The weather is supposed to be clear, so make sure you get out there and enjoy the Harvest Moon tonight. It’s a supermoon, so it should loom huge, bright and amazing. Once that very important work is out of the way… here are our top picks for things to do in Delaware and surrounding areas this weekend, September 16th through the 18th.
For many, many more events in Delaware and beyond, make sure to check out our event calendar. You can filter by cost, venue and time of day.
Things to Do in Delaware,
September 16th-18th
Night Hikes
To help you with the whole “get out there” thing, there are some organized night hikes happening at Delaware State Parks. White Clay Creek State Park has one every Friday that’s closest to the full moon. At Brandywine Creek State Park, Owl Prowl guides will take you where owls are known to hang out in the hopes of spotting one (bring a flashlight and your sense of adventure. Owls are awe (and vaguely terror) inspiring to happen upon in the dark).
Festivals
Delaware Saengerbund Oktoberfest: “Beer, in Bavaria, is recognized as a food product providing 30% of the nutrition to the Bavarian people.” This all-weekend-long festival boasts four beers brewed in Munich according to German purity laws– exactly the same beer that will be sold in Munich– along with plenty of Bratwurst (pork sausage), Weisswuurst, potato salad and sauerkraut. $8 admission includes unlimited free amusement rides!
Korean Festival and Harvest Celebration: there will be Korean-inspired art activities, a ChuSeok Cha-Rae (Thanksgiving Dinner) Ceremony, a photobooth with Korean traditional clothing, K-Pop Dance, Korean food and more in celebration of Korean culture Saturday at the Delaware Art Museum.
DSBC Fun Fest (Championship Scrapple Cook-off): Presented by the Delaware Small Business Chamber at Glasgow Park, this festival features local business vendors, fun activities for the kids, and a whole lotta scrapple from cook-off competitors and food trucks.
Lewes Dragon Boat Festival: Sunday at the Canalfront Park in downtown Lewes, this promises to be a full day of food, games, activities for kids, and 36 dragon boat teams competing.
Faerie Fest: games, stories, face painting, enchanted crafts, faerie and gnome parades, children’s museum tours, faerie wares and parade, and ballet performances at Rockwood Park on Sunday. Free with park admission; $10 entry fee to participate in the Faerie House and Gnome Home contest.
Meet the Monarchs
It’s time for the migration of the monarchs! They’re about to wing it back to Mexico, so be on the lookout for monarch-centric activities being held this weekend and next. Junior Rangers (ages 7-11) are invited to learn about monarch butterflies at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge; there will be a classroom presentation in the refuge auditorium later in the day in preparation for the Monarch tagging event next week. Or, the whole family can migrate through activities at the Migration Celebration at Ashland Nature Center (there’s going to be a bird banding session too, which is pretty cool). Both events are on Saturday.
First State Flea
I have a hard time passing up any flea market and this one happens to take place at my old grade school. You’ll find antique, vintage, repurposed and hand crafted goods along with food vendors at the First State Flea being held Saturday at St. Anthony of Padua.
Grandparents Weekend at Milburn Orchards
In addition to offering pick-your-own apples, area farms and orchards are ramping up their fall festivities. One of our favorites is Milburn Orchards, just outside Newark. There’s tons for kids to do, from feeding goats to navigating pint-size hay mazes, and this weekend Grandma and Pop-Pop can enjoy it for free with the grandkids. Make sure to take advantage of Miburn’s u-pick apple prices (they seem to be the best around) and take home some apple cider doughnuts!
Sheep Shearing Day
Ever see a sheep get a haircut? Spend Saturday afternoon at Fair Weather Farm at Fairhill just over the MD state line and you’ll be able to see sheep get shorn, see spinning and weaving demos, and take a tour of the organic farm.
You at the Zoo
The Brandywine Zoo runs a Career and Animal Science Workshop program for pre-teens and teens that sounds awesome and is affordable ($10 a session for non members). This Saturday morning, participants will be working with exotic birds. For adults who have an interest in working with the zoo, there is a volunteer open house in the afternoon.
Faithful Friends 5K and Mutt Mile
It’s not just a race, it’s going to be a sight to see. Support Faithful Friends and get in a workout for both you and your pup. Or, skip the running part and come for the photo ops, food trucks and pet vendors.
Hagley Car Show
Rain or shine Sunday, more than 500 antique and restored cars dating from the 1980s all the way back to the early twentieth century will be on display. Admire the autos and feast at the food court, and try not to think too much about the 1980s being used in the same sentence as antique.
Newark Community Day
On the University of Delaware Green from Memorial Hall to Main Street, there will be food, demonstrations, fine art and homemade craft vendors, a children’s area with scarecrow making, and Chase Bryant performing.
DR. STRANGELOVE in Theaters
So wonderfully weird. Kubrick and Sellers with what Roger Ebert called “arguably the best political satire of the century.” Playing at Regal Brandywine, Movies 10 and Cinemark Christiana for two days only.
Auditions
- Meet Me in St. Louis at Clear Space Theater Company
- Every Christmas story ever told (and then some!) at Chapel Street Players
- Caberet at the Wilmington Drama League
Have fun!
PSA: There was SUPPOSED to be viewings of ZOOTOPIA at the Delaware Museum of Natural History this weekend, but it has been postponed. Even though there appeared to be plenty of interest, not enough people pre-registered to make sense for them to continue planning the event. YOU GUYS. If you want events to happen, or garner more support with more vendors and sponsors joining in, you need to register for them and let other people know about them! That ensures their success and encourages new events to form.
