The Ladies Took on the Heat and Made the 2017 Ladybug Festival a Smashing Success!

Photography Credit: Moonloop Photography

The Ladybug Music Festival, an annual celebration of women and music kicked off on July 20th and with 5,000 attendees on the first night alone, was a resounding success. Downtown Visions is proud to sponsor this free music festival annually since their very beginning 6 years ago!

The performers this year took girl power to a whole new level! Catriona Sturton drove down from Canada to perform, and even came in a day early to do three promotional performances. This picture is of Catriona singing her soul out, in 92 degree weather (with 70% humidity!)

With 75 acts and 15 venues and 300 artists submissions to be on stage, the best of the best were selected by Gable Music Ventures. From well-known headliners such as Larkin Poe and  Nadjah Nicole Pennington from The Voice; to Vocal Clave de Sol  from Havana, Cuba who performed inside the Baby Grand, there was a musical performance for everyone! 

This was also the first year the festival spanned over two days, bringing more action and performances than ever before! In addition to 25 acts on Friday, July 21st, there were also dance troupes, art and live on-site painting sessions!

Sarah Lamb, a resident that lives within walking distance of all the activity explained, "The bands were quality, it was great to see women rocking out, the crowd and performers were from all over the world and everyone was having a great time!  It was awesome seeing Market Street so alive!"

To stay on top of the action for next year's event, be sure to follow the Ladybug Concert Facebook Page!

Downtown Farmers Market Grand Opening May 17th

The market begins Wednesday May 3rd and May 10th from 10 am - 2 pm and on Wednesday May 17th at 12:00 PM, Downtown Visions celebrates the Grand Opening of the Downtown Farmer's Market at Rodney Square sponsored by Chase Card Services.

Now in its 14th year the 2017 season of the Downtown Farmers Market at Rodney Square operates every Wednesday, rain or shine, through October 25th from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM, except for June 21st for the Jazz Fest. Join us every Wednesday, in beautiful Rodney Square, between 10th & 11th Streets and Market & King Streets. The Square comes to life each Wednesday beneath the statue of Caesar Rodney, for whom the park is dedicated. The Farmers Market offers an array of the freshest local produce, plants, herbs and cut flowers, a large assortment of beautiful handmade items, including arts and crafts, unique jewelry and delicious home baked goods. Stroll the Square and then relax under an umbrella at one the many café tables. The food truck craze continues with returning favorites like Kapow Food Truck, Koi On The Go and I Don't Give A Fork.  We are also looking forward to our new vendors including River Rock Kitchen and Mrs. Robino's.  Enjoy a delicious breakfast or lunch while listening to a variety of free live entertainment.

This market is another example of our commitment to assisting small businesses, entrepreneurs and startups as well as many community organizations with the goal of a more vital, vibrant downtown for all.  The market has grown each year to become the go to place for 1,000's citizens and Downtown workers every Wednesday. Much of what is sold at the market is grown by small family owned farms in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Come out and enjoy all Downtown Wilmington has to offer!

Marty

Idea Challenge 2017

Downtown Wilmington is the place for great ideas!

Here's what our friends at the Technology Forum of Delaware are putting together:

Tech Forum presents our 4th Annual Idea Challenge - this year as part of The Open Data Challenge - a partnership with the State of Delaware's Government Information Center andOpen Data Delaware. The Open Data Challenge will help to build tangible, sustainable solutions for community issues using innovation and data from the State's new Open Data Portal.

We have an exciting new theme this year - "Access to Hope Through Innovation". Teams, such as Eugene Young's Network Delaware and The Food Bank of Delaware, will compete to demonstrate that innovation, collaboration and passion can create solutions to important issues such as access to housing, food, education, healthcare and other resources.

Winning ideas generated at the 2017 Idea Challenge will move forward to Open Data Delaware's National Day of Civic Hacking in June where teams will have the opportunity to win cash prizes to implement their projects. 

Join us for this high energy, entertaining and motivating event! 

Register as:

A member of the audience to evaluate and judge the concepts presented by the teams. Audience members should arrive at 5:30 PM for networking and be ready at 6:30 for the presentations.

OR

A participant on a team that will work from 3:00 – 6:30 PM to develop a solution to the Challenge Problem, and present to the audience starting at 6:30 PM. Some of the leading non-profit organizations in the state are sponsoring teams and need participation by digital marketers, technologists, and creative thinkers.

 When: Wednesday, March 15, 2017

 Time: Teams: 3:00 - 8:00 PM
 Audience: 5:30 - 8:00 PM

 Where: 1313 Innovation
 1313 North Market Street
 Wilmington, DE 19801

Event registration is $25 for TechForum Members and $40 for Future Members. Team Members attend for Free!
Register online today!
Walk-ins are welcome, but will be charged an additional $5 fee at the door.

I hope to see you there!

Marty

Wilmo Wednesday's new home!

Every Wednesday night Gable Music Ventures gathers an incredible group of talented people together to create an evening of entertainment like no other. From spoken word to jazz to pop music to rock to hip hop to comedy to magicians to jugglers - and everything in between - Wilmo Wednesday offers a rich variety of entertainment for everyone.

This week, Wilmo Wednesday has a new home - come out to Ernest & Scott Taproom at 902 N. Market Street at 7:00 Wednesday to experience great entertainment. There's no cover charge, and our friends at Ernest & Scott have a wonderful food and drink selection.

There's wonderful things happening in Downtown Wilmington!

Marty

Explore our history!

Our friends at the Quaker Hill Historic Preservation Foundation are bringing history to life in Wilmington!

This Saturday, come out for a FREE interactive, family friendly Underground Railroad workshop in the historic Wilmington Friends Meeting House. Enjoy PIZZA while educator Darleen Amobi innovatively teaches about the struggles and creativity of Freedom Seekers such as Henry "Box" Brown. Courtesy of the DE Humanties Forum, prepare to be regaled by the first person account of Private James Elbert: African-American Delawarean, solider in the Union Army and hero of Polktown.

Click Here for more information.

I hope you will take advantage of this great opportunity!

Marty