free
9AM-4PM Artisans, demonstrations of Colonial crafts, music.
9:30AM Parade begins; reviewing stage is on The Green.
10AM-3PM Old State House: Pathways to Freedom; ; living history, short plays and historical interpretation presented in partnership with the Underground Railroad Coalition of Delaware and the First State Heritage Park. Also, exhibit on the Great Seal of Delaware.
10:30AM-4PM Robert Mouland; 18th Century music and storytelling.This special guest will be performing alongside our artisans near the Old State House.
10:30AM Opening Ceremonies. Star Spangled Banner/Dover High Select Ensemble.Gather here to celebrate the history of our state capital.
11AM Maypole Dancing begins.
Campus Community School, East Dover Elementary School, Welch Elementary School, Sunnyside Elementary, and Fairview Elementary School.
Noon Wesley Preschool Songs & Dance.
2PM TD Bank Pet Parade begins. Advance Registration: $5. Day-of registration is $10. 302-734-4888 All proceeds go to local animal shelters.
2PM First State Heritage Park walking tour. Tales of Slavery and Freedom. Free. Meet at the Old State House.

Children's Activities (Saturday)

9AM-4PM >Children’s Scavenger Huntin Legislative Hall. Uncover the secrets of Delaware history through clues in Delaware’s state capitol building. Free
9AM-5PM Ice Skating Rink courtesy of Delaware State Fair. Legislative Avenue. Free
9AM-5PM Carnival Rides; behind Tatnall Building.
9AM-5PM Rock Wall. $ Camel Rides. $ Monster Truck Rides $ William Penn St.
10AM-3PM “The Woodpile” for children. Sponsored by Delaware Architecture Foundation. Legislative Avenue. Free
10AM-4PM Dover City Hall Open House. Refreshments/restrooms.
1:30PM-2:30PM Entertainment for children up to 5 yrs. old. Mother Goose interactive nursery rhyme performance. City Hall Council Chambers. Free.
11AM-5PM Children’s activities; games, art, chalk mural and more. Legislative Avenue near Legislative Hall.
11AM-5PM Camel Rides $
11AM Maypole Dancing; Campus Community School, Holy Cross School, South Dover Elementary School, East Dover Elementary School, Welch Elementary and North Dover Elementary. The Green.
12 Noon Wesley Preschool Songs & Dance. The Green.
10AM-4PM Biggs Museum of American Art: Paper flower making and the history of the May Basket. Free
2PM Pet Parade. The Green. Pre-register at 734-4888 $5 in advance, $10 day of. Proceeds go to local animal shelters.
2PM Biggs Kids. handprint flower making. Free.

Downtown Dover/Saturday Night:

5PM-7PM Chili Cookoff
7PM-1AM Passport Pub Crawl
6PM-9PM Karaoke on Loockerman Street.
For information on these events, contact the Downtown Dover Partnership. 302-678-2940

May 2 - Sunday

9AM-4PM Delaware Antique & Collectible Show; Spence’s Bazaar, Dover.
1AM- 5PM Historic Homes of Smyrna House Tour. $10 per ticket. 302-698-3550
Noon-3 “Love Comes Softly” vintage wedding gown exhibit. Century Club/The Green.Free
1:30PM-4:30PM First State Heritage Park Welcome Center Audio walking tours available. 121 Duke of York Street.
1:30PM-4:30PM Biggs Mueseum of American Art Open. Free admission
11AM-3PM Christ Church & churchyard open for self-guided tours. S. State St. & Water St.
3PM Dover Symphony Pops Concert: $ Central Middle School, Dover.

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