TEDxWilmington Conference

If you're not familiar with TED talks, I highly recommend clicking here to learn about these very interesting, engaging, and enlightening ways to help spread ideas.

The organization has licensed Ajit George to create a conference here in Wilmington - TEDx Wilmington - which is now in it's 5th and most ambitious year.

Ajit has gathered 38 speakers from four countries and 14 states who will present ideas worth spreading at World Cafe Live at the Queen on August 24.

Here's a sample of the topics and speakers:

·      “From Pawns to Kings: Chess Champions of Murder Town USA,” by Walter Durant

·      “Sex Trafficking in the US: Young Lives, Insane Profit,” by Yolanda Schlabach

·      “How to Graduate from College Debt-Free!” by Cornelius “Nippy” Betz, III

·      “Performance Anxiety—It’s Not Just for Men,” by Claudia Six, Ph.D

·      “Why Would Any Rational Person Run for Congress?” by U.S. Senator Chris Coons

·      “Lift Depression with These 3 Prescriptions—Without Pills,” by Susan Heitler

·      “Wealth Prejudice: How it Affects Us,” by Myra Salzer

·      “Can Tigers Tame Your Stress?” by Kevin Rose

·      “Sniffing Out Cancer: The Making of a Groundbreaking Documentary About Early Cancer Detection,” by Pina DeRosa and Adrian LaCorte

·      “How Rethinking Sex Segregation in Sports is the Key to Equality,” by Hudson Taylor

·      “9 Nos to One Yes: How Not Quitting My Dreams Changed My Life to Help Change Others,” by Allington Creque

I have no doubt that the ideas presented in Wilmington on the 24th will inspire and lead to change.

Click here to learn more about this amazing event.

Marty

Rodney Square Farmers Market Going Through October

Wednesdays at Rodney Square are extremely popular with our Farmer's Market, Vendors, Food Trucks, Music, and Lunch Tables.

Tucker has grown this Summer tradition over the past several years and everyone who lives, works, and plays in Downtown Wilmington seems to enjoy the wide variety of food, drink, shopping, and entertainment available each week.

I am happy to announce that the Farmers Market will continue through the month of October!

Keep coming out and enjoying all our vendors have to offer every Wednesday between 10:00 and 2:00 through October.

Marty

2016 Ladybug Music Festival - more than expected!

On July 21, thousands of people came out to attend the Ladybug Music Festival – and it seems that beyond the great variety of music, the delicious food, and the fashionable vendors, we experienced something more.

Early in the event people started commenting on how special the event felt, how good it was to see so many smiling faces, and how much healing seemed to be taking place in the crowd as hugs, high-fives, and fist-bumps flowed freely. 

Here’s just some of the feedback we’ve seen:

At this moment in time,  where we are bombarded with and obsessed with why communities can not work together across diverse backgrounds….and while we are constantly reminded how unsafe it is to wonder out into cities across America, this community sang a different song. Everyone came together and provided good clean fun,  harmony, food,  music and “therapy" if you will, for those dreary from the ills of social media reporting on all the tragedies here and around the world that are all to often wrong, misleading and altogether senseless nonetheless. 

I was reminded reminded last week that it is ok to relax and come together for a greater cause and I am eternally grateful to all of you for you leadership, sweat and kinship. 

May G-D bless you all for the things you do, and I personally thank you all for your support of our community. I am quite sure, the community at large recognizes how special this night has become here in the City of Wilmington. 

Mike Schwartz
2nd and LOMA

I walked a few blocks over to the fifth annual Ladybug Festival in Wilmington. While the music was inspiring (shout out to Mary Lambert, Caroline Rose, Nadjah Nicole and Nicole Zell who held my attention tonight), it was the crowd that won me over. It was one giant melting pot of race, age, sexual preference, body types, fashion sense, musical taste and background. And, guess what — for those few hours of the festival, everyone just enjoyed the small threads that brought us together, and united us.

-Bradford Wason

The Lady Bug Festival brings a mixture of raw talent, diversity and pure family fun to the streets of Wilmington.  Such a refreshing way to enjoy your fellow Wilmintonians.  Looking forward to next year already

-Ivan Thomas

I am so glad I was working at ladybug all night surrounded by thousands of people of every age race creed enjoying music and art and each other… Be active in your community, guys. Enjoy all that you can create and support through the arts, through being part of a community, and just respect and love each other. 

-Kerry Kristine

I was overwhelmed at the amount of talent both local and national that graced the stage as well as the smaller stages up and down market st. I would have never expected a festival such as this right here in Wilmington. I for one would definitely like to see more events like this in the immediate future.

-Lindsey Epps Tucker

Made me feel hopeful about the world - everyone was so joyful and friendly - and I was reminded of all the art and music in our city - a beautiful evening that lifts all of our spirits and brings us together.

-Noelle Picara

The ladybug festival was amazing. It was so exciting to see so many great women artist at once. I'm happy i was given this opportunity to be a performer. It has opened my eyes. This was an experiment that gave me the experience to say I'm ready for the next level! Nothing but up from here.

-Aziza Nailah

I seriously just could not stop thinking about the growth of the event and how incredible it was to see soooo so so many happy faces. Not a single bad vibe in the place! 

-Brianna Hansen

The Ladybug Festival offered all of us a glimpse of what we know we truly are – a city and a community filled with talent, diversity, and love.

I want to thank Gayle and Jeremy from Gable Music Ventures for organizing this truly special community gathering!

Marty

#BlackJobsMatter

Friends,

This Wednesday evening, the play #BlackJobsMatter, A Wilmington Experiment, will be performed at World Cafe Live at the Queen. I'll invite Professor Gregory Lloyd Morris to share about it:

Click Here to Reserve your tickets for FREE.

Here's more information:

#blackjobsmatter…a Wilmington experiment, is a one-act play that briefly examines the lives of unemployed blacks in the city of Wilmington, from three different perspectives. 

#blackjobsmatter…a Wilmington experiment is a movement born out of the desire to employ the over 9000+ unemployed black men in the City of Wilmington. The movement is based on three key areas:

1. The solution to the crime problem is not more cops. It is jobs.
2. The solution to better academic performance of inner city kids is not new schools or different teachers, it is a safe nurturing home so our kids can do their homework and get parental encouragement. Jobs bring the father back into the home and create that atmosphere.
3. The solution to balancing the city's budget is to get people off of welfare and onto the tax-paying rolls. Jobs do that.

 The overall result of these things is to restore respect for parents and for themselves.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 13, 2016 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (EDT) 

WHERE: Queen Theater - 500 N. Market st. , Wilmington, Delaware 19801 

I hope you will join me at this important event.

Marty

FOX 29 Features Downtown Wilmington

On July 8, viewers throughout the mid-Atlantic region got to see how great Downtown Wilmington is through the live broadcast by FOX 29 during their Good Day show.

Throughout the morning, Wilmington business owners, residents, artists, elected officials, singers, and entrepreneurs were featured.

Here's a look at some of what the viewers saw:

Click Here to watch some of the broadcast.

I am thrilled that the good people at Good Day on Fox 29 came to spend their morning with us!

Marty