Join Us at Rock the Block! Celebrating Sam and Mariah Calagione of Dogfish Brewery and DCAD's 20th Anniversary

Image Credits: DCAD & Cape Gazette

When two outstanding events are happening in the same block, they team up for one mega celebration! Join us for Rock the Block on April 19th!

The DCAD@20 ArtParty will take place in DCAD’s Market Street galleries and on Sixth Street between those two indoor spaces. The event raises funds to support general operations and scholarships at the College, which was founded in 1997 and is celebrating its 20th anniversary through the graduation of its 20th class this May. The celebratory event includes adult beverages and catering by restaurants coming to the eagerly awaited DE.CO Food Hall coming to the DuPont Building. Music and art will be abundant the presenting sponsor of the event is M&T Bank. 

Individual tickets cost $50 each. Rock the Block combination tickets (which also provides admission to the Delaware Historical Society's Delaware History Maker Awards celebration just down Market Street) are available for $100 each, and a special Patron Package may be purchased for $500 includes two admissions. A number of sponsorship options are available as well.

The Maker Awards celebration will honor Sam and Mariah Calagione of Dogfish Brewery and feature food and beer pairings as well as live music to end the night at The Queen.

Tickets can be purchased here. 

For additional information, contact DCAD development director Renée T. Garnick at rgarnick@dcad.edu or (302) 622-8000, ext. 107.

Who Are Those Individuals Wearing Bright Yellow in Downtown Wilmington?

2018 Downtown Visions Ambassador Training Academy Graduates

Curious who the folks are wearing bright yellow in Wilmington, DE?

Join us in congratulating 13 of our newest cleaning & safety ambassadors that completed a two weeks academy and are now actively serving in Downtown Wilmington!

The academy provides an in-depth review of policies, practices & procedures including customer service training, patrol tactics, expectations of ambassadors, trained weaponless defense and conflict de-escalation training through the Wilmington Police Department.

Downtown Visions employs more than 30 uniformed Safety Ambassadors to assist the Wilmington Police Department in keeping Downtown Wilmington safe as well as provide public services. 

Each Safety Ambassador receives over 80 hours of in-house training in addition to field training on topics such as crime prevention, customer service, local history and local attractions. 

Every Ambassador wears a distinctive black and yellow uniform and carries a two-way radio. You can find our Safety Ambassadors patrolling the BID on foot and on bikes. Feel free to approach our Safety Ambassadors and request information about downtown. They can give you directions, information on restaurants, hotels and local shops — just ask!

Need an escort or a helping hand to assist you in getting to your vehicle? Call (302) 425-4200 x1 to request a free Safety Escort anywhere within the neighborhood, seven days a week; Monday – Friday 8:15 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.; weekends 9:15 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. 

Celebrate Black History Month at the Delaware Historical Society!

The Delaware Historical Society’s, Mitchell Center for African American Heritage announces a month of free programming with a focus on black history!

All events take place at the Mitchell Center, 504 North Market Street Wilmington, DE.

All events are FREE.

Thursday February 15, 2018 - 6 p.m.

Race, Poverty and Delaware Public Education: Policies, Outcomes and Prospects – Part II

 What impact has a racially segregated educational system had on Delaware?  Share your experiences, perspectives and questions at the Delaware Historical Society ‘s Mitchell Center for African American History panel discussion, Race, Poverty and Delaware Public Education: Policies, Outcomes and Prospects.  Elizabeth Lockman, Director of the Parent Advocacy Council for Education (PACE), will facilitate a conversation with Dorrell Green, Director, DOE Office of Innovation and Improvement, and Shana Payne, Director, DOE Office of Higher Education.

FREE Admission – FREE Parking.

Ms. Anna B. Comegys, teacher, 1947

Photo: Delaware Historical Society Archives

February 24, 2018 – 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Family Saturday: Black History Month

We’re turning our whole museum into a playground where children (ages 5 and up) can learn more about African American culture through games, storytelling and crafts. 

Parents and grandparents (and anyone who is young at heart) are invited to take advantage of free admission and explore our new permanent and rotating exhibitions, including Journey to Freedom, that illustrate the unique contributions and experiences of people of African descent in Delaware history.  

Free Admission Courtesy PNC Bank.

Photo: Delaware Historical Society Archives

And in March….

Family Saturday March 10, 2018  - 1:30 p.m.

Celebrating Harriet Tubman Day: Seeking Freedom on the Underground Railroad.

Families can discover what is was like to seek freedom on the Underground Railroad through hands-on activities including writing a telegram in the secret language of the Underground Railroad, and taking a picture with Harriet Tubman and Thomas Garrett!

Free Admission

Photo of Harriet Tubman courtesy  Library of Congress

Thomas Hamm lecture at Wilmington Friends Meeting House, February 16th

On Friday, February 16th, from 7:30-9:30 PM our friends at Wilmington Friends Meeting are ending their 200th Anniversary festivities with an intriguing lecture by Thomas Hamm, professor of history at Earlham College, on the subject of the Hicksite-Orthodox Schism which divided the Meeting shortly after the completion of the building.

This could be a potential source of historical context around understanding Quaker Thomas Garrett's abolitionist activity and the role of Quakers in the Underground Railroad. The event will take place at Wilmington Friends Meeting House located at 401 N West Street Wilmington DE 19720.

Hope you can join us! 

Downtown Wilmington is the Perfect Place to Start a Small Business!

Is one of your goals for 2018 to start a small business? If you are an entrepreneur already, or have a great new business plan, Downtown Wilmington, DE is the perfect place to make a home for your business.

With a current thriving small business community, new corporations and organizations constantly incorporating in the city due to the State's tax structure and hundreds of new residences currently being built there is so much opportunity within the city!

Here are some resources to help get you started:

Downtown Visions- From façade improvement to financial assistance guidance, Downtown Visions has several programs specifically designed for those desiring to start a new business in the city, check them all out here. 

Downtown Visions also has workshops and events for small businesses. To stay updated on upcoming events, be sure to subscribe and follow us on Facebook.

Small and Minority Businesses and Tax Assistance- resources for small and minority-owned business as well as networking information can be found here.

Programs through the City and State- A tax abatement program, relocation/workforce development assistance, Grow Wilmington Fund and loans, architectural and engineering feasibility work matching, technical assistance and more information on the Downtown Development District can be found here. 

Complimentary Business Advice with a Certified Mentor- and more, including complimentary workshops for small businesses, can be found here through the Score program.

Starting your business and looking to live close by? Here are lots of great apartment communities right downtown!