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50 Ways Delaware Gives Back

Delaware is not only The First State, it may be—pound for pound, so to speak—the best state. To prove that point, for this second annual Optimism Issue the staff of Out & About put together a list of 50 ways the people, the organizations, and even the government of Delaware give back. And we’re convinced it’s only a partial list, so if you have some suggestions, feel free to drop us an email or contact us on Facebook. In the meantime, count your blessings. Here are 50 of them:

1. The Delaware Charity Challenge provides fundraising opportunities through 5K races and other athletic events in which teams vie for prize money for the charity they represent. The Challenge has helped teams collectively raise more than $150,000 for nonprofits and charities since its inception in 2015.

2. Now in its 12th year, University of Delaware’s dance marathon charity event, UDance, is the school’s largest student-run philanthropy and has raised more than $7.15 million dollars for the Andrew McDonough B+ (Be Positive) Foundation, which supports medical research and financial assistance for families of children with cancer nationwide.

3. With roots tracing back to the 1830s, the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington provides critical direct care and human services to more than 100,000 individuals and families in need, regardless of their religious affiliation.

4. The “We’ve Got You Covered” campaign, sponsored by Wilmington’s Greenhill Pharmacy, each year provides blankets to those in need. This winter, some 3,700 new blankets were distributed.

5. Since 1972, St. Patrick’s Center has provided Wilmington’s East Side with emergency food, meals, respite for the homeless, clothing, transportation, and recreational activities. The Center nourishes 1,500 families each month with help from a team of staff and volunteers.

6. The Sunday Breakfast Mission has been providing Delawareans in need with meals, shelter, and even basic medical services since 1983. This past Christmas, the Mission held a special toy store shopping event in Wilmington for families in need, and parents of more than 400 children were able to pick out toys, books and games from 2,000 gifts that were donated by the community.

7. The Ministry of Caring has provided the homeless and working poor with meaningful care and services since 1976. On Sunday, April 29, at Harry’s Ballroom, 2020 Naamans Rd., the Ministry will host the Emmanuel Dining Room Auction, which will help to feed the 180,000 visitors annually at its three sites located in disadvantaged neighborhoods in Wilmington and New Castle. To register to attend the auction, purchase Grand Raffle tickets, or purchase a sponsorship, call Cindy Gamble at 516-1069.

8. The Delaware Community Foundation plays a vital role in the philanthropic scene in Delaware, allocating funds to many organizations. Last year, the foundation awarded $253,152 to 18 organizations.

9. The annual Dancing with the Delaware Stars event, now in its eighth year, took place at the Dover Downs Hotel on Jan. 27. This event benefits both Mom’s House of Wilmington, which provides free child care for single parents attending either high school or college, and the Boys & Girls Club of Delaware, which offers affordable before- and after-school care for kids from kindergarten through high school. Last year’s event generated a landmark amount of almost $200,000, which was split evenly between the two organizations.

10. Dewey bartender Kacey O’Brian started “Donation Tuesday,” a weekly event at Woody’s Bar & Grill in Dewey Beach, last May. One hundred percent of the tips go to a local charity in addition to money earned from raffling local artwork. O’Brien was inspired by the special donation event held at Woody’s for the family of fallen Delaware State Police Cpl. Stephen Ballard.

11. Millville Pet Stop provides owners the opportunity to have a photograph taken of their pet on “Santa Paw’s” lap at Christmas time for a $10 fee. Proceeds from the annual event help several local charities that focus on animal welfare.

12. The Ronald McDonald House provides a safe, affordable “home-away-from-home” for families of children who are undergoing serious medical treatment. Along with the house, there are Ronald McDonald family rooms in pediatric units in three Delaware hospitals.

13. The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays, with the help of more than 90 volunteers, went to work this past December, planting 12,000 trees on 12 acres of land at the Perry Tract of the Angola Neck Preserve. This latest effort completes the four-year project to convert 36 acres to forested land.

14. For 14 years, Bob Reese has been running the annual “Feed the Troops” event. Last year, Reese, along with dozens of volunteers, Dover Motorsports, and the 512th Airlift Wing, hosted the annual holiday dinner in Hangar 792 for dayshift and nightshift personnel at Dover Air Force Base.

15. John Walsh, of Lewes, last November received the AARP Andrus Award for his volunteer work on behalf of senior Delawareans. Walsh has spent his retirement helping the elderly as an AARP advocacy volunteer and has been effective in moving legislation on various issues, including manufactured housing, caregiving, transportation, and other issues senior Delawareans face.

16. The Plantation Lakes community of Millsboro last year raised $4,700 for local breast cancer programs and services and donated it to the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, which since 1991 has been at the forefront in addressing issues women of Delaware face regarding breast cancer.

17. Priya Jayakumar, a ninth grader from Bear, started Charity Crossing two years ago with her family. This winter, Charity Crossing provided socks for those in need. Priya raised awareness about this issue by having Feb. 14 recognized as “Socks for the Homeless” day in Delaware.

18. Middletown’s Kevin Schatz has made volunteering the main objective of his local brewery, aptly named Volunteer Brewing Company. The staff and customers are engaged in volunteer opportunities, with the goal of improving their town and maintaining the small town feel so many associate with Middletown.

19. The annual Best of Delaware party, set for Aug. 2 at the Chase Center on the Riverfront, will raise funds for worthy local causes while at the same time celebrating people, places, services and restaurants that have received the esteemed Best of Delaware award. Order tickets at delawaretoday.com for $60, or purchase them at the door for $75.

20. Southern Delaware’s nonprofit organization Next Gen last year held a Chow Down for Charity Dinner that raised some $12,000 for three youth organizations dealing with addiction prevention, active addiction treatment and reentry into society.

21. Competing for a cause, and not just a trophy, is the slogan of the Cheer for Charity event that is coming to Newark on March 18. This regional competition for young cheerleaders got its start in Delaware in 2006, and since then it has raised more than $310,000 for the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children.

22. Founded in 1946, the United Way of Delaware (UWDE) has a mission of advancing the common good by focusing on the strategic areas of early education, college, career readiness, and financial stability. This past year the UWDE exceeded its $1.2 million year-end goal by raising more than $1.4 million.

23. Operation Warm is a program run by Wilmington Firefighters Association Local 1590. They work with the community to raise money to purchase new, American-made coats for children in need. They not only help local children, but also contribute to saving jobs and supporting American businesses.

24. Through a federal grant, the Delaware Forest Service offers up to $40,000 each year to communities throughout the state for tree planting, tree care, and tree management. The program is dedicated to enhancing Delaware’s community forests, which play a critical role in our quality of life.  More at delawaretrees.com.

25. The IN Wilmington Campaign co-hosts an annual “INtheSpirit” holiday party with co-working space The Mill. Last year, 10 local restaurants and breweries, more than 20 area artists and musicians, and 250 community members joined in to help 32 needy Wilmington children/families and to highlight arts talent in Wilmington. Overall, the event provided 104 presents, gift cards and financial contributions totaling more than $1,000 for families in need.

26. Mélomanie—known for musical “provocative pairings”—also pairs with charities to expand community experiences and to provide for those in need. For the past two years, Mélomanie has contributed two-week music classes to middle and high school students of UrbanPromise. To benefit the Sunday Breakfast Mission and Friendship House, the ensemble invited audience members to contribute gloves and hats for residents in exchange for free admission to a winter concert.

27. The Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition is an annual free event designed to give artists at all skill levels a unique opportunity to exhibit their creative work and to compete for cash prizes. All participants are current employees of the State of Delaware, or immediate family members. This year’s exhibition will be at Delaware State University Art Center/Gallery, Dover, from Feb. 26-March 19. The awards ceremony and reception will be on Sunday, March 18, from 1-3 p.m. For more information, visit arts.delaware.gov.

28. Jonathan W. Whitney joined the Delaware Art Museum last July in a newly created position to foster and grow community engagement in and around the Museum. His role is to produce Connected, a free program series that features events produced by and for the community. Past events included art therapy with people affected by cancer, and a special program called “Portraits of Wilmington,” where artists drew more than 40 portraits of Wilmingtonians from all walks of life. For more information, visit delart.org.

29. C.E.R.T.S., Inc. was founded to support young adults with multiple severe disabilities through an active, movement-oriented day program. In addition to its physical and occupational therapies, it offers art therapy, through Art Therapy Express, whose therapists provide hands-on sessions and use specialty molded tools made by University of Delaware students in the Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Department. The students created arm splints and rollers to provide maximum support and promote independent art expression. For more information, visit arttherapyexpress.wordpress.com.

30. Delaware has approximately 506 miles of public trails and multi-use pathways, thanks to state and county initiatives.

31. In 2017, Delaware Wild Lands (DWL) planted 21,000 trees in the Great Cypress Swamp in Frankford. Since 2011, as part of DWL’s sustainable forest management program, 194,000 trees have been planted and 160 acres have been added to the swamp.

32. Delaware Nature Society, dedicated to protecting and enhancing natural biodiversity and environmental education, manages more than 1,850 acres of land in Delaware and southeast Pennsylvania and protects more than 100,000 acres. Plus, volunteers contribute 20,000 hours of work annually.

33. Over the years, Delaware Wild Lands has done wetlands restoration work in all three counties. The latest project at Milford Neck in Kent County is known as “Deadwoods” because saltwater killed a distinctive stand of old trees there. However, DWL’s restoration work expanded freshwater wetlands and made these 12 acres more resistant to future saltwater intrusion.

34. The Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway is in the process of becoming a National Wildlife Federation Certified Habitat Community. The Byway comprises 28 secondary roads within the Red Clay Creek watershed and is the first in the U.S. to be based on the watershed model. If you own a home, business, or other land within the Byway, then making your land a Certified Wildlife Habitat will help achieve this goal.

35. Last summer, Gordons Pond Trail in Cape Henlopen State Park saw 700 visitors per day on weekends and 500 on weekdays. Combined with other area trails, the Gordons Pond Trail figures prominently in the evolving 15-mile regional trail system between Lewes and Rehoboth. Last fall, the trail became a prime location for birders, too, according to DNREC and Delaware State Parks.

36. Construction is underway on the Assawoman Canal Trail in Ocean View. When finished, the one-mile long trail will link Route 26, Central Avenue and Elliott Avenue in Ocean View, providing new recreational trail opportunities for biking and walking. More important, the trail is part of a regional trail, pathway and sidewalk network linking ocean-area roads.

37. There are currently 111,400 food insecure Delawareans, a number volunteers, contributions and the Food Bank has helped lower over the past few years. The Food Bank is currently serving 4,201 meals each week through its After-School Meal Program for kids. In 2017, it distributed 7.7 million pounds of food throughout the state—an increase of 604,000 pounds.

38. Delaware restaurateurs, in collaboration with the Delaware Restaurant Association, are helping to develop the culinary leaders of tomorrow through the Delaware ProStart Program (a culinary and management education initiative for high school students). The program is largely funded through grants, donations and sponsorships. Currently, 18 high schools in the state are participating.

39. The Delaware restaurants and foodservice companies currently provide 49,200 jobs in Delaware, accounting for 11 percent of the employment in the state. Ninety percent of these businesses engage in some type of charitable activity, resulting in tens of millions of dollars pumped back into the local community.

40. The revamped Slam Dunk to the Beach debuted four years ago and has grown ever since, becoming one of the state’s premier sporting events. Says Dr. Matt Robinson, chairman of the Delaware Sports Commission. “Sports is an important and expanding segment of the tourism industry in Delaware. Since 2009 the events DSC has worked with have generated more than $60 million in economic impact.”

41. The Wilmington Grand Prix has been named to USA Cycling’s national calendar for the 11th straight year and will bring an international cycling field to Downtown Wilmington May 18-20. The event has generated more than $3.5 million since 2012.

42. The Buccini/Pollin Group is scheduled to build a 140,000-square-foot, 2,500-seat multipurpose sports complex and youth training center near U.S. 13 and Garasches Lane on the east side of the Christina River. The facility, to be called the 76ers Fieldhouse, will be home for the 87ers basketball team, a 76ers minor league affiliate, and will provide athletic training opportunities to the area’s underserved youth.

43. On Jan. 20, for the second year in a row, the Beau Biden Foundation partnered with the Delaware 87’ers for a night of basketball, safety, and fun at the Bob Carpenter Center as the Sevens took on the Erie BayHawks. The Sevens showed their support for the Foundation and the protection of children by wearing Beau Biden Foundation jerseys. Some 500 kids got a Beau Biden Foundation basketball, and the Foundation received a portion of ticket sales.

44. Some 800 volunteers serve on a rotation schedule on 65 delivery routes each day for City Fare, one of five meal delivery programs run by Meals On Wheels Delaware (MOWD). Last year, City Fare delivered about 300,000 meals throughout Wilmington and New Castle County. Statewide, MOWD delivered 727,418 meals to 4,093 seniors ages 60 and over in 2016.

45. Dogfish Head Brewery annually donates an estimated $500,000 to more than 200 groups through financial sponsorships, donated beer, the Dogfish Dash and other special events. Its tasting room and tour team will give away their tips from 2017 (in excess of $50,000) to more than a dozen non-profits.

46. The state continues to give back to its citizenry through its Greenways Program. When construction wraps up in a few months on the Wilmington-New Castle Greenway (aka the Markell Trail), Delaware will gain a remarkable new asset: a flat, paved, and nearly uninterrupted non-motorized seven-mile route between the Wilmington Riverfront and downtown New Castle.

47. Since 2012, and including figures for the current show, more than 100 musicians will have put more than 8,500 hours into rehearsals for the Shine A Light series of concerts. These sold-out shows have helped raise a net profit of more than $500,000 for the Light Up The Queen Foundation, a local non-profit focusing on community-building through programs in arts, music, education, workforce development and mentoring.

48. Through dozens of concerts since 2006, hundreds of area musicians and administrative volunteers have donated their time to the Brandywine Red Clay Alliance, an environmental group focused mainly on local water quality and quantity. Eight years of DeadFest concerts combined with the Jam on the Brandywine series (2006-2016) have help raise more than $275,000 toward the alliance’s restoration and conservation efforts.

49. Volunteers from Harvey, Hanna & Associates and dozens of area breweries—in partnership with Penn Cinema—helped raise more than $45,000 for local non-profits last year as a result of the monthly Movies On Tap series, which pairs regional craft beers with classic movies. For more details on Movies On Tap, see the article on page 57.

50. Christiana Care Health System and WXPN continue to partner with area musicians to bring WXPN’s Musicians On Call program to patients at Christiana Care’s Wilmington Hospital, which is coordinated locally through Christiana Care’s Volunteer Services. Since 2014, area artists have brought the power of music to more than 6,100 patients, family members and hospital staff members.

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Performance Series at DAM Explores Culture and Diversity

‘Thoughtful introspection’ is one of the goals

Throughout its 100-plus-year history, the Delaware Art Museum has presented a myriad of dance, music and theater experiences, expanding upon its own programs and showcasing the broad artistic range in Greater Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley.

Now, the museum’s new (yet-to-be-named at press time) performance series will double down on that commitment, while attracting artists and performances that are relevant to the diverse population in the area. The entire series will aim to address critical issues affecting our surrounding communities while pushing the boundaries of experimentation in performance arts.

“This series allows us to create connections and conversations among people who may not otherwise come into contact with one another,” says Jonathan Whitney, the museum’s manager of Performance Programs and Community Engagement. “We’re responding in real time to what’s happening in our city, our region and our nation through opportunities for thoughtful introspection.”

The menu of interdisciplinary programs ranges from the popular chamber music of Concerts on Kentmere to the fusion of modern dance, music, multimedia and sculpture works. Some of the series events feature outside-the-box performances by the likes of trumpet virtuoso Nicholas Payton (Feb. 8) and large-scale collaborations like the contemporary dance project Step Afrika!

The Step Afrika performance, called The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence, will be co-presented with The Grand Opera House and Delaware State University (April 13).

The Step Afrika! project is inspired by Lawrence’s iconic paintings and combines body percussion and dance in a moving depiction of the migration north of African-Americans in the early 1900s. For this piece, the museum is also partnering with the Delaware Institute for the Arts in Education (DIAE) to bring three-day workshops to local elementary and middle schools.

“We encourage students to have a more in-depth art experience,” says Ashley SK Davis, DIAE artistic director and executive and artistic director for Pieces of a Dream, Inc. “Instead of students simply seeing a performance, we send our teaching artists to partner with schoolteachers. We work with the students to participate in art making, and through that experience help them develop a deeper understanding of the work they’ll experience.” Following the teaching artists, a performance artist will meet with the students and teach them to create a step dance similar to what they’ll see in the Step Afrika! performance.

According to museum staff, this first year of programming will see many presenters pushing the boundaries of their respective disciplines. In March, the museum presents Hand Eye, a performance from the multi-Grammy-winning sextet Eighth Blackbird (flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin and cello) at The Queen in Wilmington. The site-based dance performance, REPLICA, by choreographer and media artist Jonah Bokaer will be presented in the Copeland Sculpture Garden. In the summer, spoken-word and contemporary movement artist Marc Bamuthi Joseph will present /peh-LO-tah/, a groundbreaking hip-hop performance inspired by his memories of playing soccer as a child and his travels to World Cups in South Africa and Brazil. And in November, Bessie Award-winner Okwui Okpokwasili’s Poor People’s TV Room will consider the Nigerian histories of the Women’s War of 1929 and the 2014 kidnapping of nearly 300 girls by Boko Haram. Okpokwasili’s performance will be accompanied by outreach at the Cab Calloway School of the Arts.

“The museum is becoming more civically engaged,” says Sam Sweet, DAM’s executive director and CEO. But why bring in artists to present somewhere else? How does that come back to the museum? Sweet says he likes the idea of these partnerships and taking artists into neighborhoods where there is opportunity to create new audiences. “It will be up to us to get audiences to see these artists in venues where they live, but also to create incentives for them to come to the museum and discover what’s happening here,” he says.

To formally introduce the series, an exclusive preview party is planned for Thursday, Jan. 25, at 5 p.m. at the museum. The event will feature a sampling of the multidisciplinary works to be presented in the series.

Cultural Crossroads Honors 50 Years of Dr. King Legacy

Christina Cultural Arts Center’s student dance ensemble performs during a past Music School MLK & Black History Tribute program. Photo courtesy of The Music School of Delaware

The Music School of Delaware honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 50th anniversary of his death as part of its Cultural Crossroads series. On Friday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m., the school’s Wilmington Branch hosts its Martin Luther King Jr. & Black History Tribute—a celebration fusing music, art and spoken-word performances.

Cultural Crossroads Series Coordinator Chris Braddock calls this program one of his favorite Music School projects. “Needless to say, it’s an exciting one to present—drawn from an endless reservoir of inspiring music and words,” he says.

This year’s event focuses on the social upheaval of the late 1960s brought to life through the stirring words of award-winning Delaware storyteller TAHIRA and the soulful music of local R&B artists Fuzion Sol. Audiences will also hear live readings from King’s illustrious “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, given the day before his 1968 assassination. Performances from the DuPont Diversity Choir, pianists Clarence and Jacqueline Beach Faulcon, and the Music School’s student rock ensemble (in a tribute to bluesman Robert Johnson) round out the event. Works from noted regional visual artist Dane Tilghman will be displayed on site as well.

All tickets for the event are $5 and can be purchased at musicschoolofdelaware.org.

Gamers’ & Musicians’ Worlds Collide

On Saturday, Jan. 13, at 8 p.m., The Grand Opera House taps into your arcade memories of yesteryear with the one-night-only event Video Games Live. It’s an immersive concert reviving music from some of the most popular video games in our collective memory. The performance features several members of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra playing along with exclusive video footage, synchronized lighting, live action and interactive segments to create an explosive event worthy of any Missile Command battle. Music includes themes from then to now and from such iconic games as “Donkey Kong,” “Space Invaders,” “Frogger,” “Mario,” “Zelda,” “Tomb Raider,” “Assassins’ Creed” and more.

The concept was created and produced by gaming industry veteran and video game composer Tommy Tallarico to support the culture and art that video games embody in the zeitgeist of the 1980s to now. The performance also bridges a generational gap in entertainment by exposing new audiences to the symphony orchestra experience while offering a unique musical event for families and non-gamers alike to enjoy.

Tickets range from $54-$62, with an additional “Ultimate Gamer VIP Experience” available that includes a pre-production tour, meet & greet with Tallarico and more. All are available now at thegrandwilmington.org.

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Sips – Jan. 2017

Here’s what’s pouring

2SP Brewing Releases Third Canned Beer

In December, 2SP Brewing Company released Bellcracker Double IPA in cans. This is the Aston, Pa., brewery’s third canned beer, following the successful Delco Lager and ASAP IPA.

According to director of sales and marketing Mike Contreras, Bellcracker is one of the company’s biggest beers.

“We love it at the brewery, but we have to be careful with it, because, well, it’s dangerously smooth and easy to drink at 8.7 percent,” says Contreras.

The feedback on the beer has been excellent, he says, and retailers—like Branmar Liquors, Kreston and Peco’s— have already put in re-stock orders.

“For those who haven’t tried it, this double IPA has Amarillo hops that give it a big tropical hop flavor. The beer is balanced by a solid malt bill, so it won’t wreck your pallet with hops, and there is no burn from the high alcohol,” says Contreras.

Visit 2spbrewing.com for more.

Delaware Art Museum Happy Hour

On Thursday, Jan. 19, join Delaware Art Museum’s Executive Director and CEO Sam Sweet for casual conversation and free drinks in the museum’s on-site Thronson Café.

Sweet, who is new to the Delaware community, will hear guests’ thoughts about the museum while also getting tips on local events, restaurants, and hidden Delaware treasures. Beer, wine and light snacks will be provided. The event is set for 5-7 p.m.

Olde School Barleywine Is Back

This month, Dogfish Head is bringing back one of the brewery’s most requested beers of 2016—the Olde School Barleywine. Currently scoring a 98 percent rating on RateBeer.com and an 88 on Beer Advocate, the brew, fermented with dates and figs, is sweet and fruity. Brewery founder Sam Calagione came up with the beer’s concept in 2002 after discovering an old cellerman’s manual.

At about 15 percent ABV, this beer is a great candidate for aging. Over time, it dries out, the pit fruit flavors come forward and the hops recede. Pairing it with blue cheese and honey is recommended.
For brew availability, check dogfish.com.

Movies On Tap Keeps On Going — and Giving

Since last April, the monthly Movies On Tap series at Penn Cinema, in partnership with Premier Wine & Spirits, has raised $12,720 for local charities, including Food Bank of Delaware, Delaware KIDS Fund, Read Aloud Delaware, Meals on Wheels, Food Bank of Delaware (twice), Preston’s Playground, Good Old Boy Foundation and Delaware Nature Society.

The event is one of the most interactive beer tasting experiences around. Each month, a different local brewery sends its brewers to talk with guests, who sample beers and catch a cult-classic flick on the big screen. Ticket sales go to charities like those mentioned above.

Next up is Bellefonte Brewing Company and The Princess Bride on Friday, Jan. 27, at 6:30 p.m. The charity of choice is TBA.

A full event schedule will be announced in February.

Says Premier director of marketing Ryan Kennedy: “The best part of this series is that it supports our local community. Bringing beer and movie fans together to support the community we live, work and play in is the main reason we do this, but knowing 99 percent of ticket sales go to a worthy cause is the icing on the cake for us. It’s been a great experience and 2017 is going to be packed with incredible breweries and movies.”

Visit premierwinespirits.com for more information.

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A Toast to Holiday Events

We’ve compiled a list of every manner of merriment to help get you into the bell-ringing, carol-singing, candle-lighting, reindeer-sighting, eggnog-guzzling, mistletoe-nuzzling mood. Happy Holidays to all!

Longtime Holiday Traditions

Yuletide at Winterthur
Now–Jan. 8, 2017 | Winterthur Museum & Gardens
Yuletide is one of the most beautiful times at Winterthur, with tree displays adorning the rooms and the Conservatory; sparkling trees and American Christmas vignettes—scenes inspired by Currier & Ives, holiday decorations from Mississippi in the Civil War era and the White House in the early 1900s. New this year in The Galleries stair hall: a 6×3-foot, slate-roofed, fully electrified dollhouse inspired by Queen Mary’s dollhouse, created by Nancy McDaniel and donated to Winterthur.

A Longwood Christmas
Now–Jan. 8, 2017 | Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pa.
The sounds of the season resonate through the gardens in this year’s musically inspired display. Highlights include an 18-foot Fraser fir adorned with a garland of musical instruments in the Music Room; holiday horticulture showcasing more than 6,000 seasonal plants; organ sing-alongs, strolling carolers and performances throughout the estate; and three fire pits—at the Hour Glass Lake Pavilion, Peirce-du Pont House Plaza and Dogwood Plaza—available (weather permitting) for guests’ enjoyment from 4:30–10 pm.

Family Holiday Fun

Breakfast with Santa
Saturday, Dec. 3, 11 am | Delaware Museum of Natural History
Enjoy a special pancake breakfast and a visit with Santa. Get your picture taken with him and let him know if you’ve been naughty or nice. Afterward, take an afternoon tour at the Museum. Tickets are $5 for members and $9 for non-members. Pre-registration is required at delmnh.org.

Holiday Sing!
Sunday, Dec. 4, 3 pm | The Music School of Delaware, Wilmington Branch
This musical sing-a-long for the whole family is hosted by the Early Childhood Department of the Music School and marks their 26th annual seasonal celebration. Music School faculty and friends provide instruments, singing and fun. Free, and good for ages 1½ and up.

Chesapeake Brass Band
Holiday Concert
Saturday, Dec. 10, 7 pm
Grace Episcopal Church, Wilmington
This 35-piece award-winning brass band presents a high-spirited performance of classical, traditional and popular holiday favorites. This event is free.

Holiday Family Festivities at the Delaware Art Museum
Saturday, Dec. 10, 10:30 am
Delaware Art Museum
Enjoy a host of family-friendly activities at the Museum this holiday season. In Kids’ Corner, explore a geometric winter wonderland, add to the interactive igloo and build 3-D snowflakes. Families can also take a wintry walk through the Copeland Sculpture Garden to search for geometric shapes. Free with museum admission.

Legos & Latkes for Kids: A Pre-Chanukah Program
Sunday, Dec. 18, 12:15-2 pm
Chabad Center for Jewish Life, Wilmington
This popular, community-wide event helps parents and kids enter Chanukah with spirit—by making their own Lego Menorah and delicious latkes. Cost is $12-16 per Lego Menorah set, and online registration is required to guarantee a Menorah. Register at ChabadDE.com/register.

Chanukah Family Fun Festival
Tuesday, Dec. 27, 5-7 pm
Chabad Center for Jewish Life, Wilmington
Bring the whole family to this party, which will feature a public menorah lighting, a professional entertainer, a delicious Chinese buffet dinner, a moonbounce, games, Chanukah crafts, festive Jewish Music, face painting, prizes and more. Early-bird tickets (purchase before Dec. 23) are $20 for adults and $12 for kids. Register at ChabadDE.com/ChanukahEvents.

Holiday Theatrics

Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and then some!)
Friday, Dec. 2–Saturday, Dec. 10 | Chapel Street Players, Newark
Instead of performing Charles Dickens’ holiday classic for the umpteenth time, three actors decide to perform every Christmas story ever told—plus Christmas traditions from around the world, seasonal icons from ancient times to topical pop culture, and carols too. A madcap romp through the holiday season! Tickets to $18.

Christmas by Candlelight
Now–Friday, Dec. 23 | The Candlelight Theater, Arden
Back by popular demand, this heartwarming yuletide celebration features some of your favorite holiday tunes performed by some of your favorite “Candlelighters.”

A Christmas Carol
Wednesday, Dec. 7–Friday, Dec. 30
Delaware Theatre Company, Wilmington
Ebenezer Scrooge returns to the DTC stage as he transforms from a stingy miser to a man who generously celebrates the spirit of the season all year long. Don’t be left out in the cold for this stunning adaptation of a timeless holiday classic. Tickets are $40-50 and available at delawaretheatre.org.

Sparkling Holiday Dance

Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance —
50th Annual Nutcracker
Saturday, Dec. 3 and Sunday, Dec. 4 | The Playhouse on Rodney Square
Kick off the season with one of Wilmington’s most enduring holiday traditions—the story of young Clara on Christmas night as she is tangled in a battle between the Nutcracker and the Mouse King in the Land of Sweets. Wilmington Ballet’s performance features New York City Ballet principal dancers Abi Stafford and Adrian Danchig-Waring as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Live music will be provided by the Wilmington Ballet Orchestra and Chorus, and the beloved Voloshky Ukrainian Dance Ensemble will perform. This year, Gov. Jack Markell and First Lady Carla Markell will make a cameo appearance in the Dec. 3 2 pm show to celebrate the 50th anniversary.

Christina Cultural Arts Center — Eleone Dance Theater’s 25th Anniversary of “Carols in Color”
Sunday, Dec. 11, 4 pm | The Grand Opera House
For a unique holiday treat, check out this one-day-only performance in Wilmington. “Carols” is a stirring holiday musical that retells the story of Christ’s birth according to the gospel of St. Matthew using contemporary music, exuberant dance and powerful narration. Tickets are $25-35, available at tickets.thegrandwilmington.org or 800.37GRAND.

First State Ballet Theatre — The Nutcracker
Saturday, Dec. 17, 2 and 7 pm and Sunday, Dec.18, 2 pm
The Grand Opera House, Wilmington
Delaware’s only professional ballet company presents Wilmington’s favorite holiday tradition, The Nutcracker. Experience the magical journey through the land of sweets in FSBT’s lavish production. Tickets are $14.99-45 and are available at tickets.thegrandwilmington.org or 800.37GRAND.

Do You Hear What I Hear? Holiday Music!
Thursday Noontime Concert — Cartoon Christmas Trio
Thursday, Dec. 1, 12:30 pm | First & Central Presbyterian Church, Rodney Square
Market Street Music welcomes back the Cartoon Christmas Trio for one of downtown’s favorite holiday traditions. Jazz music from the beloved cartoon “A Charlie Brown Christmas” will fill the sanctuary of First & Central. The concert is free to attend, but donations are gratefully accepted.

First State Symphonic Band Christmas Concert
Friday, Dec. 2, 7:30 pm | Emmanuel Presbyterian Church
First State Symphonic Band gets you into the season with some of the most popular holiday music—Tchaikovsky’s Suite from The Nutcracker, Symphonic Prelude on Adeste Fidelis and medleys of popular and traditional Christmas carols. The concert will conclude with the Leroy Anderson classics, “A Christmas Festival” and “Sleigh Ride.”

Festival Concert — Mastersingers of Wilmington Nativity Carols
Saturday, Dec. 3, 7:30 pm | First & Central Presbyterian Church, Rodney Square
Market Street Music’s holiday concert features its own Mastersingers with conductor David Schelat and organist Marvin Mills. Their program includes music by Marvin Mills, Neil Harmon, Paul Manz, Jonathan Dove and more. Tickets are $20 ($25 at the door) and are available at marketstreetmusicde.org.

A Jazz Christmas — featuring The Wilson Somers Trio
Sunday, Dec. 4, 7:30 pm | Laird Performing Arts Center at The Tatnall School
Emmy Award-winning composer and pianist Wilson Somers leads his jazz trio—Somers on piano; Pete Paulson, contrabass, and Glenn Ferricone, percussion—along with guest artists Ed Kirkpatrick, tenor saxophone; Wes Morton, vibes; The Tatnall Singers and singer Annie Fitch in traditional and contemporary treatments of holiday favorites, all to benefit Family Promise of Northern New Castle County. Tickets are $15-20 and are available through the event Facebook page, facebook.com/jazzchristmas.

An All-Star Christmas
Sunday, Dec. 4, 8 pm | World Cafe Live at The Queen, Wilmington
A star-studded seasonal celebration featuring regional music scene faves Jimmy McFadden, Kevin Walsh, Billy Penn Burger, Steve Prentice, Samantha Desper Poole, Chris Duncan, Ritchie Rubini and Tony Cappella. Tickets are $12 and are available at ticketfly.com.

The Wilmington Children’s Chorus Annual Candlelight Holiday Concert
Saturday, Dec. 10, 7 pm & Sunday, Dec. 11, 5 pm | First & Central Presbyterian, Rodney Square
Join the Wilmington Children’s Chorus as they celebrate the season, showcasing holiday music from around the world. The performance features all 150 members of the Youth Choirs, Select Choir, Young Men’s Ensemble and Chamber Choir at First and Central Presbyterian Church. Tickets are $10-$20; call 763-3637 to order.

Holiday Choral Concert
Sunday, Dec. 11, 4 pm | St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, Wilmington
The Music School of Delaware’s Delaware Women’s Chorus and Adult Jazz Choir join the Choir from St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, singers from New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church and Brandywine Brass in performance. Music for chorus, chorus with brass quintet and brass quintet alone will round out the program. A community carol sing will follow the concert. Admission is a non-perishable food item.

Thursday Noontime Concert — Center City Chorale’s Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
Thursday, Dec. 15, 12:30 pm | First & Central Presbyterian Church, Rodney Square
Market Street Music continues its musical holiday celebration with delightful carol arrangements sung by Wilmington’s Downtown Choir, including brilliant arrangements of well-known carols by Howard Helvey. Guest pianists Neil Harmon and Hiroko Yamazaki join the chorale. The concert is free, but donations are gratefully accepted.

Halls that Are Decked

Rockwood Holiday Open House
Friday, Dec. 2, 6 pm | Rockwood Museum
There’s something for the entire family at the 16th Annual Holiday Open House: live entertainment, children’s activities, refreshments, free photos with Santa, museum tours and a festive light display in the gardens of the Mansion and Carriage House; and New Castle County Youth Entrepreneur’s Secret Santa Shoppe, selling gifts for the whole family. Entertainment includes Delaware Arts Conservatory performing excerpts from The Snow Queen; Delaware Children’s Theatre performing a preview of Willy Wonka; the Imagination Players; Kathryn Ciminello Dance Troupe; Cab Calloway Middle School choirs; the UD Children’s Choir and more. The event is free to attend, but families are asked to bring a nonperishable food item or new mittens, hats or scarves for the Giving Tree.

Holiday House Tour
Saturday, Dec. 10, 9 am | Delaware Art Museum
The Museum’s holiday house tour enters its 30th year. Start at the museum with artisan shopping followed by a tour of historic Greenville houses decked out for the holidays. Homes open at 10 am. Proceeds benefit the Museum’s educational programs. Tickets range from $25-60 and are available at DelArtHolidayHouseTour.org.

Old Fashioned Christmas at Bellevue Mansion
Now – Dec. 18, 10 am-4 pm | Bellevue State Park
Step back in time into the beautifully decorated Bellevue Mansion at Bellevue State Park. Visit with Father Christmas, sit and listen to the storyteller, view the train display, custom-designed for the holiday by the First State Model Railroad Club. The Mansion provides not only an old-fashioned experience but also many holiday picture-taking and “selfie” opportunities. Tickets are $15 (children under 2 admitted free) and are available at eventbrite.com.

Hagley Twilight Tours
Tuesdays & Wednesdays, Dec.13-14 through Dec. 27-28, 4:30-7 pm
Hagley Museum
Enjoy a rare opportunity to see Eleutherian Mills—the first du Pont family home in America—dressed for the holidays with softly glowing lights, lace, fresh greenery, poinsettias, and dried flower arrangements. Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. Space is limited and reservations are required. Call 658-2400, ext. 261.

Holiday Greens Workshop
Saturday, Dec. 3, 9 am | Delaware Center for Horticulture, Wilmington
Add sparkle and beauty to your holiday decorations at the annual Holiday Greens Workshop. Create a beautiful wreath or table arrangement from an unusual collection of fresh greens, dried flowers, seeds, fruit and ribbon. Experts will be on hand to provide guidance. Bring hand pruners and gloves to work with prickly materials. Tickets are $45 for members and $55 for non-members. Space is limited, so reserve by calling 658-6262.