July 2026 - 250 Words on America 250

Our Annual Guide to Summer Sippin'

Lewes' Jim Semivan Pushes for UFO Disclosure

Diners Are Discovering the Other Mediterranean

250 WORDS ON

Guest authors offer their perspectives

RIVERFRONT WILMINGTON

Free admission • 2pm to fireworks

Live Music

Tubman-Garrett Park

Brandi Sanders Experience (2pm)

CliffordBrownFestivalOrchestra(4pm)

DelawareSymphonyOrchestra(7:30pm)

Justison Street (near Iron Hill)

Lower Case Blues (2pm)

Kristen & The Noise (4:45pm)

Dravo Plaza

DJ Mega Skills (2pm)

Food & Drink

Multiple Beer Gardens FoodTrucks,Inside/OutsideDining

FIFA Watch Parties 1pm & 5pm: Constitution Yards

Del Pez, Docklands, Iron Hill

Taco Grande, Timothy’s

Delaware Made Village

Featuring local artisans offering one-of-a-kind items

Family Entertainment

Free admission to Delaware Children’s Museum Kalmar Nyckel Deck Tours Hot-Air Balloon Rides Plus: Amusement Rides Mini Golf & Other Games Roaming Street Performers

Honor Tent

Featuring a mesmerizing salute to Delaware history by Emerging Monkey Arts

Spectacular Fireworks Display over Christina River at 9:30pm accompanied by the music of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra

(Clear bags only. NO backpacks, bikes, skateboards or scooters)

The East Coast’s Largest Free Jazz Festival

Rodney Square • August 2 – 8, 2026

Of all the gifts America gave the world in 250 years, jazz may be the greatest, and reason enough to gather at Rodney Square. For 39 years, the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival has brought that gift home with more than 400 world-class artists, Grammy winners, jazz legends, rising voices, and the local talent that makes Wilmington extraordinary. Every year, a new lineup. Every night, pure music. Every performance, FREE.

ARTIST LINEUP — REVEALED DAILY

The 2026 artists are being announced one by one on social media. Follow along — every day brings a new reason to be there. (You MIGHT even find this year’s artists hidden in this ad!)

At The Beach

Jim Miller • jmiller@tsnpub.com

CONTRIBUTING

Bob Yearick • ryearick@comcast.net CREATIVE

Matthew

The Brandywine Zoo invites you to Sip & Stroll through the zoo and enjoy a laid-back evening at our Thursday night happy hour series. Craft beer will be available from Bellefonte Brewing and Apothecary Brewing, in addition to wine. Each Sip will feature a local food vendor and live music, Plus, our concession stand will be open with snacks and soft drinks. This family friendly event is fun for all ages!

Limited number of tickets will be sold.

Drink and food purchases sold separately.

*JOIN US at the ribbon cutting of the NEW multi-species habitat on July 23 at 11am.

We’ll celebrate at the 7/23 Sip & Stroll!

At 250, The Experiment Endures

Happy Birthday, America.

I’d say you don’t look a day over 200, but you’d see right through the insincerity. You do, indeed, look your age.

And why wouldn’t you? We Americans are exhausting.

We all nodded when you declared that all men are created equal — then proceeded to behave as though the opposite were true. Like headstrong toddlers, we eventually come around, but not before decades of blood, sweat, and tears. A more perfect union? Yeah, we’re still working on that.

But as they say, perfection is the enemy of the good — and much good has been achieved during this two-anda-half-century odyssey. Most importantly, many, many still believe in your mission.

I’ve seen that patriotism firsthand as our sister company, Event Allies, helped plan America 250 celebrations in Historic New Castle, the City of Wilmington, and the Wilmington Riverfront.

We are a flawed people. Ego, greed, insecurity — they shape so many of our actions. And in the pursuit of quick solutions — an easy way forward — we sometimes buy the nonsense, acquiescing to behavior we’d normally find abhorrent. After all these years, we’re still susceptible to the panderer.

The truth is, there are no quick fixes for hard problems. And this American experiment — well, it’s hard.

The truth is, there are no quick fixes for hard problems. And this American experiment — well, it’s hard.

I felt that same sense of inspiration when I took a sneak peek at the guest essays in this issue — 250 Words for America 250. Don’t take my word for it; read these moving contributions for yourself.

Still, we can’t lose sight of the good in our ambitious pursuit of a more perfect union. And we can’t forget our history — we’ve faced trying times before.

“In our finest hours… the soul of the country manifests itself in an inclination to open our arms rather than to clench our fists,” writes Jon Meacham in The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels.

I’m seeing more open arms as we mark this semiquincentennial. Not all arms, mind you — but enough to keep the faith.

So, happy 250th, America. No one said this would be easy.

— Jerry duPhily

THE WAR On Words

A monthly column in which we attempt, however futilely, to defend the English language

WHERE ARE THE EDITORS?

• Headline from The New York Times, courtesy of reader Cathy Marchand: “Inside the cryptic final months of Pep Guardiola’s tenor at Manchester City.” The story was about Guardiola’s tenure — length of service — as manager of the soccer team. Tenor refers to mood or tone.

• Chyron (horizontal text that scrolls across the TV screen) on Channel 10 Philadelphia, referring to Phillie Bryce Harper’s dental hygiene routine: “Harper’s brushing regiment.” A regiment is a body of soldiers commanded by a colonel and consisting of a variable number of companies, troops, or batteries. A regimen — the word needed here — is a systematic plan or course of action.

• Award-winning Wilmington journalist Larry Nagengast submitted an item from the Nebraska Examiner, prefacing it with this: “Rarely does a hard news story have such an incredibly humorous sequencing of two sentences.” The item: “Burbank paid the filing fee for Mike Marvin, the late entrant into the Legal Marijuana Now Party’s primary. Both deny he is a plant.”

• Mitchell Northam, USA TODAY: “After finishing fourth in MVP voting as a rookie, injuries plagued Clark last season and limited her to 13 games.” Injuries didn’t get votes in WNBA MVP voting; Caitlin Clark did.

• From People, in a piece about Michelle Obama’s book tour: “Equally as striking was her candor . . .” As in this phrase is redundant.

• The New Yorker’s Adam Gopnik wrote that Thomas Willing, Revolutionary War financier elected mayor of Philadelphia in 1763, “took pains to insure that he and his family intermarried with the stalwarts of his class.” Insure relates to insurance or financial matters, while ensure has the broader meaning of “making certain or safe” — the meaning here. I have seen this contrarian usage more than once in The New Yorker, which is one of the world’s most carefully edited publications, so I assume the editors have decided to adopt this as their style.

Word of the Month

susurrus

Pronounced su-ser-as, it’s a noun meaning a whispering or rustling sound. E.g., “Literature, in his view, was a susurrus of stifled screams, a missive from the netherworld of the collective imaginary.” — Becca Rothfeld, The New Yorker

By Bob Yearick

And this one?

DEPARTMENT OF REDUNDANCIES DEPT.

• Lorenzo Reyes, in USA TODAY: “[LeBron] James has not revealed his future plans, but he will turn 42 in December and has been more vulnerable recently about how basketball is affecting his body.” As opposed to his past plans?

MORE ON THE ‘RULE’ THAT ISN’T

• April’s column discussed the mistaken taboo about prepositions at the end of sentences, and pointed out that such usage is often acceptable. Perhaps the most extreme example of how pedantic language can sound in attempting to comply with this non-rule is this sentence about a small girl who doesn't want her bedtime story to be from a book about Australia: “What did you bring that book I didn't want to be read out to from, about Down Under, up for?” While it reads like an error, the sentence is completely grammatical.

Answers to “What’s wrong with this picture?”

No. 1: Victor Glover, one of the astronauts on NASA’s Artemis II mission in April, holds a sign from a fan that labels the mission the “Furthest commute to work.” Unfortunately, that should be farthest commute. Further refers to figurative distance or abstract concepts, while farther is reserved for actual physical distances.

No. 2: Channel 10 Philadelphia strikes again with this call-out quote that uses effect (usually a noun) where affect (almost always a verb) should be.

NEED A SPEAKER FOR YOUR GROUP?

Contact me at ryearick@comcast.net for a fun and informative discussion of grammar.

Buy The War on Words book at the Hockessin BookShelf, at Huxley & Hiro Booksellers on Market Street, or on Amazon.

Semiquincentennial

ACROSS

1 Tax season pro 4 Paint layer 8 Expenses 13 Neighbor to Earth

Suspicious of

The Governator 16 Mile or gram, e.g. 17 Angry crowd commotion

18 Common setting for Stephen King

19 Breakfast orders that might be “Denver” style

22 Natural surface features

23 Certain pub order

24 Meditation mantras

25 Annoy

27 The Sun, for one

31 “Surprised, ___? If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn't be more surprised than I am right now.”

(Christmas Vacation)

34 Equal, socially

36 Have debt

37 Home to Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger, and Piglet

41 Strangers __ Train (Hitchcock film)

42 ___ Club (Costco competitor)

43 They can be hard to swallow

44 “Left” on many maps

46 Prescribed meds, informally

47 Soup container, sometimes

48 Crushed Mint Julep ingredient

50 Emotionally suffers

54 Currency featuring Ulysses S. Grant

59 Trains travel on them

60 Reason for Blue Rocks game delay, perhaps

61 Solo for a tenor

62 Where many tennis winners occur

63 Teenage woe

64 1993 film set primarily at Notre Dame

65 Demands

66 “We should!”

67 Opposite of NNW

1 “___ not, please?!”

2 Earlier

3 Worry in Armageddon and Deep Impact

4 Welsh dogs favored by Queen Elizabeth

5 Layered vegetable

6 Tiny bit of matter

7 Spacious bag

8 Animal with a hump

9 Delivers a speech

10 Irritated fit

11 Fork sticker

12 Views

13 Dog without papers

By Joe O’Brien

Complete puzzle, take a photo, send to: Contact@TSNPub.com. Subject line: July Puzzle. Deadline: July 15.

Two correct puzzles will win a cool prize Previous contest winners: Stacey Harrison, John Whisper

20 Roblox or Fortnite players

21 Kobe, famously

25 “Check”

26 Parks and ___ (NBC sitcom, informaly)

28 Hammer or saw

29 Missing from base (abbr.)

30 Cincinnati baseball team

31 Popular DIY website

32 Denis Villeneuve sci-fi film series (with the third due for a December release)

33 CSI collections

35 Fix

38 Dog-___ (bent, as a book page)

39 “Ruff Ryders' Anthem” rapper

40 Places with many cabs?

45 Named, as a novel

47 Construction site sights

49 Minor surgery targets

50 Reflec t shinily

51 Malware, often

52 Skip a syllable

53 Kill a dragon

54 Drescher of The Nanny

55 “No food for me, thanks”

56 Court penalty

57 Like some exams

58 Trim on some undergarments

Summer’s Triple Threat: Fleas, Ticks, and Mosquitoes

By Brianna Hansen

Hopefully, you’ve been enjoying this beautiful weather and spending more time outdoors with your pets. After all, it's easy to focus on the fun: long walks in the park, backyard barbecues, and beach trips! Unfortunately, we’re not the only ones enjoying the warm days and cool nights. Fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes are loving it too, and they can be a serious threat to your pet.

Most pet owners think of flea, tick, and mosquito prevention as three separate things, but they're closely connected when it comes to protecting your pet's overall health. Pets that spend time outdoors are exposed to all three risks, sometimes simultaneously. While each poses its own dangers, these threats can compound one another, creating a much larger health challenge than any single issue alone.

Fleas are more than just an itchy nuisance. A single flea can quickly turn into an infestation, causing skin irritation, allergic reactions, and even anemia in severe cases. They can also transmit tapeworms and other parasites that can seriously impact your pet’s health.

Ticks present their own concerns, carrying illnesses such as Lyme disease that can affect both pets and people. These diseases can cause long-term health complications and may be difficult to detect until symptoms appear.

But perhaps the peskiest pest of all? Mosquitoes. They’re known to spread heartworm disease, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that affects the heart, lungs, and blood vessels of animals. Treatment is often lengthy, costly, and difficult, making prevention especially important.

It’s worth noting that cats face many of the same risks, especially since many pests find their way indoors. And while heartworm disease is less common in cats, there is no approved treatment for felines, making prevention critical.

The good news is prevention is far easier, safer, and less expensive than treatment. Today's preventive medications make protection simple, with many covering multiple parasites in a single dose. Your veterinarian can help determine which flea, tick, and heartworm prevention options are best for your pet's lifestyle and risk factors.

If cost is a concern, local animal welfare organizations can help. Shelters like Humane Animal Partners and Faithful Friends offer low-cost wellness services that can help pet owners stay current on preventive care, vaccinations, and routine health needs. These resources make it easier for families to keep their pets healthy year-round without breaking the bank.

As you enjoy everything summer has to offer, take a moment to make sure your pet's flea, tick, and heartworm prevention is up to date. A few minutes today can help prevent months of discomfort, illness, and costly treatment down the road, keeping your four-legged family members happy, healthy, and ready for every adventure!

FYI Things Worth Knowing

America 250 is quite a milestone and worthy of reflection, if not celebration. To that end, we encourage you to read the guest essays starting on page 28. While you're at it, see if you can spot the four liberty bells we've tucked away in this issue and you might win a cool prize. Please email your answers using the subject line: I Found the Liberty Bells to Contact@TSNPub.com by July 17. Last month's winners: Mark LaVere, Carol Emory, Sal Providence. The signs were on pages 31, 41, 55 and 70.

CANDLELIGHT THEATRE PRESENTS “ANNIE”

Everyone's favorite little redhead comes to life on stage when the Candlelight Theatre presents the Tony Award-winning musical ANNIE, July 17 through August 30, featuring such memborable songs as “Tomorrow,” “It's a hard Knock Life,” and “Easy Street.” Tickets include a plated meal served prior to curtain, with limited show-only tickets also available. Visit CandlelightTheatreDelaware.org.

MSPECIAL SCREENINGS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Wilmington Celebrates Delaware 250 has teamed with WHYY for two free showings of a 45-minute screener of Ken Burns’ acclaimed television miniseries The American Revolution. On Thursday, July 16, the Urban Artist Exchange (1509 Clifford Brown Walk) will host an outdoor screening beginning at dusk. On Thursday, July 23, The Screening Room (1313 N. Market St.) will host a screening beginning at 6:30pm. Visit InWilmDe.com.

LGBTQIA+ VISITOR CENTER PLANNED FOR WILMINGTON

The Delaware Sexuality and Gender Collective has announced the launch of “The Collective,” a 3,200-square-foot LGBTQIA+ visitor center and community space planned for downtown Wilmington on Market Street. Founded in 2018 by clinical social workers and advocates Julissa Coriano and Noah J. Duckett, the space will include Delaware’s first LGBTQIA+ history museum, a visitor center highlighting local LGBTQIA+ businesses, coworking offices, and a community space named The Griffin II — honoring Delaware’s first LGBTQIA+ community center, The Griffin, established in 1986. The project is currently in development, with an anticipated opening in late 2026. Visit DelawareLGBTQIAVisitorCenter.com.

usic in the Plaza returns for its eighth season, bringing live music, food trucks, and local vendors to Wilmington’s Brandywine Mills Plaza (19th & Market streets) from 5-8pm every Tuesday, July 7 through October 6. The series kicks off with What the Funk (July 7), followed by The X Band Experience (July 14), Tony "Big Cat" Smith (July 21), and Fuzaholics (July 28). Hosted by Old Brandywine Village, the free event supports the ongoing revitalization of historic Brandywine Village.

On Tuesday, July 14, Huxley & Hiro will host former First Lady Dr. Jill Biden in conversation with author Jennifer Weiner at The Queen in Wilmington from 6–8pm. The discussion will center on Biden’s new memoir, View From the East Wing, offering reflections on her years in the White House, public service, and life behind the scenes during a historic presidency. Tickets are $70 and include one hardcover copy of the book. More at HuxleyAndHiro.com.

The Bank of Delaware Building in downtown Wilmington has been added to the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance and role in the city’s commercial history. The Bank of Delaware, founded in 1795, moved its headquarters to the 17-story Delaware Avenue building in 1970. Designed by architect Harold A. Berry in the New Formalism and Late Modernism styles, it served as the bank’s headquarters until 1989, when the institution was acquired by PNC Bank. More at History.Delaware.gov.

FSBT ANNOUNCES 2026-2027 SEASON

Tickets are now on sale for First State Ballet Theatre’s 2026–2027 season at The Grand Opera House in Wilmington, featuring five productions that blend classic story ballets with new work. The season includes the romantic comedy Don Quixote (Oct. 24 & 25, Copeland Hall), followed by the mixed program Up Front on Market (Nov. 13 & 15, Studio One). December brings The Nutcracker to the stage for two weekends (Dec. 12, 13, 19 & 20), along with the Sugar Plum Soiree (Dec. 12), a family-friendly add-on experience that includes a mini ballet class and more. The season continues with a world-premiere Carmen by choreographer Zachary Kapeluck (March 6 & 7), and the classic Swan Lake (April 17 & 18), both performed in Copeland Hall. Visit FirstStateBallet.org.

CCAC UNVEILS NEW MURAL HONORING LONGTIME SUPPORTERS

On May 30, Christina Cultural Arts Center (CCAC) held a ceremony to unveil their Legacy Wall mural to the larger community.

The mural, which lines the walls of the center’s entire first floor, was created by local artist and educator Sherita Sparrow. Her vision for the work was to capture the spirit, history, and legacy of CCAC.

“This was a labor of love,” says Sparrow, who began work on the mural in October 2025. “To have everyone view it for the first time was very emotional for me, and I’m just so grateful for the opportunity [to create the piece].”

The vibrant mural honors eight individuals — from current and past instructors and administrators to key community advocates — whose enduring dedication and contributions have helped shape the organization and its impact throughout the city. The honorees include Bebe Coker, Darnell Miller, JoAnn Jackson, Tanya Jackson, Baba Kenyatta, Dara J. Meredith, Raye Jones Avery, and Ken Brown.

Darnell

THROUGH JULY 19TH

WATCH PARTIES

THROUGHOUT THE MATCHES

AT THESE WILMINGTON LOCATIONS: SPECIALS DURING EVERY MATCH

Catherine Rooney’s

Chelsea Tavern

Del Pez Mexican Gastropub

Docklands Riverfront

Kid Shelleen’s (Branmar)

Kid Shelleen’s (Trolley Square)

Hummingbird To Mars

Maker’s Alley

Rocco’s Sports Bar

Santa Fe Mexican Grill

Skratch Bar & Kitchen

Taco Grande

The Chancery

Timothy’s Riverfront

Tonic Bar & Grille

Trolley Square Oyster House

Trolley Tap House

Washington Street Ale House

Wilma’s

PRIZES & GIVEAWAYS AT ALL ABOVE LOCATIONS! IN

RIVERFRONT

The Delaware Contemporary 200 S. Madison Street 656-6466

DeContemporary.org

Exhibits: group shows Tree

Watching and ARC 26; solo shows for Elizabeth Bergeland and Hugh Atkins

DOWNTOWN

Chris White Gallery 701 N. Shipley Street 475-0998

ChrisWhiteGallery.com

Exhibits: INTROspective by Cony Madariaga and Better Living Through Mythmaking by Lauren E. Peters

City of Wilmington’s Redding Gallery

800 N. French Street 576-2100

CityfestWilm.com/ Redding-gallery

Exhibits: Eunice LaFate

Exhibition &; Zan-tay Collection by Chevala Oliver

Huxley & Hiro Booksellers 601 N. Market Street

439-0805 • HuxleyAndHiro.com

Exhibit: Dee Draws by Michelle Dee

Mezzanine Gallery 820 N. French Street 577-8278 • Arts.Delaware.gov

Exhibit: Becoming by Juan Santos

MKT Place Gallery

200 W. 9th Street

289-6772

Exhibit: Color Me Glad: I’m

So Glad He Changed Me by JaQuanne Leroy

BEYOND THE CITY

Arsht Hall at U of D

2700 Pennsylvania Ave

573-4417

Exhibit: OLLI Instructor and Student Photography

Bellefonte Arts

803-C Brandywine Blvd

547-2573 • BellefonteArts.com

Exhibit: Jessica Barber

Retrospective/20

Bellefonte Cafe

804 Brandywine Blvd

562-1436

TheBellefonteCafe.com

Exhibit: Art Battle Group Show

Finist & The Owl

811 Brandywine Blvd

786-228-6638

FinistAndTheOwl.com

Exhibit: Luminosity by Lauren Arno

Mid Century Collections

803D Brandywine Blvd

734-658-3308

Exhibit: Crae Washington Smash labels.... create your own!

Rockwood Park & Museum

4651 Washington Street Ext. 761-4240

Exhibit: We the People… 5 Contemporary Artists. 1 Historic House.

presented by FRIDAY, JULY 10 5pm Start

Think Emancipation! and Juneteenth

Wilmington Sites of Remembrance and Advocacy

By Cheryl Renée Gooch

Historic Places That Help Tell Delaware's Story

In celebration of Delaware 250, this monthly series will spotlight historic people and sites unique to our state.

The Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, freed Americans of African descent held in bondage in states in rebellion against the Union. Exceptions included Delaware, which did not secede from the union but was a slaveholding state. Following the proclamation Wilmington and communities across the country began to celebrate Emancipation Day annually. By January 1, 1866, Wilmington had already hosted its third Emancipation celebration. The fact that the city’s Emancipation celebrations began so early — before the Civil War had even ended and prior to the formal end of slavery — demonstrates how strongly the community looked forward to true and lasting freedom for all Americans. These early gatherings were powerful expressions of hope and solidarity, uniting Wilmington’s residents at a transformative moment in both Delaware’s and the nation’s history.

Newspaper accounts show that from 1863 to 1922 long-lasting Wilmington African American churches that hosted the Emancipation Day celebrations included Bethel A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopal), Ezion — now known as Ezion-Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church — Shiloh Baptist, and the original A.U.M.P. (African Union Methodist Protestant) church, which once stood at the location now recognized as Peter Spencer Plaza. Civic organizations such as the Monday Club and the NAACP actively participated in these ceremonies.

By the 1950s, some Emancipation celebrations transitioned to become part of Watch Night church services held on New Year’s Eve. These services still commemorate the night of December 31, 1862, when enslaved Americans gathered in anticipation of this milestone in their quest for freedom.

The Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth represent a continuum in the journey to freedom and unity. President Abraham Lincoln called the Proclamation a “necessary war measure for suppressing said (Confederate) rebellion.” While declaring freedom for people held in some (not all) states, the Proclamation declared that African Americans would be welcomed into the armed services of the United

States. In support of this directive, the War Department established the Bureau of Colored Troops to recruit and train these soldiers who became known as United States Colored Troops (USCT). More than 200,000 USCT served, including 1,868 Delawareans. Their combat roles transformed them into agents of Emancipation. They fought to reunify the United States and liberate 4 million Americans from bondage.

When Union Army General Gordan Granger officially announced the Proclamation to people still enslaved in Texas on June 19, 1865, more than 16,000 USCT were stationed in several areas of the state. Ratification of the 13th Amendment on December 6, 1865, abolished slavery nationwide.

Delaware officially established June 19 (Juneteenth) as a statewide holiday in 2021, aligning with the federal recognition of the day. Since 1994, the Delaware Juneteenth Association has held June events to promote African American freedom, history, and culture through educational and community programs, encouraging civic engagement statewide.

Several Wilmington historic sites highlight the struggle for emancipation and those who fought for a unified nation.

Located at the intersection of Broom Street and Delaware Avenue, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument honors the individuals who lost their lives during the Civil War. This monument stands as a tribute to those who fought and sacrificed to restore national unity and end slavery.

Overlooking the Brandywine River near King Street and South Park Drive, Old Soldiers Park features a weathered yet legible panel. This panel notes the park’s role as a gathering place for Civil War veterans, linking visitors to those who served in the fight for emancipation and unity.

At the intersection of 18th Street and Baynard Boulevard in Brandywine Park stands the African American Medal of Honor Recipients Memorial. This monument celebrates the valor of soldiers, including those who served in the Civil War.

The Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth mark important moments in Delaware and American history, highlighting our shared legacy of freedom and unification under one flag.

— To learn about upcoming DE250 events, visit Delaware250.org.

An Exhibit Of, By, and For the People

The People’s Gallery Opens August 6 at the Delaware Art Museum

ABy Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald

s the celebration of America’s 250th continues, the Delaware Art Museum (DelArt) continues to honor the crucial role visual artists play in encapsulating, shaping, and envisioning American culture.

In August, DelArt will unveil a one-of-a-kind, community-driven exhibit that celebrates the many facets and faces of contemporary American art here in Delaware. >

Entitled The People’s Gallery, this bold project will welcome artists of every level — hobbyists, emerging, established — to participate and step into the spotlight of Delaware’s contemporary arts scene.

The exhibition will have the capacity for up to 600 artists, each contributing one piece of two-dimensional work. And, as a non-juried (i.e., open to all, rather than selected by an expert panel) show, The People’s Gallery will offer a rare, inclusive opportunity for these artists to share their work in a major space — the museum’s Fusco Gallery.

The substantial endeavor is being jointly overseen by Margaret Winslow, Head Curator/Curator of Contemporary Art and Heather Morrisey, Director of Operations and Engagement.

"I hope this exhibition reflects the breadth and diversity of Delaware's artistic community and creates opportunities for people from across the state and beyond to see their experiences, perspectives, and creative interest represented in the Museum,” says Winslow. “Just as importantly, I hope the participating artists feel seen and celebrated as contributors to Delaware's cultural landscape."

The biggest challenge, the staff notes, will be the logistics of the installation itself. With the potential for that many works in one space, DelArt’s preparators will undergo a remarkable game of “Art Tetris” to create a cohesive exhibition.

Although the final installation may humorously evoke “The Barnes on steroids,” the exhibit’s real power lies in giving our community a meaningful place to truly see itself reflected on the gallery walls.

Birth of a Community Exhibit

According to DelArt staff, The People's Gallery concept grew out of the museum’s broader celebration of our nation’s 250th anniversary. The museum has approached that landmark through both historical and contemporary perspectives; The People's Gallery will mark the culminating chapter of that initiative. Rather than asking visitors to look only at history, it will invite them to engage with artists shaping today’s landscape.

In presenting a six-month series of exhibitions and related programs (including the concurrent exhibits Living Indigenous, Photovoice, The City on Paper, and Citizen Artist), the museum’s goal is to recognize the creatives who have helped to collectively interpret our past, understand our present, and imagine new futures.

This project will serve as a historic marker as well. Information about each participating artist and their work will be preserved in the museum's archives, alongside photography documenting the exhibition. The result will be a lasting record of Delaware's artistic community during the country’s 250th.

"I hope the exhibition sparks conversations between artists and audiences, neighbors and friends, and across communities,” says Executive Director Molly Giordano.

“Ultimately, The People's Gallery is an opportunity for Delawareans to support artists directly, whether through engagement, dialogue, or by purchasing artwork and investing in the creative future of our state."

A True Communal Exhibit

Artwork for The People’s Gallery will be accepted this month on a firstcome, first-served basis. At 10am on Monday, July 6, submissions will open to all Delaware Art Museum members (in good standing as of July 1, 2026); registration for all Delaware residents opens at 10am on Wednesday, July 8. Submissions will close Monday, July 27 or when capacity (i.e., 600 pieces) is reached.

All eligible artists must be Delaware residents age 18 or older. One two-dimensional piece per artist will be accepted up to a maximum size of 32” on the longest side. All submitted work must be “gallery ready” (i.e., secure hanging hardware intact), and all artwork must be eligible for sale.

Saturday, August 8. The People’s Gallery will be on display from Friday, August 7 through Sunday, September 6. This project will enable our community to collectively participate in the creative process: Artists of every level will be able to show and sell their work in a major gallery, and patrons will have the opportunity to support and even own a piece of Delaware art history. Proceeds from artists’ sales will help support the museum and sustain its future artist-centered initiatives.

DelArt staff hope visitors will appreciate the diversity they find throughout the exhibit, and artists will be excited about the chance to be seen regionally and nationally; discovering what their fellow artists are working on; and being inspired, unbound by a specific theme or idea.

“[This exhibit] helps us showcase the Delaware contemporary arts scene,” says Morrissey. “It also allows the viewer to decide what they like. It’s not curated; this is ‘you see something you like, you can directly support that [artist].’”

The exhibition will be previewed on Thursday, August 6 during the museum’s Sculpture Garden Happy Hour. Artwork will be available for purchase by museum members on Friday, August 7 and for the public on

Ultimately, The People's Gallery will not only reflect on this nationally historic moment in time but also preserve a snapshot of the creative voices shaping it locally.

— Learn more at DelArt.org/The-Peoples-Gallery

MAKES IT POSSIBLE.

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250 WORDS FOR

Delaware’s community leaders reveal what the 250th means to them — and us

As a three-term mayor of Wilmington, Jim Baker was certainly outspoken. He said what was on his mind.

One thing I remember him saying was that he was a fan of the original Star Trek series. He made this out-of-the-blue remark in front of a crowd of about 100 people gathered for an event at Delaware History Museum in the early 2000s. Chuckles and murmurs followed. Guests had gathered for Delaware history, not for chit-chat about futuristic science-fiction.

Undeterred, Mayor Baker explained himself.

“What I loved about Star Trek was that they showed a world where we had solved all the problems that plague us today,” he said. “They headed out into space to explore as a united human race.”

Famine, terrorism, poverty, racism, addiction, disease. Somehow humanity in the future had overcome all of those challenges. At least in the world of Star Trek.

Of course, in the real world, these challenges still exist. Many seem insurmountable.

However, just as Baker once spoke at a history musuem about a hopeful future, our country’s upcoming 250th gives us a unique opportunity to examine our past while looking toward tomorrow’s horizon.

With that in mind, we asked a few noteworthy Delawareans — elected officials, community leaders, and area artists — what America 250 means to them personally, in 250 words or less. Baker’s thoughts get the discussion going.

We hope the following messages reach you wherever you are and that, together, we can chart a course for a better future. Towards that, let's boldly go …

— Jim Miller, Director of Publications

Jim Baker Mayor of Wilmington,

2001-2013

This nation was established 250 years ago and grew into the largest immigrant country in history; a nation made up of almost every different type of people in the world. Every religion, political belief, color, and cause are governed by the same constitutional laws which provide for the crucially important separation of powers and individual rights that directly affect every citizen.

Americans have been arguing over the Constitution ever since it was adopted, but this within itself has strengthened the nation, and made it address issues that were not addressed 250 years ago. The United States is the only nation that has so openly faced its own evils and has worked with its allies to face evils in the world. Without the shared sacrifices of the United States, Russia, and England

in World War II, we’d have a very different world, one allowing the destruction of other people just because they might be different.

Our nation almost broke apart over an evil that lasted centuries and caused a Civil War that killed over 600,000 people. The war ended slavery, but it did not end the evils of discrimination, hate, and racial oppression.

Over time, Americans have faced many obstacles, but good people throughout the history of our country have struggled to make our Ship of State dock in the precious ports of Freedom, Justice, Liberty, Democracy, and Equality that God has granted to all humans.

Every American has a good reason to celebrate our 250 years of democratic struggle.

Lisa Blunt Rochester

U.S. Senator from Delaware, 2025-present

Reflecting on the 250th anniversary of America, E Pluribus Unum — “out of many, one” — rings in my mind like the Liberty Bell. Over the course of my life, I’ve lived, worked, and traveled to over 33 countries. I’ve witnessed places with no rule of law, and no freedoms of speech, press, or peaceful assembly. I know what it looks like when the peaceful transfer of power is imperiled. What I know for sure is there is no place like home.

Like our nation, I was born in Philadelphia. My family moved to Delaware in 1969, after the National Guard occupation of Wilmington. From the tumult of the 1960s to 1976, I learned patriotism extended beyond saying the Pledge of Allegiance — patriotism is about acts of service.

Many have seen the scarf I carry that bears a copy of the “Returns of Qualified Voters and Reconstruction Oath” from 1867, which granted my formerly enslaved great-great-great grandfather the right to vote. For me, it’s representative of what we have overcome. But as we witnessed on January 6th, 2021, it’s also a reminder that we’re still at a crossroads. We must answer the question: Is this a country for some of us, or ALL of us?

Our mosaic of voices, lived experiences, and histories are essential to a thriving democracy. And because I believe in us, I still have bright hope in the divinely inspired documents that promised life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I still believe: Out of many, one!

Wilfredo Campos

Wilmington Police Chief, 2023-present

Chris Coons

U.S. Senator from Delaware, 2010-present

The Declaration of Independence begins with a foundational call: “We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal.” It mirrors what my parents instilled in me from Scripture: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Both, at their core, are about human dignity. We are called to stand up for one another, to ensure and fight for each other’s dignity, to keep trying to make real a nation where everyone has an equal shot. That’s what drew me to public service, first at non-profits like the National Coalition for the Homeless and the “I Have A Dream” Foundation, then in New Castle County government and the Senate.

Those ideas are under threat today, but as I think of our founding, I still feel optimistic. As senator, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to other countries as a representative of our nation and the people of Delaware.

I’ve noticed our national anthem has something rare among nations: a celebration of a battle lost. The rockets and bombs we sing about are British, illuminating a battlefield devastated. It’s not a song about might and power, but about resilience, even in the face of seemingly impossible odds. Even when the night is dark, we find the light.

You can never count Americans — or Delawareans — out. That’s what 250 years have taught us, and it’s what we need to do today: Even when we are divided, we keep reaching for hope — and keep recommitting to our founding promise to each other.

For me, America means community and opportunity.

When my family first moved to Wilmington from Puerto Rico when I was a child, we experienced that sense of community when we tragically lost our home in a fire. Neighbors stepped in to provide us with food, clothing and shelter — banding together to help us navigate a life-altering crisis.

Throughout my career as a Wilmington Police Officer, and now as Chief, I have seen this community come together time and again to support residents in need. While our beautiful city is home to a diverse range of neighborhoods, every pocket of Wilmington has that strong sense of community. Neighbors care about one another, and they care deeply about the issues that affect their neighborhood.

America is also about opportunity, and hope for individuals who are seeking a better life.

This country afforded me the opportunity to grow, and ultimately to achieve my dreams. I am proud to have served this country through the United States Army Reserve, and to spend the next nearly 30 years serving this city as a police officer.

While those in the law enforcement profession are often exposed to some of the most difficult aspects of humanity, I am still filled with optimism for the opportunities that people have in America. Regardless of where you come from — and no matter your race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or political ideology — if you work hard, you can achieve your greatest ambitions.

Traci Evadne Currie Poet, Professor, Teaching Artist

In our silence the land speaks west hemispheric forests in flames winds circling arid terrain snow mounting midwestern vales

four seasons in discussion with each other deciding how to reduce human catastrophes because men rage and whimper in their skin vesselling into the next life as idols of their own making

John Kim Faye Musician, Author, Producer, Speaker

If I ever made my relationship with America “Facebook-official,” I’d be lying if I didn’t click “it’s complicated” in the dropdown menu.

As the child of a Korean mother and an Irish father who had me before it was even legal for them to be married in the state of Delaware (shout out Loving v. Virginia), I am the personification of the idea of a cultural mosaic, which, for many people, is the aspirational concept of what America should be.

warring through sycophant behaviors ignoring spatial and social boundaries snatching bodies in secret and in plain sight for man and country religion always explains

simultaneous moments of care surface neighboring for one another through sickness hands narrating interwoven tales of heaven on earth intergenerational saging that holds untold truths in love lairs

Ask me what 250 years mean in these americas in north america in states of unity ununified under a constituted banner directed by -isms

Name today’s poison, yesterday’s cure for this land is a blood bath offering a clean bill of health we narrate stories of terror and joy

Do not be afraid to re/member y/our/self in homes we built with our hands through filtered water after tainting from working our bones into gravesites from illiterate to excelling at AI speed from shades of ridicule, now rainbowed and righteous for new generations creating new rules in this America we call home.

Patti Grimes Executive Director at Freeman Arts Pavilion

But throughout my life and career as a mixed race professional musician, I have experienced forces that seek to keep folks divided, separated, segregated. There are times when it feels like America is stuck in a state of unrealized potential because we are constantly distracted, perpetually exhausted, resigning ourselves to tribalism, convenience culture, and idiocracy because we’re too damn tired of everything, everywhere, all at once.

I’ve sung the National Anthem many times in front of thousands of people and honestly, I think it’s time we swap it out with “Let’s Go Crazy” by Prince. That’s much more relatable in 2026.

I recently walked past a shop that proudly displayed a banner in its window that says “America 250, 1776–2026” and my first thought was “birthday card or tombstone?” But ambivalent as I am, I can’t bring myself to give up on America. Hope is resistance.

I never say never ‘bout nothin’

The poetry is gonna return

Write it in a letter

To whom it may not ever concern

America, to me, is a place of resilience, promise, and possibility. As a community leader in the arts and philanthropy, I see every day how deeply our country depends on people who care enough to show up, lend a hand, and lift others higher. That spirit of service is one of America’s greatest strengths. What I value most about our country is the freedom to speak, create, gather, and work for change. Our Constitution protects those rights, and over time, people across generations have used them to push our nation closer to its ideals. That ability to raise a voice for good is part of what makes America so powerful.

I also believe America is at its best when opportunity is real for everyone. Education is one of the greatest gifts we can offer, because it opens doors, builds confidence, and gives people the tools to grow, contribute, and succeed. We are strongest when people are encouraged to learn, create, and

reach their full potential, no matter where they begin. The arts help make that possible by building connections, opening minds, and reminding us of our shared humanity. Philanthropy helps turn that belief into action.

And then there is the land itself — vast, beautiful, and full of wonder. From state parks to national parks, America invites us to explore, reflect, and be grateful for the natural beauty that belongs to all of us.

At 250, America’s strength is renewed each time we choose to serve, include, and lift each other.

Raye Jones Avery Arts Advocate and Curator

The nationwide celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026, poses an intricate conundrum.

For Delawareans, the semiquincentennial is not merely a commemoration. It is a reckoning — a mirror to face both our luminous inheritance, our gloomy shadows, and to decide whether democracy in this country will remain an aspiration or become a fact.

Some came seeking freedom. Some were dragged here in chains by men who demanded liberty for themselves. Others arrived in search of refuge. However it is we came, we are all here now. And the battle over voting rights, economic security, housing, food, education, and equal protection under the law is as old as the republic.

As a coal miner’s granddaughter, I honor the hands and backs that built this nation’s wealth and infrastructure, even as our ancestors were denied its full promise. Poet Langston Hughes named the truth with brilliance: “I, Too, Am America,” clothed in all her beauty and all her betrayal.

One day, Americans will look back on this 250th celebration, framed by the U.S. Supreme Court’s dismantling of voting rights protections, and feel the full weight of that disgrace. Until then, the charge is plain: VOTE, and tell the blues-soaked stories this country still tries to bury — stories of resilience, ingenuity, beauty, and the relentless struggle to be fully American.

Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman

Delaware State Senator, 2019-present

America is still young. Lately, we’ve been acting like it.

We are a teenager on the world stage: convinced of our own exceptionalism, allergic to accountability, and more prone to slamming doors than sitting together. Adolescence is turbulent. It is also an age when character is formed.

I have written before about our painful lack of truth and reconciliation: the unfinished work of facing what this nation has done alongside what it has dreamed. A country that cannot tell itself the truth cannot grow up.

Yet I am not without hope, because I know where true strength comes from. My late friend Wilmington City Councilwoman Rysheema Dixon used to say we get “strong from the ground up.” She said it while walking among neighbors who had long struggled without relief — a reality so many are coming to reckon with. She was right.

Worth does not trickle down. It’s not measured in views, accumulated in things, or hoarded by a wealthy few. It rises from block captains and kitchen tables, from neighbors who see both the sameness and the difference in one another, then unite with honesty, affection, and pride.

This is what our ancestors did at their best: persevered through hardship and believed in what was possible before there was proof. Now, the challenge is whether we — from the ground up — will reawaken to the possibilities and do our part to lay the foundation for the next 250 years of American life. I believe we can.

Sarah McBride

U.S. Representative from Delaware, 2025-present

America, to me, is defined by promise. And while that promise has yet to be fully realized, it is always worth believing in.

For 250 years, each generation has been asked the same question: Will we expand the meaning of freedom and equality, or restrict it? Will we widen the circle of belonging, or pull it tighter around fewer people?

The American story is about progress rather than perfection. Generation after generation, people have organized, marched, legislated, served, and sacrificed to bring this country closer to its founding promise of freedom and justice for all.

That progress was never inevitable. It required leaders who believed democracy was worth safeguarding and citizens who believed their fellow Americans were capable of change.

Today, cynicism comes easily. Faith in one another feels harder to sustain. And yet, our democracy cannot survive if we give up on one another — if we stop believing that we can change hearts and minds. My presence in Congress is proof that America is great because America can change.

For all our imperfections, that capacity for change is what makes this country worth believing in. As we mark 250 years of the American experiment, our history reminds us that tomorrow can be freer, fairer, and brighter than today. But we must hold on to hope. Because to lose hope is to abandon our duty: to our country, to the ideals of our founding, and to one another.

Nadjah Pennington Nadjah Nicole, Singer/Songwriter

The Declaration of Independence makes it clear that King George III was a tyrant who thwarted the colonists’ efforts to become a free people with new ideas, government, and independent futures. The powerful language described how insufferable it was to be ruled by a man moved by selfinterest, personal wealth, complete power, and no regard for the lives under his power.

One word that I found interesting was Despotism. Oddly enough, it felt familiar.

Despotism is a form of government where a single authority rules with absolute, unchecked power.

Now, 250 years later, the irony is loud.

On January 20, 2025, our current administration was inaugurated. During the campaign season, there were warnings of the kind of leader the American people may receive. He was described as an authoritarian, power-hungry, failed businessman, convicted felon, and subversive agitator.

Despite all of that and evidence to prove it, he was elected.

Initially, I reacquainted myself with the historical context and wording. But after reading through it a second time, I FELT their desperation and why they removed themselves from the King’s rule, needing to protect their unalienable rights to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

As a descendant of enslaved people, a black woman, wife, mother (including a mother of a child with special needs), business owner, artist, taxpayer, former college student, daughter of military personnel, sister of law enforcement, activist, United States citizen and more — trying to exercise my unalienable rights — I have one question:

Did we go back in time?

Mike Ramone

Delaware

State

Representative, 2008-2024

As America celebrates its 250th birthday, I find myself reflecting not only on what this nation has accomplished, but also on the values that made those accomplishments possible.

For 64 years, I have called Delaware home. I attended local schools (including the University of Delaware), built businesses, raised a family with my wife of 43 years, served sixteen years in the Delaware House of Representatives, and was blessed with opportunities that allowed me to grow beyond anything I imagined as a young man.

The journey was not always easy. Yet every setback reinforced a lesson that America has taught for generations: Success is not determined by where you begin, but by your willingness to work, persevere, and keep moving forward.

Today, however, I worry that we spend too much time focused on what divides us. We judge one another by differences in opinion, beliefs, and lifestyles rather than by the character we share. Somewhere along the way, we have forgotten a simple idea: live and let live.

America’s greatness has never come from everyone thinking alike. It comes from people having the freedom to pursue their own dreams while respecting the rights of others to do the same.

As we celebrate 250 years of this remarkable nation, my hope is that we rediscover the values of kindness, respect, personal responsibility, and optimism. If we focus more on what unites us than what separates us, the best chapters of America’s story are still ahead.

James Spadola

Wilmington City Councilperson-at-Large, 2021-present

In June 2025, I helped paint the crosswalk by Crimson Moon in Pride colors for a Pride Month ceremony. Caught off guard when asked to speak, my words jumped out regardless: There’s nothing more American than letting people be who they are.

A year later, I’d refine that further: There’s nothing more American than BEING who you are. America hasn’t always lived up to that ideal, but our spirit of individuality runs 250 years deep.

It started with colonists who refused to be told which church to attend or which king to obey. It ran through enslaved people who fought to free themselves and abolitionists who insisted no person should be owned. Suffragists who demanded access to the ballot, and every immigrant who arrived on our shores and became American on their own terms.

Underneath all of it runs a single current: It shouldn’t matter who you are, how you worship, who you love, or how you choose to affiliate. You and your decisions, so long as they aren’t affecting anyone else, belong to you alone. And, as we are left with the distance between that promise and the practice, we must continue the work of closing it.

The Other Mediterranean

Delaware diners are discovering the flavors east of Italy

By Pam George

Bardea Restaurant Group built its reputation on Italian-inspired cooking, but the Wilmington restaurant group has never been a one-note operation. Witness Bardea Steak, Roost Pub & Kitchen and the quick-casual Taqueria El Chingón in DE.CO Food Hall.

With the newly opened Ezme, chef Antimo DiMeo and his team have turned to Turkey, Greece and the Aegean Coast for inspiration. Consider beef tartare with a truffle-shallot confit, pomegranate verjus with smoked labneh, a strained yogurt, and chicken kebab with apricot, haydari (a Turkish yogurt dip), za’atar-spiced butter and English cucumber.

The dishes are examples of Mediterranean fare that ventures well beyond Italy. Along with Turkey and Greece, the Mediterranean also touches Lebanon, Syria, Israel and the Palestinian territories. Morocco is also on the Mediterranean.

These countries’ cuisine shares some similarities. Credit the Ottoman Empire, which ruled large swaths of southeast Europe, West Asia and North Africa for centuries. “The empire was so vast,” says John Tekmen of Semra’s Mediterranean Grill in Rehoboth Beach. “Governors and representatives would take their chefs with them.”

As the dishes traveled, local cooks added regional ingredients and spices, which is why you’ll find baklava, hummus, kebabs and falafels in many countries.

DiMeo, however, does not want to deliver a geography lesson to his guests. “Our job is to introduce those differences through flavor and let the food do the teaching,” DiMeo says.

Fortunately, there are tasty classrooms throughout Delaware.

From Gyros to Hummus

Greek cuisine is perhaps the most well-known non-Italian Mediterranean cuisine in Delaware, and not just because of the Holy Trinity Greek Festival. During the 20th century, Greek immigrants who didn’t speak English found jobs in restaurant kitchens, where physical labor had more value than language skills. Over time, these workers opened their own sub and pizza shops, diners, and luncheonettes, all of which were affordable gateways to entrepreneurship.

To start, these businesses offered American fare, including the standard breakfast or pizzas. For instance, Lazaros “Louie” Gouvas came to Rehoboth Beach from northern Greece to work for his uncle George at George’s Lunch on Rehoboth Avenue. Eighteen years later, he opened Louie’s Pizza in 1974.

Gyros and Greek salads crept onto many sub shop and diner menus. John and Elena Alexopoulos opened Cosmos Restaurant on Maryland Avenue in Wilmington in 1981. Most of the menu is typical diner fare, but there is a category for Greek dishes, including pastitsio, moussaka and souvlaki.

In 1975, Mohammad “Richie” and

Marcia Shihadeh, opened the Camel’s Hump in Rehoboth to focus on cuisine with a Lebanese flair. At the time, falafels, hummus, baba ghanouj, and lamb kabobs were foreign to most diners. However, tourists embraced the concept. The restaurant lasted 30 years, closing in 2005, shortly before Marcia’s death.

Later, Casablanca Moroccan Restaurant in New Castle, Ali Baba Middle Eastern Cuisine in Newark and Semra’s Mediterranean Grill in Rehoboth Beach gave Delaware diners Moroccan, Lebanese, Turkish and other eastern Mediterranean fare.

Meanwhile, Mediterranean cuisine crept onto mainstream menus. Today, hummus and pita are an appetizer option at Columbus Inn in Wilmington. A Greek salad is listed with the Caesar salad on the menu at Culinaria in Brandywine Hundred, and Hayworth & Finch, a Trolley Square sandwich shop, makes a falafel with green peas.

Chefs in upscale restaurants are creating dishes with harissa, a chili paste or sauce, and za’atar, a spice blend, the latest form of fusion.

The Next Wave

Consumers’ comfort level with non-Italian Mediterranean cuisine increased as fast-casual chains Cava and The Simple Greek arrived in Delaware. Meanwhile, local fast-casual operations opened, including Opa! Opa! in Trolley Square, a Greek takeout restaurant that opened in 2015.

At the beach, Kabab Falafel Addiction opened in 2022 in the Shoppes of Camelot near Rehoboth Beach. Owner Rafat Mardawi uses organic olive oil from 100-year-old trees in the mountains of Nablus, Ramallah and Jerusalem. His spices come from Jordan.

In 2023, Cafeneo opened on South Main Street in Newark. The restaurant is owned by Antonios Fessaras, whose father Zaharias Fessaras, once owned Daffy Deli. The younger Fessaras spotted a niche.

“If you wanted Greek baked goods, you either were driving down to Baltimore or almost to New York to find anything remotely Greek,” he says. The shop uses

by

hisgrandmother’s recipes for most of its Greek sweets, and about 97 percent of the items are made on site from scratch.

The restaurant serves breakfast sandwiches on croissant. But you can also buy kataifi, made with fine strands of pastry around a nut filling, and portokalopita, a cakey pastry accented with crumbled phyllo, Greek yogurt and orange zest.

Fessaras’ menu has detailed descriptions of the Greek items. “We find people may read over it a few times just to kind of understand what exactly it is, and more often than not, they end up getting it if they've never had it before,” he says. “There’s been an uptick in Mediterranean cuisine inquiries.”

After securing a liquor license in February, he’s added savory dishes, including the familiar moussaka. The restaurant has servers on weekend evenings. Customers order at the counter during the day. Fessaras says students prefer it, possibly because they’d rather not pay a higher tip to have a server take their order and bring it to the table.

Greek coffee, meanwhile, brews on very hot sand. Espresso-based drinks are also available. In fact, the restaurant’s name is a nod to the Greek kafenio, a coffeehouse that functions as a neighborhood gathering place. Fessaras’ grandfather had a coffee shop in Greece.

Spanning The State

That said, there’s room for full service. Owner Murat “Mike” Tan, who is from Turkey, opened Aroma in Rehoboth Beach in March 2020, just as COVID restrictions shut

>

down dining rooms. The timing was brutal, but the concept endured. The menu includes mezes, quinoa tabbouleh, yogurt-and-carrot dip and chopped vegetables with walnuts and pomegranate molasses.

Aroma is a short walk from Semra’s Mediterranean Grill, which draws from Semra Tekmen’s family recipes. The Rehoboth Avenue restaurant has a to-go operation with a window facing the street. Unlike many sub shops, Semra’s does not use processed meat for its gyros. Employees season the meat, stack it on the spit and shave it off for sandwiches and entrees, John Tekmen says.

These two Rehoboth eateries have company. Sirocco Food & Drink in Rehoboth Beach in the Coast Rehoboth Beach concentrates on Greek and Italian cuisine. Signature dishes include saganaki, pan-fried kefalograviera cheese flambéed tableside, and charred octopus.

Turkiye Kebab House is in The Grove in Newark. It’s owned by Ugur “Noah” Dizman and partners Alayiddin Ozdemir and Ismail Aydin. The nearly 150seat establishment has an extensive selection of dishes, including the familiar baba ghanoush, gyro, meat skewers, and baklava. (The mixed grill is enough for three, Dizman says.)

You’ll also find the unexpected — cow’s head soup, lamb shank over smoked eggplant, buttered Turkish flatbread topped with an egg and a sandwich with mashed tomatoes, peppers, onions, parsley, tomato paste and olive oil. Less adventurous diners can opt for a cheesesteak, salmon or Margherita pizza.

Next Level

Into this mix comes Pithari Mediterranean Cuisine in Middletown, which opened in late 2024 in the former La Banca space. The old bank building gives the restaurant a polished date-night setting, complete with a private dining room called The Vault of Stone.

Owner Dimitrios Tangalidis, who is from Greece, has been in the restaurant business for more than 30 years and owns Select Pizza and Grill restaurants in Middletown, Dover and Smyrna. A pithari is a Greek/Roman storage vessel, and the restaurant draws from Greek and broader Mediterranean traditions, with dishes such as Moroccan shrimp, chicken skewers, hummus, tzatziki, kebabs and seafood.

Ezme brings the trend back to Wilmington with the Bardea Restaurant Group’s sense of style and DiMeo’s creative culinary talent. The restaurant is one of several Wilmington concepts from the group, which is led by DiMeo,

his father, Pino, and Scott Stein.

At 50 seats, the dining room is smaller than Bardea Food & Drink and Bardea Steak. The restaurant is named after a simple Turkish salad that Antimo DiMeo had in Istanbul.

“It completely changed how I thought about food,” he recalls. “Nothing fancy, just tomatoes, peppers, herbs and olive oil but it was unforgettable. That’s the kind of food I love most.”

He hopes that diners will embrace “meze” or “mezze” culture. “We’ve tried to introduce the idea that the most memorable part of the meal might be a table full of small plates shared with friends and family,” he explains. “That’s really the heart of Mediterranean dining, and something we've always honored at our restaurants, especially Bardea Food & Drink.”

To date, the kebabs are a favorite. DiMeo wants more people to order the borek.

“Every culture has a version of a stuffed pastry, but borek is one of the great culinary treasures of the Eastern Mediterranean,” he says. “Ours is incredibly delicate, flaky and packed with flavor, and I think it perfectly represents what we’re trying to do at Ezme: Take something rooted in tradition and execute it at the highest level possible.”

Delaware’s Mediterranean moment is not just about adding hummus or feta to familiar menus. It includes an increased appetite for food rooted in traditions that stretch from Greece and Turkey to the Levant and North Africa.

Bites

MOTHER-DAUGHTER TEAM OPENS JUICE POD IN NEWARK

The Juice Pod has opened its newest location in Newark at 160 E. Main St. near the University of Delaware, marking its 26th store and second Delaware location. The shop is owned and operated by mother-daughter team Debra and Anna Shearer, who bring prior Juice Pod experience and a shared focus on wellness and entrepreneurship. The fast-casual concept offers cold-pressed juices, smoothies, acai bowls, salads, wraps, and other wellness-focused grab-and-go items.

URBAN FORK OPENS IN DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON

Urban Fork has opened at 201 N. Market St., bringing elevated soul food to downtown Wilmington from owner Monica Thomas, whose Philadelphia-based Monz Crabby Dip catering and food truck business has built a loyal following. The Black-owned restaurant serves creative handhelds, seafood specialties, and brunch favorites, with menu highlights including Monz Signature Crabby Dip, lobster deviled eggs, seafood egg rolls, and fried catfish po'boys. Urban Fork also offers creative cocktails, weekday happy hour, and all-day Sunday brunch.

— Follow @eaturbanfork on Instagram

LEFTY’S ALLEY & EATS TO OPEN IN NEWARK

Lefty’s Alley & Eats is coming to The Grove at Newark this summer, bringing a 41,000-square-foot entertainment and dining complex to the former College Square Kmart site. The concept is the second location from owner DJ Hill, following the original Lefty’s in Lewes. The Newark venue will feature bowling lanes, duckpin bowling, axe throwing, Topgolf simulators, arcade games, live entertainment, a full-service restaurant, outdoor patio, and event spaces. The anticipated opening is slated for late July. — Visit ILoveLeftys.com

— Visit TheJuicePod.com

SURF BAGEL OPENS NEW CHRISTIANA LOCATION

Surf Bagel has opened a new location in the Christiana–Stanton area at 1103 Churchmans Road in Churchmans Place Shopping Center, bringing the Sussex County favorite’s scratchmade New York–style bagels to northern New Castle County. The fast-casual menu includes breakfast sandwiches, wraps, burritos, cheesesteaks, and more. Founded in 2004 in Lewes and now part of SoDel Concepts, the opening marks the brand’s seventh Delaware location and continued expansion beyond the beaches. Surf Bagel is open 6:30am to 2pm, seven days a week.

— Visit SurfBagel.com

Summer Sippin'

Summer is made for getting out — finding a good view, a good crowd, and something worth raising a glass to. From rooftop evenings and riverfront hangs to beer tastings and cocktail classes, this is our guide for where to sip around Wilmington this summer. Cheers!

Where to Unwind

Back at the Yards

Tuesdays through Sundays at Constitution Yards

Relax on the Rooftop

With a relocated and renovated Riverfront home and the same laidback vibe, Constitution Yards is back with a new season of outdoor sipping. Grab a craft beer or frozen cocktail, challenge friends to lawn games, catch live music every Friday and Saturday night, and settle in for the return of one of Wilmington’s favorite summer traditions.

— More at ConstitutionYards.com

Wednesdays through Saturdays, starting at 4pm at The Quoin

Unwind this summer at The Quoin Rooftop, Wilmington’s first and only rooftop bar and lounge. Sip on seasonal cocktails such as “Vaca Vibes” and “Midday Siesta” while soaking up one-of-a-kind sunset views. It’s the perfect spot to relax, catch up with friends, and take in the summer evenings above the city.

— More at TheQuoinHotel.com/rooftop

Music in the Garden

Fridays & Saturdays, 6:30pm at Wilmington Brew Works

Enjoy great beer and even better vibes at Wilmington Brew Works all summer long, with live music from local acts in the beer garden every Friday and Saturday night. Sip, relax, and let the music pour.

— More at WilmingtonBrewWorks.com

Kick back on the Patio

Fridays & Saturdays at The

Chancery Market

Spend your summer nights on the patio at The Chancery with live music Fridays (5:30-7:30pm) and Saturdays (7-9pm), oversized lawn games and creative seasonal cocktails. Relax outdoors, sip something fun, and enjoy the perfect mix of music, drinks, and laid-back weekend energy.

Sip n’ Sail

Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays through September on the Wilmington Riverfront

Cruise the Christina River aboard a party boat featuring a fully stocked tiki bar serving tropical cocktails and soft drinks. From now through September, you can choose from one of several different boating experiences by Delaware Cruises & Events including Evening Skyline Cruises, Mimosa Brunch Cruises, Rum & Reggae Cruises, and more.

— More at DelawareCruises.com

Summer Socials

Summer Nights at Hagley

Wednesdays through August 26, 5-8pm at Hagley Museum & Library

Relax with family and friends (and Fido, too!) along the Brandywine on Hagley Museum & Library’s 235-acre property on Wednesday evenings through August. Pack a picnic or pick up a bite to eat from the featured food truck and enjoy craft beer by Dogfish Head and ice cream from Woodside Farm Creamery, plus live music and lawn games round out the fun.

— More at Hagley.org

Sculpture Garden Happy Hours

Every Thursday through Sept. 10, 5-7:30pm at Delaware Art Museum

Evenings in the Sculpture Garden at Delaware Art Museum bring live music to a laid-back, family- and dog-friendly setting. Food trucks, Kaffeina Café, lawn games, a cash bar, and local makers set the scene, with rotating themes and performances adding a little extra summer flair. Upcoming themes include an Ice Cream Social (7/16); the People’s Festival Tribute to Bob Marley (8/6); and Yacht Rock Night (8/20).

— More at DelArt.org

Dining on Delaware Avenue

July 10 & August 5, 5-9pm in Trolley Square

This monthly series transforms Trolley Square’s Delaware Avenue into a pedestrian-friendly dining corridor featuring outdoor seating from local restaurants, live music, and a walkable, community-focused atmosphere. The event highlights independent eateries and local musicians in a relaxed, familyfriendly summer setting.

— Follow on Instagram @DiningOnDelawareAve

Gilded Age Garden Gatherings

July 16 & August 20, 5-8pm; September 17, 4-7pm at Nemours Estate

Summer evenings unfold in Gilded Age style at Nemours Estate Third Thursdays, where French-style gardens invite picnics on the lawn, live music drifts from the mansion steps, and food trucks, beer, and wine round out an easygoing evening outdoors.

— More at NemoursEstate.org

Twilight on the Terrace

July 17, August 7, and August 28, 5-8pm at Mt. Cuba Center

Kick back and relax at Mt. Cuba while enjoying bite to eat, live music, and evening access to the gardens. Have a seat on the terrace or bring a chair or blanket to sit on the lawn. Pack a picnic or purchase local food truck fare, beer and wine (no outside alcohol is permitted). Upcoming performers include Katie Henry Band (6/17), NDICHU (8/7), and The Dirty Grass Players (8/28).

— More at MtCubaCenter.org/twilight-on-the-terrace

Sip & Stroll at the Zoo

July 23, August 20, September 18, and October 22, 5-7:30pm at Brandywine Zoo

Enjoy a relaxed evening at the zoo at this family-friendly happy hour series featuring brews, food, live music, and animal encounters. Each sip features a local food vendor and adult beverages, including wine and craft brews by Dogfish Head and Bellefonte Brewing. The Zoo’s concession stand is also open with snacks and soft drinks.

— More at BrandywineZoo.org

Performances on Tap Brains, Brews & Banter

ShakesBEER

Friday, July 10, 7pm at Fort DuPont, Delaware City

Delaware Shakespeare heads to Fort DuPont for a night of local beer and outdoor Shakespeare. Laugh along with a fast-paced, 50-minute Much Ado About Nothing and get insider info on featured beers and seltzers from Bellefonte Brewing Company.

— More at DelShakes.org

Parking Lot Pagliacci

Thursday, July 16, 7pm at OperaDelaware Studios, Wilmington

Enjoy world-class opera in a laid-back setting with a cold Dogfish Head canned cocktail in hand at OperaDelaware’s Parking Lot Pagliacci . Lawn chairs, grilled bites, and powerful live performance come together for an intimate, emotional evening unlike any traditional opera experience.

— More at OperaDE.org

Dungeons n’ Drafts

Makers Alley and Bellefonte Brewing Co., Wilmington

Dungeons n’ Drafts brings together seasoned travelers and rookie adventurers to enjoy craft beer and D&D in a relaxed, friendly environment. DMs guide players through the game (no experience necessary!) and they have premade characters so you can jump into action. You can roll the dice at Makers Alley (2nd Wednesdays) and Bellefonte Brewing Co. (3rd Wednesdays).

— More at DungeonsNDrafts.com

Nerd Nite Wilmington

Fourth Wednesday of every month, 6-8pm at Wilmington Brew Works, Wilmington

Learning is more fun with drinks and friends! Nerd Nite features 20-minute funyet-informative talks across all topics, plus trivia, music, and other shenanigans. Must be 21+ to attend. All ticket proceeds support the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science’s mission to inspire a passion for science learning.

— More at DelMNS.org

90’s NIGHT AT BELLEFONTE

AUGUST 27TH AT 6PM

FEATURING 90’S HITS WITH JARED OBSTFELD

SEPT. 10 SEPT. 24 WITH JARED OBSTFELD

JULY 9

JULY 23 AUG. 13 AUG. 20

Sip & Learn

Rockwood on the Rocks: Liberty Libations

July 3, 4-6pm at Rockwood Park & Museum, Wilmington

Celebrate the spirit of early America with a guided tasting of historic cocktails inspired by the nation's founding. From Fish House Punch to Stone Fence and rum-based classics, this experience blends storytelling and spirited sips while bringing colonial-era libations back to life.

— More at Rockwood.org

Go Native with Infused Vodkas

July 18, 3:30–5:30pm at Mt. Cuba Center, Hockessin

Mixologist Diane Keesee shows how to create infused vodkas using native ingredients like blackberries, blueberries, and black walnuts. Sample unique spirits, learn the fundamentals of cocktail balance, and leave inspired to craft your own signature cocktails at home.

— More at MtCubaCenter.org

Crafting Cocktails with Nature

July 30, 6-8pm at Coverdale Farm Preserve, Greenville

Shake up your cocktail routine with fresh herbs straight from the garden. Led by Sharon Gaudino, this hands-on workshop explores muddling, infusing, and flavor pairing with ingredients like mint, rosemary, and lavender to create fragrant, flavorful sips.

— More at DelawareNatureSociety.org

Three Ingredients & The Truth: A Music & Whiskey Tasting

August 19, 6pm at The Queen’s Knights Bar, Wilmington

Join the Wilmington Whiskey Club for a music-meets-whiskey tasting featuring ROW 94 Bourbon. Expect guided pours, light bites, and a laid-back, country-inspired vibe where good whiskey, good stories, and good company set the tone for a spirited, easygoing evening.

— Follow on Instagram @Wilmington_Whiskey_Club

Taste of Terrior: Explore the Craft of Hard Cider

August 22, 3-4pm at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

Take a flavorful journey from apple to glass in this immersive hard cider class led by pommelier Claire Trindle. Explore cider’s global history, regional styles, and cidermaking process while sharpening your palate through guided tastings. Discover how terroir shapes flavor — and how to thoughtfully pair cider with food.

— More at Winterthur.org

Learn to Drink Like a Patriot

August 27, 6:30pm at Greenbank Mills & Phillips Farm, Wilmington

Step back into the Revolutionary era and learn how to mix and serve the drinks that fueled early American history. This hands-on class explores historic punches and colonial-era recipes, with participants working in groups to craft and sample a selection of spirited blends — and take home recipes to recreate them later.

— More at GreenbankMills.com

Raise a Glass

22nd Annual Newark Food & Brew Fest

Saturday, July 25, noon-7pm, Downtown Newark

This annual tradition, presented by Out & About Magazine, celebrates the perfect pairing of local eats and craft beer. Move between participating restaurants sampling more than 40 beers alongside creative food specials in a walkable, payas-you-go tasting experience that turns Newark into one big flavor-filled crawl.

— More at NewarkFoodAndBrew.com

Mid Atlantic Whiskey Fest

Saturday, July 25, 6-9pm at The Venue, 2411 Lancaster Ave, Wilmington

This upscale tasting event will feature 50+ premium whiskeys, bourbons, and Scotches. Sip curated samples, enjoy live music, and witness (or compete in) the Whiskey Cocktail Showdown. Perfect for the connoisseurs and curious sippers alike.

— More at MidAtlanticWhiskeyFestival.com

13th Annual Historic Odessa Brewfest

Saturday, September 12, 12:30-5:30pm, 202 Main St, Odessa

Attendees will enjoy full day of craft beer, live music, and hands-on historical experiences set against the scenic grounds of the Wilson-Warner House. Featuring more than 50 breweries and a lively mix of colonial-era demonstrations and modern pours, the event taps into America’s 250th anniversary while blending Delaware history with one of the region’s biggest beer celebrations.

— More at OdessaBrewfest.com

On the road again…

In this series’ debut last month, we spelled out the problem: The drive to the beach can be arduous — taxing on you and any passengers you have along for the ride.

It’s not so much the mileage as it is the traffic, which can often test the patience of a saint (even St. George, the dragonslayer whom we discussed last month).

Our prescription for the maladies that road congestion brings: The art of conversation and storytelling. Both can take people’s minds off wherever they are at that moment, make their imaginations run wild, and maybe even inspire them.

With that we come to the stories along Route 1 in Kent County. Like last month’s focus on the wild waypoints in New Castle County, this one offers some tales of heroes of the Revolution and pirates — as well as a few more historical surprises.

HALF A BILLION POUNDS OF APPLES

Over the county border, and just a few miles before you start to feel the rumble of the Dover Speedway during a NASCAR race, you’ll pass through mildmannered Cheswold, a small town that once had a big reputation when it came to trees. In fact, the town’s name comes from the chestnut trees that grew near the train station back in the 1880s.

However, in the first half of the 20th century, it wasn’t the chestnut trees that defined Cheswold as much as it was apple trees. The town was virtually surrounded by thousands of acres of orchards. It was a time when apples represented 15 percent of Delaware’s annual crop revenues. Massive

shipments of Delaware apples were exported up and down the East Coast and as far north as Canada. The state’s industry would peak in the ‘40s, with one year’s yield topping 550 million pounds.

For reference, the state’s most recent annual yields have been around 15 million pounds — about 3 percent of what they once were.

A BRANCH AND A PATH TO FREEDOM

One of the major water sources for those onceplentiful Cheswold orchards was Alston Branch, which currently flows under Route 1 then feeds into the Leipsic River. Alston Branch gets its name from John Alston, who owned farmlands farther north

“The Wild Waypoints of Route 1” series is brought to you by

in Middletown in the 1800s, as did his cousin, John Hunn.

In addition to being Quaker farmers, both Alston and Hunn were well-documented operators of the Underground Railroad. And both men often assisted Samuel D. Burris, a free Black man from Kent County who also worked as an Underground Railroad conductor in the 1830s and ‘40s.

Trudging through a snowstorm one fateful night in December of 1845, Samuel Hawkins and his recently freed family of seven followed Burris over the MarylandDelaware border to find refuge at John Hunn’s farm, the southernmost stationhouse in the state. Unfortunately, before their arrival, they had been spotted.

At the farm, while tending to frost-bitten feet, the freedom-seekers were caught off guard when bounty hunters came knocking. The family was captured and later taken to jail.

Thanks largely to the intervention of Wilmington Quaker and Underground Railroad conductor Thomas Garrett and his lawyer, the Hawkins family was released on a judge’s orders. They found permanent freedom soon afterwards in Pennsylvania.

Garrett and Hunn would pay a hefty price for helping. Both suffered financially when they were sued by the owners of the former slaves. Garrett was able to pay for the damages brought against him; however, Hunn was left penniless, forced to part with his farm and other assets.

Regardless, both men continued their work helping escaped slaves find freedom.

“I ask no other reward for any efforts made by me in the cause than to feel I have been in service to my fellow-men,” Hunn wrote in 1872.

Yet, in a manner of speaking, Hunn did get some rewards, albeit posthumously. In 1900, six years after Hunn passed, his son John Hunn Jr. was elected governor of Delaware.

And, in April 2015, in a ceremony in front of Middletown High School, both Hunn and Alston were memorialized with state historical marker NC-210, which testifies to their contributions to the Underground Railroad.

The 2015 ceremony also saw the unveiling of two memorial benches: one commemorating the efforts of Burris as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and the other honoring the Hawkins family’s path to freedom. During the ceremony, their histories were highlighted by members of the Toni Morrison Society.

These two benches — and others like them — are the centerpieces to the society’s Bench by the Road Project and commemorate “significant moments, individuals, and locations within the history of the African Diaspora.” Since 2008, the society has dedicated a total of 33 benches at sites across the country and one in Paris, France.

Middletown is the only site that has two benches.

A MUSUEM BUILT UPON A SECRET

Almost as soon as you get into Dover, you’ll start to see signs for the AMC Museum, which most likely will have you wondering: What exactly is the AMC Museum?

Years of Adventure

Although the museum has nothing to do with the major cinema chain, the story of its location could be something out of a movie. Driving south, you’ll see the Air Mobility Command Museum (AMC) to your far left as you depart Dover Air Force Base. From Route 1 you might be able to spot some of the 35 aircraft on display.

Admission is free, and up close, one can see the true elegance of older and smaller craft, like the L-2M Grasshopper, or the great size of the museum’s giants, like the C-5A Galaxy.

The AMC is the only museum in the world dedicated to airlift and air refueling history. It is also probably the only museum to utilize the space once used for a top-secret headquarters.

That’s right: As noted by state historical marker KC-88, for two years starting in 1946, Hangar 1301 served as a covert engineering facility for the development and testing of air-launched rocket weapons.

To visit the AMC Museum from Route 1, you’ll need to take Route 9 at exit 91, which is the same exit for Kitts Hummock, as the highway sign indicates. And just as you wondered what the AMC stood for, you’ll probably wonder at this point: What exactly is a Hummock?

Turns out a hummock is a small knoll or mound above ground elevation. And that fact might be the most straightforward part about the name Kitts Hummock — as we will soon find out.

But, first, a ghost story…

THE GHOST WRITER FROM 1776

Roughly a minute’s drive off Route 1, down Kitts Hummock Road, you’ll reach the entrance to the John Dickinson Plantation.

Being one of the wealthiest people living in the British American colonies didn’t stop Dickinson from risking his own neck. In December 1767, and during the four months that followed, Dickinson wrote and published a series of popular essays called Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, which criticized

Britain’s colonial policies, particularly taxation. Dickinson would go on to write the first draft of the Articles of Confederation in 1776 and, as a delegate from Delaware, he signed the U.S. Constitution in 1787.

As a result of his contributions, Dickinson earned the reputation as the “Penman of the Revolution.”

Yet a question lingers: Did the Penman ever stop writing?

It’s been said that in Dickinson’s mansion, Poplar Hall, the sound of a quill scratching on parchment paper has been heard in the former

are careful to avoid making that claim. However, some believe the [ghostly] activity could be connected to people who lived and worked on the land, rather than its most famous owner.”

Here it’s important to note two things about Dickinson: First, he owned as many as 59 slaves, making him one of the largest slave owners in the Delaware Valley. Second, following in step with early Quaker abolitionists, between 1777 and 1786, Dickinson emancipated every one of those slaves. In freeing all of his slaves

A PIRATE’S PIRVATE BEACH?

For such a small place, Kitts Hummock sure has stirred up a lot of conflicting points of view — for historians, at least.

Legend has it the original name for Kitts Hummock was “Kidd’s Hammock,” with “hammock” being a name once used for a raised grouping of trees within a marshy area, and “Kidd” being a reference to Captain William Kidd (who popped up in last month’s segment as well, you might remember).

The Hammock part is true. In the 1888 book History of Delaware, J. Thomas Scharf recounts that on Jan. 5, 1738, Delaware Supreme Court Judge Jehu Curtis “took up a small tract of fast land and some march containing twenty acres named ‘Kitt’s Hammock.’”

But as for it once being Kidd’s Hammock before then?

Some noteworthy people have believed it’s possible. Alice Denny, the wife of Gov. William Denney, who served from 1921 to 1925, once wrote, “Tradition has it that Captain Kidd of pirate fame chose the hammock long years ago as a fine burying place for treasures captured off Delaware’s shore.”

Delaware author Hazel Wright Reynolds offered another possibility. In her 1982 book, Flower of Caroon Manor: History of Magnolia, Little Heaven, St. Jones Neck, Kitts Hummock, Reynolds wrote: “Former historians have taken it for granted that the name Kitts is a corruption of ‘Kidd’ — there is evidence to the contrary. As early as 1660, it was noted that the native Indian name of the Delaware River was Kit-hanne, meaning ‘great river.’ The Mohawks of New York State called the Delaware River the Maquas-Kittan.”

Whatever the case may be, please know that Captain Kidd will make another appearance in the final chapter of this series next month — perhaps not in a hammock, but definitely somewhere just off the coast of Southern Delaware.

Until then: Safe travels and enjoy the ride!

Beach Happenings

July at the beach starts with a bang as Independence Day fireworks give way to weeks of festivals, live music, family fun, and beach-town traditions.

Independence Day Fireworks

Sunday, July 5 | 8-10pm

Bandstand, Beach & Boardwalk, Rehoboth Beach

Rehoboth Beach celebrates America’s 250th Independence Day with a bigger-than-ever fireworks display over the beach and boardwalk. Festivities begin with a bandstand concert before the night sky lights up in a dazzling, expanded show honoring this milestone summer celebration.

— Visit RehobothBeachDE.gov

76th Annual Cottage Tour

July 7 & 8 | Select homes around Rehoboth Beach (TBA)

The Rehoboth Art League’s popular self-paced tour features select homes in the Rehoboth Beach area with a variety of landscapes, interior and architectural designs, ranging from historically significant to contemporary and sleek.

— Visit RehobothArtLeague.org

45th Annual Sandcastle Contest

Saturday, July 11 | Towers Road Beach, Dewey

Admire sand creations by teams and individuals inspired by the nation’s 250th anniversary at this beloved annual competition held by Delaware Seashore State Park.

— Visit DeStateParks.com

Canoe Races at the Lighthouse

Tuesday, July 14 | 11am-2pm | Dickenson Avenue, Dewey Beach

Old-school bay racing at its finest as teams paddle between iconic landmarks in a chaotic, competitive showdown filled with splashing, capsizes, and plenty of summer fun along the water.

— Visit DeweyBusinessPartnership.com

The Bacon Brothers — People In The World

Thursday, July 17 | 8pm | Bottle & Cork, Dewey Beach

The Bacon Brothers blend folk, rock, soul, and country into their signature sound they call “forosoco.” On the People In The World Tour, expect new songs, heartfelt storytelling, and soulful collaboration with Philadelphia vocalist Mare.

— Visit BottleAndCork.com

31st Annual Eastern Shore AFRAM Festival

Saturday, August 8 | 310 Virgina Avenue, Seaford

This free outdoor festival celebrates African American and Pan-African arts, history, and culture through live music, food, exhibits, and special presentations.

— For more, call 302.228.5636

Dewey Beach Restaurant Olympics

Tuesday, August 11 | 10am-2pm

Bay Beach at Van Dyke Street, Dewey Beach

Dewey’s restaurant crews trade aprons for athletic glory in a playful bayfront competition featuring beach and water challenges. Cheer on bartenders, servers, and kitchen staff as they battle for bragging rights in this fun-filled summer tradition.

— Visit DeweyBusinessPartnership.com

Rocking the Docks presents: Summer Blues Fest

Saturday, August 15 | 4pm | Lewes Ferry Grounds, Lewes

A blues-focused night of live music on the Lewes waterfront, featuring the Grammy-nominated blues rock band The Record Company, along with Lower Case Blues and Sweet Leda.

— Visit RockingTheDocksLewes.com

3rd Annual Shuck Cancer 5K

Sunday, August 16 | 8-10am | Big Oyster Brewery, Lewes

Lace up your sneakers and run to help fight cancer. Proceeds from the event go to Fighting Pretty, a non-profit organization whose mission is to help women battling cancer feel strong and beautiful. After the race, runners will enjoy a fun after-party at Big Oyster Brewery.

— Visit FusionRaceTiming.com

The Great Duck Race on the Broadkill

Saturday, August 22 | 10am-3pm

Milton Memorial Park Milton

Spend the day along the Broadkill River for an endof-summer celebration featuring 50+ local vendors, food trucks, a petting zoo, family activities, and more.

— Visit MiltonChamberDe.org

TAJ MAHAL BRINGS TIME TO LIFE AT THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE

Much like the revered Indian palace from which he gets his name, Taj Mahal stands proudly among his peers, his monumental career spanning six decades. In that time, he’s earned 18 Grammy Award nominations and five wins, while collaborating with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Etta James, Eric Clapton, and Ziggy Marley.

Mahal received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award last year, which gives the release of his latest album Time a sense of sage awareness. The album’s title track is a composition written by the late Bill Withers that had never been released previously.

Fans and newcomers alike can expect to hear these new songs and older material played live this month. With the help of the Phantom Blues Band, Mahal will be performing at The Grand on Friday, July 17.

“I think it’s important that people get to hear this kind of music at this particular time,” Mahal says on his website. “I’ve spent almost 70 years playing this music. It’s time to listen.”

— More at TheGrandWilmington.org

ACCLAIMED ROCKER WILLIE NILE PLAYS THE QUEEN’S CROWN ROOM

In a rare Delaware appearance, NYC’s Willie Nile brings his foot-stompin’ brand of lyrical rock to The Queen’s Crown Room on Friday, July 24.

Nile has been called “a one-man Clash” and “the unofficial poet laureate of New York City” by Uncut, with his records earning earnest praise from Rolling Stone, Downbeat Magazine, London Times, and The New York Times.

“One of the most brilliant (and most confounding) singer-songwriters of the past 30 years,” The New Yorker wrote in 2023. Last year, Nile released The Great Yellow Light, which MOJO awarded four stars.

— TheQueenWilmington.com

WEEKEND AT BERTHA’S RETURNS WITH MORE THAN 25 LIVE ACTS

Acid Mothers Temple (AMT) headlines this year’s Weekend at Bertha’s, a jam-packed three-day event set for July 24-26 at Firebase Lloyd in Townsend. The event will see performances by more than 25 live acts.

With 70-some studio releases over a period of 30 years, AMT has defined itself as one of Japan’s most prolific psychedelic rock bands. The group has been led by guitarist Kawabata Makato, who says AMT’s goal is to create “extreme trip music.”

“Music, for me, is neither something that I create, nor a form of selfexpression,” Makato states on the band’s website. “All kinds of sounds are around us, and my performances solely consist of picking up these sounds, like a radio tuner, and playing them so people can hear them.”

Joining Makato and AMT at the festival with be prominent regional jambands Ominous Seapods, One-Eyed Jack, Juggling Suns as well as local favorites like Xtra Alltra, Full Carbon Get Up, Ritter Lane, and Urban Shaman Attack.

— More at WeekendtBerthas.com

Agent of Disclosure

Lewes resident Jim Semivan spent 25 years with the CIA’s Clandestine Service. Now he’s working to get the government to release its secrets about UFOs.

By Roger Hillis

UFOs are all the rage, and there is no more proof of that than the success of last year’s streaming hit The Age of Disclosure. The film has become Prime Video’s highest-grossing documentary to date — and a Lewes, Delaware man with a pedigree appears on screen within the first two minutes with some startling words about what is now referred to as Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP).

“I spent 25 years as a senior official with the CIA,” Jim Semivan says. “UAPs are here, they are real, and they’re not human.”

Later in the film he declares that America’s military leadership has known since 1947 that it can’t compete with the level of technology exhibited by these unknown visitors — which prompted a decades-long coverup. >

“If they can’t protect the public, they’re not going to [allow that fact to] scare anybody,” Semivan says. He added that the government went so far as to create “a tradition of disbelief” to label people who believe in the phenomenon as “crackpots.”

It was in 1947 that the military claimed to have recovered a crashed disc in Roswell, New Mexico, before quickly backtracking and stating it was merely a weather balloon.

Just a few years later, a not-quite-as-famous incident occurred in Washington, D.C. — which also had a connection to Delaware. On July 19, 1952, air traffic controllers spotted multiple objects on radar that flew into restricted air space and eventually over the White House. A pair of USAF F-94 Starfire jets were dispatched from New Castle; by the time they arrived in D.C. to help investigate, the lights were gone. The jets ran low on fuel and departed. Interestingly, the lights made a brief return appearance a few hours later.

The Age of Disclosure focuses on interviews with topranking government and military officials who take this

subject seriously. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (whose segments were filmed while he was still a senator) appears throughout the entire film.

Semivan himself was not a part of any investigative groups during his CIA tenure, but he had studied subjects such as UFOs and ghosts for decades during his leisure time. His home library is filled with books numbering in the hundreds. Through the years, he heard a growing number of convincing stories that he felt deserved to be made public.

“The whole planet has lived throughout history with one generally accepted version of reality,” he says. “Our consensus reality.”

FLYING TIC-TACS HELP PUSH THE NEEDLE

Semivan retired in 2007, and he his wife moved to Lewes in 2017 — a year which also found him involved in a sea change moment in UAP history. That is when he and several friends leaked the now-famous jet pilot guncamera videos to journalist Leslie Kean for a New York Times article. The video of the small white craft resembling the shape of a Tic Tac candy had been filmed by Navy pilots from the USS Nimitz off the West Coast in November 2004.

“We all knew Leslie’s reputation as an intrepid reporter, and that she’d do everything in her power to get the videos released and the story out, which she did,” Semivan says. “However, we had no idea the story would make the front page of The New York Times. I think we were all pleasantly

surprised at the outcome.”

In August of 2021, CBS’ 60 Minutes aired an interview with the USS Nimitz’ top gun pilots Cmdr. David Fravor and Lt. Cmdr. Alex Dietrich, who had chased and filmed the “tic tac.”

A recent CBS News poll finds more than half of Americans believing in life elsewhere — but there is a long way to go before the subject hits critical mass.

“The president is the only person who can truly disclose the secret of UAP,” Semivan says. “I hope it can be done responsibly and have measures in place to control the narrative a bit. UAP is not ‘in your face’ for most people. It is truly a niche topic and certainly not one of the top 10 or even top 50 concerns of the average American.”

UFOS IN HOLLYWOOD

Semivan is now the vice president of the production company To The Stars, Inc., which finds him paired with a high-profile business partner — its president is rock star Tom DeLong from the group Blink-182. It has evolved from a research group into a multimedia firm responsible for everything from television shows to clothing to guitars. The new Tubi animated series Breaking Bear has a voiceover cast which includes Brendan Fraser, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elizabeth Hurley.

Last month the UFO / UAP craze received another boost via Steven Spielberg’s latest sci-fi blockbuster, Disclosure Day, in which he used his Hollywood lens for a hypothetical look at ways in which full disclosure

could occur. Meanwhile, the White House has released three batches of declassified information so far in 2026.

Semivan says he still has mixed feelings about disclosure after all these years.

“There is such a thing as ontological shock, and once it’s disclosed officially, UAP will be the mother of all ontological shocks,” Semivan says. “We may no longer be alone and at the top of the food chain, as it were. That is what I mean when I’ve said the truth may be indigestible. Some people may not be able to cope with a new reality, and I’ll leave it at that.”

Are his fellow Delawareans surprised to find an expert in this field living among them?

“Yes and no,” Semivan says. “Most of my friends and neighbors in Lewes know about my interest in UAP, but only a few have a genuine interest in the subject. So, I rarely bring it up in conversations and I only comment when I’m asked to.

“The topic itself, while fascinating, is actually quite complex once you study it closely. Understandably, not many people have the time or inclination to do so.”

The City

SPECTACULAR DELAWARE 250 CELEBRATION PLANNED FOR THE RIVERFRONT

The City of Wilmington invites residents and visitors to the Riverfront on Saturday, July 4, for a free Independence Day celebration marking our state's and the country's 250th anniversary. Festivities begin at 2 p.m. and include live music across three stages; family entertainment including rides and free admission to the Delaware Children's Museum; multiple beer gardens and indoor and outdoor dining; Delaware Made vendors; a projection-mapping show by Emerging Monkey Arts; and more. The celebration concludes with a fireworks display over the Christina River, accompanied by music from the Delaware Symphony Orchestra. Bring your family and friends to this historic free celebration. Visit Delaware250.org.

DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND REC TO HOST SAFE HAVEN PROGRAM

This summer, the City of Wilmington Department of Parks & Recreation is once again opening its doors to provide a safe, supportive, and engaging environment for young people through the Safe Haven Program at the William “Hicks” Anderson Community Center.

Running from July 1 through September 30, the program offers youth ages 5–17 access to recreational activities, arts and crafts, swimming, computer labs, mentorship, and nutritious meals during evening and weekend hours.

Safe Haven is about more than activities. It’s about creating positive opportunities and ensuring our young people have a place where they feel supported and empowered. Families are encouraged to take advantage of this free community resource throughout the summer season. For more information, contact Superintendent of Recreation, Dr. Naim Collins, at 302.571.4266

CITY'S ANNUAL FAN DRIVE SUPPORTS SENIOR RESIDENTS

As temperatures rise, the City of Wilmington is helping residents through the annual Senior Fan Drive. The program provides free fans to qualifying Wilmington seniors, helping them stay safe and comfortable during the summer months when extreme heat can pose serious health risks.

Available through the Mayor’s Office of Constituent Services, the initiative is designed for city residents ages 65 and older who did not receive a fan through the program last year. Distribution takes place at the City County Building on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 11am to 2pm, while supplies last.

The Senior Fan Drive reflects the City’s ongoing commitment to supporting older adults and ensuring residents have access to resources that promote health, safety, and quality of life. By providing a simple but essential tool to combat the summer heat, the program helps seniors remain comfortable in their homes during the warmest months of the year.

Eligible residents are encouraged to bring a valid photo ID verifying their age and City of Wilmington residency (Wilmington Proper), when picking up a fan. Supplies are limited to one fan per household and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

DIVE INTO SUMMER AT WILMINGTON'S CITY POOLS

Summer is here, and Wilmington's city pools are open and ready to welcome residents for another season.

Whether you're looking to cool off on a hot day, spend time with family and friends, or enjoy some exercise in the water, our neighborhood pools offer something for everyone. City pools provide safe, affordable recreation and help bring our communities together throughout the summer months.

Check the pool schedule for hours and locations at WilmingtonDe.gov and type in "City Pools" in the search bar.

ExploretheRiverfront

Celebrating 30 Years on the Riverfront This Summer Celebrating30YearsontheRiverfrontThisSummer

open

riverfront market Restaurants & More

Big Fish Grill

Banks’ Seafood Kitchen & Raw Bar

mon-fri:9AM-6PM

mon-fri: 9AM-6PM

sat: 9AM-4PM

Stop in and enjoy fresh produce, made-to-order salads and sandwiches, Mexican and Thai favorites, Indian, Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken, Pizza, Coffee, Pastries, Breakfast Sandwiches, and so much more all under one roof!

Bernie’s Espresso OPEN EARLY!

MON-FRI: 7AM-5PM Sat: 8AM-4PM

Constitution Yards Beer Garden

Delaware Duck Café & Catering

Del Pez

Docklands

Iron Hill Brewery

Riverfront Bakery

River Rock Kitchen

Taco Grande

The Riverfront Asian Cuisine & Bar

Timothy’s on the Riverfront

outdoor adventures in every season

YourDream Destinations 02.

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