Celebrating 30 Years of Unifying Musical Magic... The DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival

Declared the largest free music festival on the East Coast, The DuPont Clifford Brown Festival turns 30 this year and will be taking place in Rodney Square June 17th through 24th. 

Fun for the entire family, grab your favorite lawn chairs and enjoy the sweet tunes from some of the nations greatest jazz performers. This cultural experience was once called Jazzin' on the Square, but was renamed to honor the jazz trumpeter and Wilmingtonian Clifford Brown, who passed away in 1956 at the young age of 25.

The festival is another example of Wilmington's devotion to celebrating the arts and making it accessible to everyone. The concert has always been complimentary to the public. 

For those attending from out of town, a parking map is available here. 

The 2018 line up is extra spectacular in celebration of the event's big birthday with the legendary Brian McKnight performing. The schedule will be as follows below. 

WEDNESDAY
6 PM
Laila Biali
Matthew Whitaker
The Clifford Brown Tribute Big Band with Gerald Chavis featuring
Ernie Watts

THURSDAY
6 PM
Miguel Zenon Quartet
Jane Bunnett and Maqueque
Arturo Sandoval

FRIDAY
6 PM
The Lao Tizer Band featuring Chieli Minucci, Eric Marienthal & Karen Briggs
Deva Mahal

SPECIAL GUEST
BRIAN MCKNIGHT

SATURDAY
12 PM
Sammy Miller and The Congregation
Sara Lazarus
Sidewalk Chalk
 

Laila Biali

Block Parties, Jazz Nights and More at the Rock Lot this Summer

Thanks to the Wilmington Renaissance Corporation's Creative District initiative the revitalization is moving westward of Market Street and the LOMA district. Neighborhoods are truly blossoming.

The Creative District encompasses the area bounded by Fourth, Ninth, Market and Washington Streets. Within this district, at 305 W. 8th Street there is a gem of a place called the Rock Lot. This beautiful artistic cove is designed to bring the local community together. Join us for a variety of complimentary events at the Rock Lot this summer:

• Wednesday  5/30, 6/6, and 6/13- Jazz Nights, 6-7 pm. Artists are Alfie Moss & The Dexter Koonce Project, Sharon Sable Quartet, and Terra Soul.

Leading up to the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, the Creative District Wilmington is teaming up with Market Street Music to bring well-known jazz musicians to the green space in the heart of the district.

• Saturday 6/9- Lending Library Kick-Off, 1-3 pm. 

A community lending library is coming to The Rock Lot and in order to celebrate its opening, we’ve invited Bryce Bullock, nine-year-old comic book creator and author, to read his latest work!

• Saturdays 6/16, 6/23, 6/30, 7/7, and 7/14- Reading Series, 1-2 pm

While kids are home on summer break, Creative District Wilmington partners up with the Wilmington Public Library and members of the community to host a series of reading events at the Rock Lot.

• Wednesday, June 27th Spoken word night  “Outspoken” 6-7 pm 

Host Christian Wills, the creative mind behind Sweet Jams!, the spoken word nights at UDairy Creamery’s Market Street location, is bringing OutSpoken! to the Rock Lot! The spoken word nights are open-mic events and the public is invited to participate!

• Wednesday, July 11, 18, 25 Capoiera

Join Chris Devany of ASCAB Capoeira Delaware at the Rock Lot to experience an interactive session of this creative 16th-century art form.

• Saturday, July 28th – Community Dinner

Enjoy an evening of food, fun and fellowship. All are welcome. (Grown and prepared by William Penn High School culinary students.)

Follow the Creative District:

Instagram

Facebook

The Downtown Wilmington Farmer's Market is Back with Several New Vendors

The Farmer's Market opens tomorrow, May 2nd.  The official Grand Opening Celebration is on May 30th with the Mayor speaking at 11:45 am

Join Mayor Mike Purzycki, Downtown Visions Executive Director Martin Hageman and local officials as we kick off the 2018 season of the Farmer's Market.

On Wednesday, May 30th at 11:45 AM, the City of Wilmington and Downtown Visions will celebrate the Grand Opening of the Downtown Farmer's Market in Rodney Square.  The Market, in its 16th year, is operated by Downtown Visions, the non-profit management company for Wilmington's Business Improvement District.  The Downtown Farmer's Market is sponsored by JP Morgan Chase and Colonial Parking.

The Downtown Farmers Market starts May 2nd, from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM, every Wednesday through October 31st.  The Downtown Farmers Market offers an array of 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.  Sorbello Girls Farm Market and Bright Spot Farms will be back at the Market.  There is prepared food as well, with returning favorites like Outlandish, Mama Mia and I Don't Give a Fork.  We are also looking forward to our new vendors including Rocker Soaps and Riverfront Pets. 

The Downtown Farmers Market is another example of Downtown Visions and the City's commitment to assisting small businesses, entrepreneurs and startups as well as community organizations toward the goal of a more vital, vibrant downtown for all.  The Market has grown each year to become the go-to place for thousands of people each Wednesday.  Much of the produce that is sold at the Downtown Farmers Market is grown by small, family-owned farms in the Tri-State area.

Stay up to date on the Farmer's Market by following their Facebook Page.

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.

Quaker Hill Historic Preservation Foundation Presents the Annual Dickinson Memorial

Join historian Dick Carter on February 17th to learn more about our local Founding Father on this 250th Anniversary of his writings "Letters from a Farmer." Dickinson descendant Evelyn Swenssen will be performing his Liberty Song, Mayor Purzycki is slated to read the eulogy and a beautiful wreath by Quaker Hill florist Flowers by Tino will laid at Dickinson's grave in the Wilmington Friends cemetery.  All are welcome to attend this event presented by the Quaker Hill Historic Preservation Foundation. 

The Facebook event can be found here.

The Quaker Hill Historic Preservation Foundation is Historic Preservation & Education non-profit dedicated to sharing and preserving the vital history of the Quaker Hill Historic District in the heart of downtown Wilmington. Free Underground Railroad Workshops, field trips, tours, publications and more are part of their efforts. 

The team of individuals are devoted to ensuring the neighborhood still retains a diverse architectural character, inherited from the 1978 designation of Quaker Hill as a National Register Historic District. Recent renovation and restoration of remaining structures, coupled with the construction of new housing, give definite signs of a revitalization of Quaker Hill.

Interested in joining the preservation efforts of this neighborhood? Contact them at the Quaker Hill Historic Preservation Foundation (www.quakerhillhistoric.org)