Striped bass swim the waters of Chesapeake Bay! Barb found one for dinner!
APtravelnews–Wilmington, Del (February 2, 2016)…The arrival of spring signals the beginning of the festival season in Greater Wilmington & the Brandywine Valley. There’s a lot to enjoy including a brand new OperaDelaware festival and three special events on Mother’s Day Weekend. Here’s a list of several festivals that warrant serious attention:
WilmFilm Festival (March 10-13) The city’s annual film festival showcases “movies that matter” with more than 30 screenings of independent, foreign and documentary films as well as “Delaware shorts” over four days at Penn Cinema IMAX Riverfront. www.wilmfilm.com
Celebrity Chefs’ Brunch (April 17) World renowned and award-winning chefs alongside local favorites demonstrate their culinary talents during the annual Celebrity Chefs’ Brunch. This popular event is held in the prestigious Hercules Plaza, a 12-story high-rise building in Downtown Wilmington overlooking beautiful Brandywine Park. From 11 AM until 2 PM on Sunday, enjoy exquisite cuisine complimented by fine wines and brunch cocktails and an exciting silent auction. Proceeds from this event benefit Meals on Wheels Delaware. www.mealsonwheelsde.org/celebrity-chefs-brunch/
Wildflower Celebration at Mt. Cuba Center (April 24) Mt. Cuba Center is one of the country’s premier native plant gardens and the annual Wildflower Celebration is an opportunity to experience the Mt. Cuba Center at its seasonal peak. Spectacular vistas, formal gardens, woodland paths, meadows and tranquil ponds grace this 600-acre property. On Sunday, April 24th, admission is free and visitors are treated to live music, family-friendly programming and a variety of informative gardening demonstrations from 10 AM to 4 PM. www.mtcubacenter.org
Wilmington Flower Market in Rockford Park (May 5-7) Highlights of this three-day event in Rockford Park include expansive plant sales, many of which are donations from local gardens, colorful hanging flower baskets, crafts, vendors, games, carnival rides, mouth-watering foods and plenty of live entertainment. Proceeds from the Flower Market have been supporting Delaware’s children for over 95 years. www.wilmingtonflowermarket.org
Wilmington Garden Day (May 7) Held rain or shine, Wilmington Garden Day is a one day, self-guided tour of some of the Brandywine Valley’s most distinctive homes and gardens. It’s the perfect way to get new decorating ideas—both inside and outside. www.wilmingtongardenday.org
Point-to-Point Steeplechase Races at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library(May 8) This annual event features exciting horse races, an antique carriage parade, lavish tailgate picnics, special demonstrations, pony rides and a variety of children’s games all in the setting of an American country estate. www.winterthur.org
2016 OperaDelaware Festival (May 14-May 22) OperaDelaware’s 72nd season culminates in a festival on consecutive weekends in May when OperaDelaware brings two full-scale productions to the stage at The Grand Opera House in Downtown Wilmington. The East Coast premiere of Franco Faccio’s lost opera Amleto(“Hamlet”), painstakingly reconstructed by Anthony Barrese after 145 years anddirected by E. Loren Meeker, is scheduled on May 14, May 20 and May 22. Verdi’s timeless Falstaff, conducted by Maestro Giovanni Reggioli and featuring baritone Steven Condy and internationally acclaimed sopranos Victoria Cannizzo and Sharin Apostolou, is scheduled on May 15 and May 21. www.operadelaware.org
Gran Fondo (May 17) Cycling enthusiasts return to Wilmington for the annual Gran Fondo. Both amateurs and professionals participate in Sunday’s Gran Fondo, Medio Fondo or Governor’s Ride over spectacular 62-, 30- or 15-mile courses mapped through the Brandywine Valley’s glorious chateau country. The Gran Fondo starts and finishes at the Delaware Art Museum where the after-party is held. www.wilmgrandprix.com
A Day in Old New Castle (May 21) This is the nation’s oldest, continuously running house and garden tour. Residents in the charming 350+-year-old town along the Delaware River open their homes and carefully tended gardens to the public. There’s also a full complement of historical re-enactments, military maneuvers and encampments, craft demonstrations, storytelling, period games, colonial dancing, music and even a beer garden. www.dayinoldnewcastle.org/
The Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau is a non-profit organization founded in 1978, chartered by the Governor of Delaware, the New Castle County Executive and the Mayor of Wilmington. Its mission is to serve as the community’s customer-focused destination marketing organization, generating economic growth through leisure travel and meetings development by aggressively marketing attractions, facilities, amenities and services for visitors. Lyn Lewis LynLewis@VisitWilmingtonDE.com
100 West 10th Street, Suite 20
Wilmington, DE 19801
P: 302-295-2212
F: 302-652-4726
VisitWilmingtonDE.com
APtravelnews- Wilmington, DEL 4/19/15…Big time Broadway is back at The Playhouse on Rodney Square. Previously known as the DuPont Theatre, The Playhouse on Rodney Square’s 2015-2016 production schedule has just been unveiled. It features six high profile Broadway favorites. The season begins with the ever popular Annie (Dec. 1-6) followed by “Chicago – The Musical” (Jan. 2-17), “Mama Mia!” (Mar. 4-6), “Blue Man Group” (Mar. 17-20), “Forty-Second Street” (Apr. 19-24) and concludes with the riveting “Jersey Boys” (May 10-15). The Playhouse on Rodney Square is now being managed by the Grand Opera House which is also located in Wilmington less than two blocks from The Playhouse. Steve Bailey, the Managing Director of Programming at both the Grand and The Playhouse on Rodney Square said “We recognize the Playhouse on Rodney Square as a community asset that we are managing on their (DuPont’s) behalf.” Executive Director Mark Fields points out that “The former 102-year-old DuPont Theatre is the longest continuously operating Broadway touring house in the country. It’s also one of the smallest.” According to Fields, this presents a serious challenge for The Playhouse on Rodney Square. Therefore the budget for the new season represents a 25 percent increase over last year’s expenditures when DuPont was at the helm and the new theatre leadership has teamed up with Innovation Arts & Entertainment, an innovative Chicago-based company, to ensure the success of their commitment to book the best that Broadway has to offer. Fields said Adam Epstein, the firm’s head, “…has the connections, and quite frankly, the clout to deliver a Broadway series in Wilmington that you (theatre patrons) want and that we think you deserve.”Season tickets are now on sale at www.theplayhousede.org, by calling 302-888-0200 and at the box office. Packages range from $140 for a four-show package to $590 for premium weekend seats for all six shows. Individual show tickets will go on sale in late summer or early fall.In addition to the six Broadway plays, Bailey says the 1,240-seat Playhouse will also serve as an alternate venue for concerts. If the 1,208-seat Grand is not available, event sponsors now have the option to book at The Playhouse. Lyn Lewis LynLewis@VisitWilmingtonDE.com
100 West 10th Street, Suite 20
Wilmington, DE 19801
P: 302-295-2212
F: 302-652-4726 VisitWilmingtonDE.comThe Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau is a non-profit organization founded in 1978, chartered by the Governor of Delaware, the New Castle County Executive and the Mayor of Wilmington. Its mission is to serve as the community’s customer-focused destination marketing organization, generating economic growth through leisure travel and meetings development by aggressively marketing attractions, facilities, amenities and services for visitors.
