Attractions, Activities Keep New Castle Moving
Published Apr 16, 2006
When the Wilmington Blue Rocks baseball team plays at Frawley Stadium, mascot Rocky Bluewinkle works the stands.
J. Harry Feldman was introduced to New Castle County in the early 1970s while attending a seminar in Wilmington. He and other educators had the opportunity to visit the lavish Winterthur Museum and sprawling Longwood Gardens nearby.
“I got a taste of the cultural attractions and was bowled over,” Feldman says. “When I got the chance to move here, I did.”
That chance arrived in 1979. Today, as executive director of the Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau, Feldman helps spread the word about the Brandywine Valley region and what it offers visitors and newcomers – from world-class museums and performing arts to sports attractions and nightlife activities.
“The cultural life for an area this size is astounding,” says Feldman, reeling off “an embarrassment of riches” that includes the recently expanded Delaware Art Museum and its nine-acre sculpture garden, Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts, Brandywine River Museum, Delaware Museum of Natural History, and Hagley Museum and Library.
During the summer months, New Castle County is home to numerous cultural and ethnic festivals, highlighted by the weeklong DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival in early June. The city-sponsored event draws tens of thousands of people to downtown Wilmington’s Rodney Square for a series of free concerts.
“It’s the city’s biggest event,” says Tina Betz, director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “Everyone has a great time with the backdrop of great music.”
Other calendar highlights in Wilmington include the annual Flower Market in May, Italian Festival in June, Independence Day Freedom Celebration in July, Riverfront Blues Festival and Bob Marley Festival in August, and the DuPont RiverFest & Delaware Transportation Festival in the fall.
The city promotes itself as a day-trip destination as well as a long weekend getaway option because, Betz says, “for an area this size, there are lots and lots of things to see and do.”
The region shares a fondness for visual and performing arts. The works of realist painter Andrew Wyeth, a native of nearby Chadds Ford, Pa., are on permanent display at the Brandywine River Museum. Meanwhile, the village of Arden in northeastern New Castle County has a longstanding history as a haven for creative arts. In addition to numerous galleries, the village is the location of the Arden Club and the New Candlelight Dinner Theatre, which stage theatrical performances throughout the year.
Newark, location of the University of Delaware’s main campus, also has a strong arts scene spearheaded by the Newark Arts Alliance. The city began an independent film festival in 2005. The university is home to the Professional Theatre Training Program and the Paul R. Jones Collection of African American Art.
“What might seem surprising is the range and quantity of arts experiences that are available here,” says Laura Scanlan, executive director of the Delaware Division of the Arts. “I think we have a lot to offer, and the demand for arts and cultural experiences is growing all the time.”
Sports enthusiasts can enjoy thoroughbred racing (and slot machines) at Delaware Park, attend a baseball game featuring the Class A Wilmington Blue Rocks or watch World Team Tennis matches of the Delaware Smash. Blue Diamond Park near New Castle offers BMX and Motocross racing.
Also popular is the nightlife at Riverfront Wilmington, which features an array of casual and upscale restaurants and jazz clubs. A listing of restaurants and entertainment can be found in Spark (weekly) and Out & About (monthly) magazines available throughout the area.
Story by Edward Navarro
Photo by Stephen Cherry
Current Weather Conditions In Newark, DE (19702)
Partly Cloudy, and 34 ° F. For more details?
Click here...
