You'll find that the First State, though small in size, is filled with plenty of cultural activities and big options for entertainment. In Delaware, the performing arts are available in every shape and form including live theater, ballet performances, and a cornucopia of music concerts. Museums and galleries are perfect for browsing fine art, while local craftspeople carry on traditional folk art practices. Film buffs can attend one of the state's film festivals, while bookworms will have plenty of literary locales to choose from.
The Arts
Performing Arts
Who says nothing in life is free? Vacationers traveling on a budget will truly appreciate Delaware's music scene, as many of the First State's music festivals don't charge any admission. Free fests are particularly popular at Dewey Beach, which hosts a series of music events, like the Dewey Beach Popfest, the Dewey Beach Chickfest, and the Delaware Music Festival, which features alternative rock bands. Dewey Beach's music festivals generally take place from spring through fall. For more sounds by the seaside, head to Rehoboth Beach, home to the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand, which has hosted an eclectic summer music series for more than 40 years. Unable to make it to a festival? Then check with Delaware's many music venues to see if any concerts will be taking place during your vacation. Places for live music in the First State range from intimate coffee houses presenting local acts to mega-arenas featuring musical superstars known around the world.
Ballet abounds when it comes to dance performances in Delaware. There are several professional and semi-professional ballet dance companies located throughout the state, including the Dance Conservatory and the Wilmington Ballet Company, whose annual production of The Nutcracker has sold out for the past 38 years. Along with ballet companies, Delaware is also home to a few collegiate dance programs at the University of Delaware that put on dance shows in a number of genres throughout the year.
Wilmington (Delaware's largest city) is the best place to enjoy live theater during your First State vacation. Here you'll find theater houses like the professional Delaware Theatre Company, which has been around for more than 30 years; and the DuPont Theatre, which brings touring Broadway shows to the city. The cast of coastal theaters in the First State include Delaware Comedy Theatre and the Rehoboth Summer Children's Theatre, both in Rehoboth Beach. Elsewhere, theater communities are scattered throughout the state in places like Dover and Ardentown. The summertime Shakespeare Festival (Wilmington) adds another dimension to Delaware's dynamic performing arts scene.
Fine Arts
For a state so small, Delaware has a surprisingly satisfying offering of fine arts. Art museums mainly reside in bigger cities. In fact, each of the First State's major metropolitan areas features at least one place for viewing visual arts in a range of media, from different periods, and by various artists including local talents and world-renowned masters. Perhaps one of the state's best fine art museums is the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington. Founded in 1912, the museum boasts an extensive collection that includes Pre-Raphaelite pieces by American artists from the 19th and 20th centuries, plus a sculpture garden. Also, the Delaware Art Museum has revolving exhibitions. In addition to its art museums, Delaware features numerous art galleries and artists' studios that can be found almost anywhere in the state. Most of these galleries and studios showcase the works of local artistic talents, as the First State is home to a large number of artists.
Crafts in the First State can be found by contacting Delaware by Hand, an organization that showcases the craftsmanship of local artisans. Members of the organization consist of native Delawarean craftspeople who carry on the state's past craft traditions, including colonial, nautical, and agricultural works, as well as demonstrate skill in the multicultural media of the present. You can also enjoy local handiwork at crafts fairs and festivals, which are held throughout the year. In the spring, head to Harrington for the Spring Craft Show in April, and in July, check out the Lewes Historical Society Crafts Show or Wilmington's Summer Fine Craft Fair.
EntertainmentDelaware may not be the first state to come to mind when it comes to Hollywood blockbusters, but several major movies filmed in the state, such as Dead Poets Society and Beloved. Vacationers can visit the shooting locations of these movies. If you're interested in discovering up-and-coming movie-making talents or just want to see some original works, Delaware holds a number of film festivals throughout the year. Two of them are the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival in November and the Newark Film Festival in September. Sponsored by the Rehoboth Film Society and the Lewes Public Library, the Around the World monthly film series shows critically acclaimed, award-winning, international independent films. For a cinematic experience that will take you back in time, catch a flick at the Diamond State Drive-In, the only drive-in movie theater left in Delaware.
Literary enthusiasts will fall in love with Delaware's historic libraries and other literary sites and attractions. In Wilmington, the Hagley Museum and Library owns a fine collection of pamphlets, manuscripts, and books documenting business and technology throughout American history. Oak Knoll Books and Press in New Castle makes its home in the historic New Castle Opera House. Oak Knoll Books deals in antique books, including the world's largest collection of books about bibliography and books (from subjects like book collecting to papermaking). Its counterpart, Oak Knoll Press, publishes and distributes more than 1,000 titles. Also in New Castle is the Old Library Museum.
Turn your Delaware vacation into an unforgettable experience by taking advantage of all of the opportunities for entertainment and fun the First State has to offer. Whether you want to make movies a part of your trip at the drive-in theater or enjoy fine arts in the city, there's plenty to see and do in Delaware.
