Mt. Cuba Center
Partly a farewell to winter and partly a prelude to the state’s beach-centric summer, springtime in Delaware is a coming-out party of sorts, filled with historic and outdoor celebrations. Take your pick of festival fun.
Winterthur Point to Point
Take the excitement and elegance of The Kentucky Derby, move it to Delaware, and you’ve got Point to Point. Horses race across the lush fields at Winterthur, and attendees show up in their best dress and fanciest hats. ABC News described it as “one of those rare occasions where the 1 percent and the 99 percent mingle effortlessly.”
Mt. Cuba Wildflower Celebration
Nothing says spring like flowers in bloom – the sights, the smells and the serenity. Spectacular displays of wildflowers, live music, discussions on gardening and so much more are all part of this annual celebration of flowers at this former DuPont estate.
Firefly Music Festival
The East Coast’s premier music festival draws 90,000 people to Dover at the very tail end of spring. More than 100 artists perform on seven stages over four days at The Woodlands behind Dover International Speedway. Past Firefly headliners have included Paul McCartney, The Killers, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Foo Fighters and Outkast.
Great Delaware Kite Festival
Enjoy the spectacle of kites dancing in the crisp ocean breeze high above the natural splendor of Cape Henlopen State Park. Food vendors and activities for kids make it a perfect family outing.
Bug & Bud Festival
Get a true taste of this artsy town and enjoy dozens of food and craft vendors at the Bug & Bud Festival. It celebrates two of Milford’s most cherished symbols, the ladybug and the tree. There’s entertainment throughout the day, a Ladybug and Tree costume parade, “ladybug decorated” paddle boat rides, children’s games and more.
Dover Days Festival
Blending modern-day fun with a look back at Delaware’s Colonial past, the Dover Days Festival offers a chance to celebrate spring’s charms with Maypole Dancing on Dover’s Green, a Civil War-era baseball game, historic wartime encampments, and more than 350 vendors, craft merchants, and food purveyors.
Delmarva Birding Weekend
If you’ve never had a chance to experience the world-class bird-watching available at Delaware’s coastal wildlife preserves, this event is a great way to check it out. All over the Delmarva Peninsula, birders spend four days keeping an eye out for the hundreds of different avian friends that call the area home.
Horseshoe Crab & Shorebird Festival
Celebrate two of Delaware’s iconic natural wonders – and enjoy the food, music and games – at the Horseshoe Crab and Shorebird Festival in historic Milton, featuring arts & crafts, boat rides and canoe trips, and nature walks at the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge.
Separation Day in Old New Castle
This annual event marks two momentous occasions in Delaware’s history, both of which occurred in 1776 – on the same day that year, Delaware declared itself independent, or “separated,” from both Britain and Pennsylvania. These days, that brave move is marked with craft beer, food trucks, Colonial games and music, an arts and crafts festival, amusement rides and even a wrestling demo or two.
Mid-Atlantic Sea Glass & Coastal Arts Festival
Tossed by waves and tides into an object of beauty and desire, sea glass is revered for its rarity and charm by artists worldwide. Here’s a chance to see the magic of more than forty sea glass artists, along with other coastal artisans, and learn the finer points of collecting and identifying these sea-tossed gems.
Lewes Tulip Celebration
Lewes does its best impression of Holland each spring by celebrating tulips. Local landscaping companies and volunteers plant the flowers all over town. There are docent-led tours available, appropriately named Tiptoe to the Tulips Trolley Tours.
Other Great Festivals:
OperaDelaware
R2Hop2 Beer and Music Festival
Wilmington Flower Market
St. Anthony’s Italian Festival
June Jam
Greek Festival
Clifford Brown Jazz Festival
Dewey Beach Bacon Fest
Wilmington Grand Prix
NASCAR Weekend
