The Brandywine Zoo invites you to Sip & Stroll through the zoo and enjoy a laid-back eve at our Thursday night happy hour series. Craft beer will be available from Bellefonte Brewing and Dogfish Head, in addition to wine, cider, and seltzers. Each Sip will feature a local food vendor, ice cream from Hy-Point, and unique table vendors for browsing. This family friendly event will have live music and fun for all ages!
Limited number of tickets will be sold.
Drink and food purchases sold separately.
Check out our web site for more fun-filled events!
Published each month by TSN Media, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Contact@TSNPub.com Wilmington, DE 19801
PUBLISHER
Gerald duPhily • jduphily@tsnpub.com
DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS
Jim Miller • jmiller@tsnpub.com
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Bob Yearick • ryearick@comcast.net
CREATIVE DIRECTOR & PRODUCTION MANAGER Matthew Loeb, Catalyst Visuals, LLC
DIGITAL SERVICES DIRECTOR Michael O’Brian
DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS Amy Watson Bish
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Adriana Camacho-Church, David Ferguson, Mark Fields, Pam George, Roger Hillis, Catherine Kempista, Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Larry Nagengast, Ken Mammarella, Mary Ellen Mitchell, Matt Morrissette, Kevin Noonan, Bob Yearick
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jim Coarse, Justin Heyes and Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography, Butch Comegys, Lindsay Rudney duPhily, Joe Hoddinott, Matthew Loeb
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS Paul Bauer, John Holton, Bev Zimmermann
At the Beach
Steamed crabs ready for crackin’ at Kathy’s Crab House in Delaware City. Photo by Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography
2024 PROGRAMMING & EVENTS IN WEST CENTER
CITY WILMINGTON
Yoga-Self-Care For Sistas: Thursdays in August I 5:30pm at the Art O Mat (501 W.7th St.)
Drum Circle: Tuesdays through October 8th I 6pm -7pm at the Rock Lot (305W. 8th St.)
Taste & See@ WKC Lunchtime Market: Thursdays August 13th, September 10th, and October 8th I 11am-2pm at Grace Church UMC (900 N. Washington St.)
SO.CO Arts Market: August 24th and September 28th I 6pm-9:30pm at the Rock Lot (305 W. 8th St.)
Open Mic: August 16th I 5pmto 8pm at the Rock Lot (305 W. 8th St.)
Summer Concerts: 6pm-7:30pm at 7th & West Park (320 W. 7th St.)
August 22nd: Nie Snow September 19th: Tynisha
Temperature Check
It’s hot out there. And I’m not referring to the weather. Just days ago, I exited my parking lot on the Riverfront to run a short errand. e tra c light was red and a signi cant opening had formed in the waiting line of cars. So I eased into the 30-yard opening, raising my hand to acknowledge the driver for letting me in.
But he wasn’t letting me in — he was texting — and once he processed my “transgression” he laid on his horn as if he’d just been side-swiped. The traffic light was still red.
Now, so was my face. Boy, it’s hot out here.
Such driving experiences are near daily occurrences these days. Especially since COVID. But the tension isn’t restricted to being behind the wheel. Patience has gone the way of the rotary phone.
Try asking for assistance at a big-box store and you’re greeted with: at’s not my department.
Go to the bank for answers — because it’s quicker than waiting on hold — and you’re scolded with: You know, you can do that online. (Like I didn’t try.)
So, you head to a Phillies game to chill out. But after waiting a half inning to order a beer because the bar is elbow-to-elbow, you discover your head was turned — trying to follow the game — when the server came. Now, she’s gone. You plead.
“Sorry, you weren’t ready,” she replies.
Really! You can’t cut me a little slack while you charge me $16 for a beer — a price that insults my scal intelligence?
Sorry, but these are not slack-cutting times.
O ur politics have become too polarizing is the familiar diagnosis. Candidates must turn the temperature down, media pundits ponti cate.
But is that it? All of it?
Without question, we use the pronoun “they” far too often when talking politics. And if we’re being honest, many of us would bene t from physical therapy for our listening muscles. However, today’s social climate is more complicated than the simple red-vs-blue stando .
We’ve just emerged from a global pandemic — and the aftershocks are still reverberating. en there’s technology, which is changing so rapidly even 30-somethings are old school.
Which brings us to AI, ready to render all our career skills obsolete. Oh, and let’s not forget global warming — you did notice it was hot?
In other words, challenging times. Extremely challenging times. Times best approached with a cool head.
So, if you want the temperature turned down, dial back your own thermostat.
Which could manifest into you acquiescing when a driver is trying — politely — to break into your line of tra c. Which could, in turn, prompt an appreciative wave from the bene ting driver. And chances are, you’ll still make the light.
— Jerry duPhily
THE WAR On Words
A monthly column in which we attempt, however futilely, to defend the English language
WHERE ARE THE EDITORS?
e political situation is not only getting ugly, it’s also becoming ungrammatical. Take these three recent examples:
• Peter Cordi, in the Washington Examiner: “If President Joe Biden succumbs to growing pressure to drop out of the 2024 race, Vice President Kamala Harris may not be a shoe-in to take over.” at’s shoo-in.
• en we had this redundant statement from the Biden campaign: “Trump is telling obviously false lies.”
• In a politics-adjacent comment, Philly sports media personality Mike Missanelli tweeted: “ roughout history, there’s always been wannabe demagogues who will pray on weak minds.” Two corrections: “there have always been,” and prey — to exert a harmful or destructive in uence.
Aside from politics, we have these additional recent ga es in the media:
• Reader John McDermott caught Barrett Brooks, during the Birds Huddle broadcast on NBC Sports Philadelphia, utter the double comparative when he proclaimed that Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis “will have to play more be er this year.”
• Gabe Lacques, in USA TODAY, after noting that University of Tennessee baseball is loaded with talent, wrote: “We’ll hone in on (Christian) Moore, a middle in elder with major pop.” And so continues the misguided march to replace the correct home in (to target) with hone (to sharpen) in.
• Dan DeLuca, music critic for e Philadelphia Inquirer: “Young’s prior visits with Crazy Horse — which currently comprises of longtime members Bill Talbot on base and Ralph Molina on drums, plus guitarist Micah Nelson . . .” “Comprises of” is a construction I’ve never seen before. “Is made up of” would’ve been acceptable. e whole comprises the parts. erefore, Crazy Horse comprises Neil Young, Bill Talbot...etc.
• Rob Tornoe, also in e Inky: “(Merrill) Reese said he thought the epitome of his career was being placed in the Eagles Hall of Fame in 2018.” Epitome (ih-PID-uh-mee) is often misused to mean “pinnacle” or “high point.” It actually means “a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type.”
Word of the Month pluviophile
Pronounced PLOO-vee-uh-file , it’s a noun meaning a person who enjoys rain and rainy days, and who is fascinated by the sights, sounds, etc., of rain.
• A USA TODAY caption on a picture of the star of e Bear: “Are half-naked photos of Jeremy Allen White all over your Instagram feed?” More to the point, what exactly is a halfnaked photo?
By Bob Yearick
• And nally, there was this from Eddie Murphy’s Net ix movie, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F: During an argument with his daughter — an articulate, sophisticated lawyer — she says: “If you had went to therapy...” I almost yelled, “Had gone!” at the TV.
DEPARTMENT OF REDUNDANCIES DEPT.
• Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY : “They are Major League Baseball players, who can tell you about the menacing threats that have been inflicted upon their lives . . .” Aren’t all threats menacing?
• Also from USA TODAY , via reader David Hull, is this headline: “Beware of Fake Vacation Scams .” So, in a kind of double negative manner, does that mean they’re not really swindles?
FORESHADOWING A HARBINGER
Foreshadowing in literature provides an indication or a hint of what is to come. Likewise, a harbinger is something that foreshadows a future event. ey are tricky in that writers almost automatically insert “something to come,” or a similar phrase, after these terms, which makes them redundant. Two recent examples:
• Daughter Danielle reports that Ryan Condal, showrunner for House of Dragons, spoke thusly of the murder of the of the king’s infant son in Episode 1 of Season 2: “It’s meant to be a harbinger for things to come.” Also, “harbinger of,” not “harbinger for” is the standard phrasing.
• Brandon Holveck, reporting on the Blue-Gold All-Star Football Game in e News Journal: “ e 92-yard passing touchdown, . . . only foreshadowed what was to come.”
Careful writers insert something speci c following such phrases. E.g., in the rst case: “It’s meant to be a harbinger of the battles to follow.” In the second: “...only foreshadowed more success for the Blue’s passing game.”
NEED A SPEAKER FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION?
Contribute $100 or more to the Brandywine YMCA through my donor page and I’ll present my fun and informative discussion on grammar to your group. Contact ryearick@comcast.net for more information. Buy The War on Words book at the Hockessin BookShelf, at Huxley & Hiro Booksellers on Market Street, or on Amazon. Or email me at ryearick@comcast.net.
FYI
Things Worth Knowing
BEER BOURBON & BBQ FESTIVAL
The Wilmington Riverfront will be smokin’ when the Beer Bourbon & BBQ Festival returns for a second year to TubmanGarrett Park on Saturday, August 17 from noon-6pm. This southern summer festival, by Baltimore-based Drink. Eat. Relax. Events, promises plenty of bourbon, beer, and barbeque to sample, outdoor games, live music, plus the return of the “Shrine of Swine” — whole hogs available to enjoy. Visit Delaware.BeerAndBourbon.com.
Think you can find the four crabs crawling around in this issue? Then get crackin’ — and the crab on this page doesn’t count. Three winners of a free lunch will be selected from those who answer correctly by August 17. Email your answer with subject line: “Getting Crabby” to Contact@TSNPub.com. Congratulations to last month’s winners of the Fine The Limes contest. Meredith Glazar, Paula Lagonigro and Michelle Lin found the limes on pages 35, 43, 45, 54.
10TH ANNUAL BACKPACK GIVEAWAY
For 10 years, the Cherné Altovise Backpack Giveaway has provided bookbags and school supplies for K-12th-grade students in downtown Wilmington. is year’s event will take place at e Chancery Market (1313 N. Market Street, Wilmington) on August 17 (1-4pm). In addition to giving away free backpacks lled with school supplies, the afternoon will feature food, face painting, and fun for the whole family. (Students must be in attendance to receive a backpack.) To RSVP, visit CherneAltovise.com/backpack-giveaway.
AIDS WALK DELAWARE
he 38th Annual AIDS Walk Delaware, presented by AIDS Delaware and Delaware HIV Consortium, is the state’s oldest and largest HIV/ AIDS fundraising and awareness event. It will take place concurrently in Wilmington (Brandywine Park) and Rehoboth Beach (Grove Park) Saturday, September 21 at 10 a.m. and coincides with the International Day of Peace. Funds raised help provide free, rapid HIV testing, HIV-speci c mental health counseling, HIV/PrEP education and prevention programs, and more, as well as bene t other HIV service organizations: e Ministry of Caring, Beautiful Outreach Centre, William J. Holloway Community Program, and CAMP Rehoboth. is Walk is free to all participants. To register or donate, visit AIDSWalkDelaware.org.
Along-time Delaware tradition, the Brandywine Festival of the Arts is the state’s largest arts festival. e two-day event brings an estimated 15,000 visitors to Wilmington’s Brandywine Park (1001 N. Park Dr.) to enjoy 250 artisans from across the country exhibiting and selling unique work. e festival also o ers live music, children’s activities and local food vendors. e festival is Saturday, Sept. 7 (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.) and Sunday, Sept. 8 (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.). Entry is $5 each day, with children 12 and under free with adult admission. Visit BrandywineArts.com.
he nation’s oldest African American festival, the August Quarterly celebrates freedom of religion and speech, and the right to assembly. is year, the weeklong celebration culminates with Youth Day (Aug. 24) and “ e Big Quarterly” (Aug. 25) at TubmanGarrett Riverfront Park featuring gospel artists, musical tributes, children’s activities, cultural food and more. Visit AugustQuarterly.org.
A NEW SCENT-SATION IN WILMINGTON
Make & Mellow Candle Bar, a pour-your-own candle shop, is the newest addition to downtown Wilmington, having recently celebrated its grand opening at 1330 N. Washington St. e relaxing and fun experiences are 45-60 minutes and all materials are provided for mixing and pouring your own custom candle. e shop is also BYOB — guests can bring their own beverages and light bites to enjoy. Make & Mellow is open Tuesdays-Saturdays beginning at 12 p.m. Visit MakeAndMellow.com.
THE BULLETS’ MICHAEL DAVIS ENDORSES DELAWARE VALLEY BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
Michael “ e Kid” Davis has publicly endorsed the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival, which will feature more than 24 performances this Labor Day weekend.
“DelVal specifically is cool because they always have some great non-bluegrass acts, too,” said Davis, who for decades has led Delaware’s long-standing Americana band, The Bullets.
On that note, Davis added that this year’s headliner, “the great western swing band” Asleep at the Wheel, was the first band he saw play live. More at DelawareValleyBluegrass.org.
Huxley & Hiro Booksellers (419 N. Market St., Wilmington), welcomes awardwinning Delaware author Ethan Joella for a reading and signing of his new Rehoboth Beachbased book, The Same Bright Stars , on Saturday, August 10 at 1 p.m. The novel, set in a Delaware beach town, centers around a third-generation restaurant owner facing a crossroad when an eager corporate dining group pursues him with a generous offer. Pick up a copy at Huxley & Hiro, or visit HuxleyAndHiro.com.
BARDEA FOOD & DRINK TO OPEN NEW RESTAURANT
This fall, the team behind Bardea Food & Drink will open their sixth restaurant in downtown Wilmington inside DE.CO Food Hall, where they currently operate Pizzeria Bardea and Taqueria El Chingon. It will be a full-service Italian trattoria with seating for approximately 70, including a full bar. Lunch and dinner will be served seven days a week with a menu inspired by James Beard nominated chef Antimo DiMeo. Updates on Instagram @DECOWilmington.
THE 3RD ANNUAL DIRTY POPCORN
Get out your popcorn! Jet Phynx presents the 3rd Annual Dirty Popcorn Black Film Festival in partnership with the Delaware Art Museum on Saturday, August 10 (10am-4pm). The mission of the film festival is to provide a platform and venue to discover and celebrate filmmakers of color from Delaware and the surrounding region, while also providing a means of preserving local Black films. The event will also feature “DELAWOOD,” the first all-A.I. generated exhibit. Admission is free, but registration is required. Visit DelArt.org.
DOWNTOWN
Chris White Gallery
701 N. Shipley Street 475-0998 • chriswhitegallery.com
Artist: “XYZ Bananas!” Group show curated by Q-pon City of Wilmington’s Redding Gallery
800 N. French Street 576-2100 cityfestwilm.com/redding-gallery
Exhibit: Destination Jazz - A Photography Art Exhibition
Huxley & Hiro Booksellers 419 N. Market Street 439-0805
Artist: “Transit Psychedelia” by Geraldo Gonzalez
FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 2024 5pm Start
Next Art Loop: SEPTEMBER 6
RIVERFRONT
The Delaware Contemporary
200 S. Madison Street 656-6466 • decontemporary.org
Exhibitions: RADIUS - ArtSource Invitational Show; Christina School District Art Exhibit; The Governor’s School of Excellence Summer Exhibit hosted by Univ. of Del.; and “A Bowl of Light” by Rich Lopez
WEST SIDE
Blue Streak Gallery 1721 Delaware Avenue 429-0506
Artist: “Through the Native Lens from Afghanistan” by Hikmatullah Kharoti
Delaware Center for Horticulture 1810 N. Dupont Street 658-6262 • thedch.org
BEYOND THE CITY
Lumen Studio & Gallery
1601 Concord Pike, Suite 89 545-3204
Artist: ”Light in the Shadows” by Carson Zullinger
Exhibit: Group Show of Beach and Ocean Themed Artwork
Finist & The Owl 811 Brandywine Boulevard
786-228-6638
Artists: “Sparkles by Tawanda” by Tawanda Harbison and Alison Begala with Creative Ceramics
Artist: “The Naturalist, The Arborist,
Art LoopWilmington .org
LIVE AT THE QUEEN | AUGUST 4TH AT 7 PM | TICKETS: $20.65
LIVE AT THE QUEEN | AUGUST 4TH AT 7 PM | TICKETS: $20.65
Get ready for the biggest night in local music! Hosted by Delaware Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Mark Rogers, we’ll honor the best in Delaware Valley music in 28 categories.
Get ready for the biggest night in local music! Hosted by Delaware Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Mark Rogers, we’ll honor the best in Delaware Valley music in 28 categories.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW:
TICKETS ON SALE NOW:
PRESENTED BY:
New York Times Biden Story
Spotlights ’93 O&A Cover
Aletter from President Joe Biden about the May 1993 cover of Out & About Magazine was featured in a July 23 story in e New York Times.
For the story, Times writer Steven Kurutz interviewed several Wilmington residents, including Mayor Mike Purzycki, to get their take on Biden’s bowing out of the presidential race (“In Wilmington, ey Like ‘Delaware Joe.’ But ey’re Glad He Quit.”).
Among those interviewed was noted local artist Eunice LaFate, who has operated an eponymous gallery at 227 Market Street since 2015. Over the years, LaFate has supplied art for three O&A covers, including that May ’93 issue. at cover prompted a three-paragraph letter praising her work from then-Senator Joe Biden, who extolled LaFate’s "many talents" and noted “how lucky we are” that she shares those talents with the community e 77-year-old LaFate, a long-time champion for human rights, says she rst met Biden in 1990, when she won one of her many civic awards. She said she was “blown away” three years later when she received his letter about the cover.
A long-time Biden fan, she told the Times that she stood in line for ve hours at the church to express her condolences when his son Beau died in 2015. “. . . I mentioned to him I am going through grief myself,” the Times quoted her. “ e man took time out to console me. It was just, what should I say, so moving.”
Born and raised in Jamaica, LaFate notes that Kamala Harris has Jamaican heritage and says she is “so positive it’s not funny” regarding the vice president’s chances in the November election.
Eunice LaFate at her Wilmington gallery. At right, her
LEADING ARNIE’S ARMY
Wilmington dentist and amateur photographer Howdy Giles met golf legend Arnold Palmer in 1971, and a lifelong friendship — and a 2009 photographic biography — ensued
By Bob Yearick
From a perspective of 60-plus years, it’s difficult to convey the seismic impact that Arnold Palmer had on golf, televised sports events, and the world in general.
From 1958 to 1964, Palmer won seven major titles, beginning with the 1958 Masters and ending with the 1964 Masters. In his six-decadelong career, Palmer claimed 62 PGA Tour titles, finishing fifth on the Tour's all-time victory list behind only Sam Snead, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Ben Hogan.
Nicknamed, like Elvis, “ e King,” he was one of the 13 original inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974, and he received the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998. Palmer also was the rst golfer to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the second golfer, after Byron Nelson, to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. Blessed with a ruggedly handsome face and Popeye-like forearms, Palmer would hit thunderous tee shots, hitch up his pants, and charge down the course to his next shot, often lighting a cigarette on the way (it was said he was good for three of them on a par-three). >
At 82, Howdy Giles still plays golf once or twice a week. Photo by Jim Coarse
ARNIE’S ARMY
at style, his appearance, and his Latrobe, Pa., working-class background translated to an instant, everyman charisma that made him the rst superstar at the dawning of golf's television age, which began in the 1950s. He was soon joined by younger pros like Nicklaus, Gary Player, and later, Lee Trevino, resulting in soaring memberships in golf clubs across America.
On the course, Palmer attracted what was quickly christened “Arnie’s Army” — mobs of devotees who followed him, watching his every move. Howard “Howdy” Giles was a bit of a latecomer to that army, but his devotion to Arnie was unmatched.
Giles, a native of Wallingford, Pa., lived in Surrey Park and practiced dentistry in Wilmington for 42 years before retiring in 2011 from Dental Associates of Delaware. A baseball player (catcher) in high school and a swimmer at the University of Delaware, Giles says golf never appealed to him — until one day in 1962 when he saw Palmer on television. Suddenly, the game looked like it could be fun.
He soon owned a complete set of Palmer woods and irons, and he even went to Wanamaker’s department store in Philadelphia and bought the same Robert Bruce shirts, sweaters, and pants that Arnie wore.
It wasn’t long before his new bride and former captain of the UD cheerleading team, Carolyn, joined Giles in his fandom. ey began going to tournaments where Palmer
was playing, and at the 1971 Masters, they were introduced to Palmer’s charming wife, Winnie. ey met “ e King” soon afterward, and a friendship developed.
LOW HANDICAP
Christmas cards were exchanged, and Howdy and Carolyn soon were on the invitation list for the annual Presidential Ball at Palmer’s Latrobe Country Club. ey
Giles and Palmer at one of the many events they attended together.
Photo courtesy Howdy Giles
had two daughters, as did the Palmers, and both families became close.
Meanwhile, Giles had not only begun dressing like a golfer, he also started playing like one, honing his handicap to a six. at made it a bit more comfortable when he played with his famous friend, and he estimates he did so nearly 300 times. “I also ew with him about 75 times,” Giles says.
Palmer’s Latrobe dentist died in 1977, and Giles assumed care of the King’s pearly whites. “Arnie was a great patient,” Giles says, “though his bridgework did need some reworking. We did it all in stages.” He says the downto-earth, jovial Palmer was a big hit with sta and patients during his visits.
With a patient list that included Palmer, former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey (an avid golfer), and half a dozen other Eagles, Giles soon was christened "dentist to the stars" by his friends.
rough Palmer, Giles and his wife met dozens of celebrities, including politicians such as President George H. W. Bush and former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, astronaut Alan Shepard, sports royalty like Yogi Berra, Mike Schmidt, Tug McGraw, Michael Jordan, Peyton Manning, Mike Ditka, and Dick Vermeil, as well as all the top golfers.
Among the most memorable of the their celebrity encounters occurred in 1983, when they accompanied the
Palmers to the PGA Championship at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. During the weeklong tournament, the two couples attended a cocktail party at Bob Hope’s house, and the next night, Jack Lemmon – a huge fan of Arnie’s – invited them to his house, followed by dinner at a restaurant in Santa Monica. >
What’s holding you back from building what’s next?
Some have taken a wait-and-see approach toward their next move. But we never stopped building, healing, and making Delaware. And when it comes to the value and quality of education that Del Tech provides, there’s never been a better time to join us.
Start a conversation with an academic advisor today. Visit dtcc.edu.
Carolyn Gies was also a big fan and friend of Arnold Palmer.
Photo courtesy Howdy Giles
250,000 PHOTOS
Every time he was with Palmer, Giles brought his camera. He took his rst Arnie photo in 1965 with his trusty Brownie, but soon graduated to a Nikon, updating his equipment periodically. e result was more than a quarter-million shots of Palmer on the course and in all kinds of settings, including, of course, many photos of Giles and Palmer together. In essence, the Wilmington dentist owned a photographic history of Arnold Palmer’s professional career.
In the early 2000s, Giles got the idea to assemble some of the pictures into a book. He shopped the idea among several publishers, nally signing with Triumph Books.
e King and I — An Unlikely Journey from Fan to Friend hit bookstores and Amazon in 2009. Its 200-plus photographs depict Palmer, his family, his competitors, and his friends in both candid and posed situations. In many of them, the 6-foot-2 Giles towers over the 5-10 Palmer.
In the book, Giles tries to explain the King’s magnetism: “He is exactly as he appears, one of the most comfortable people in his own skin you’ll ever meet. ere’s no façade, nothing arti cial. He’s as genuine as they come, and that quality is the... reason he’s as beloved today by millions as he was 50 years ago when he won his rst Masters and created Arnie’s Army.”
Palmer died on Sept. 25, 2016, 15 days after his 87th birthday (Winnie passed away in 1999. In 2005, Palmer married Kathleen Gawthrop, who survived him.) At the funeral in Pittsburgh, Giles broke down when a TV reporter tried to interview him.
Giles lost his beloved wife of 57 years three years ago, and he now lives at Country House, an active adult community in Greenville. He says his two arti cial knees have cost him an inch in height, but he’s still trim and healthy at 82. He works out frequently in the community gym, and plays golf once or twice a week at Wilmington Country Club – usually with Dave Sysko, a UD basketball standout from 1961-64 and a member of the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame.
Giles still enjoys the game, but admits, “I don’t keep score very often.”
— e King and I can be purchased on Amazon or by emailing Giles at hc42gil@gmail.com.
Giles assembled some of his best photos into a 200-plus page book.
Shear Determination
Adaptability and resilience led Master Barber
Shaun Anthony to develop an entrepreneurial mindset
By Mary Ellen Mitchell
Just a few months before Christmas in 2013, the workers of EVRAZ Claymont Steel were summoned to the community room for an impromptu meeting. A company o cial stood before the crowd of 400 workers to reveal the agenda: e steel mill was closing.
Shaun Anthony was one of those workers. Having just placed a bid in on a house in Wilmington, and with a family to support, he stood with his back against the wall as heads around him dropped.
“I looked up. I don’t know why, but I felt strangely OK with it. Maybe part of me was growing weary of the trade. Or maybe I knew I could rely on myself to gure things out.” >
Photos by Justin Heyes
Shaun Anthony sits in his shop, Freakishly Awesome, decorated with art by his favorite local artists.
Anthony grew up in Camden, New Jersey — a city that faltered when once-vital industry fell due to unforeseen economic changes that began in the 1960s — the same kinds of changes that contributed to the closure of EVRAZ Claymont Steel.
He had always wanted to be a barber, but his mother — coincidentlly, a cosmetology school graduate who worked in a beauty salon alongside his aunt and grandmother — wasn’t sold on the idea.
After graduating from Camden High, an opportunity for a well-paid position as a crane operator at Claymont Steel caught Anthony’s attention. He was hired and later promoted to management, providing the impetus to stay for what he assumed would be his entire career.
Being laid o at age 35 from his only employer for 12 years, Anthony quickly realized he had to take positive steps to overcome self-doubt. “I told myself that I would refuse to let my circumstances change my approach to life,” he says. “I vowed to live freakishly awesome.”
at day, Anthony walked out of the steel mill with his rst step already planned: “I called my realtor to withdraw my bid and nd a place I could a ord on unemployment,” he recalls.
He soon applied and was accepted to the American Beauty Academy in Wilmington, graduating a year later as a licensed master barber. It was there he had the good fortune of meeting campus director Tyrik Jackson, who became a mentor and friend.
After being laid off, Anthony took a positive approach to changing his life.
“I think it’s important for every entrepreneur to recognize areas of development and have a supportive mentor that can help you nd ways to improve,” Anthony says.
To enhance his public speaking skills, Anthony became a platform artist for reputable hair care brands, including Basic, V. Gan, Clubman Pinaud, and Bigen USA. is role required him to serve as part educator, salesperson, and entertainer, traveling the country and taking the stage to promote products by demonstrating how best to use them.
When he was ready to put all he had learned into practice, Anthony went to work as a full-time barber, renting a suite in a barbershop in New Castle, where he earned a loyal following over the next several years.
By 2020, he was able to save enough money to open his own barbershop: Freakishly Awesome by Shaun Anthony, at 805 N. Tatnall St. in Wilmington.
A Clear Vision
“When I decided to open my space, a friend who was helping me with the buildout said, ‘While we’re working, we should cover the windows to protect the investment.’ “But I disagreed, and said, ‘I want the young people who walk up and down this block to see that two black men are creating something here. is is the new Wilmington.’”
Passersby would be able to see clearly into the shop, brightly decorated from oor to ceiling with contemporary art created by some of Anthony’s favorite local artists — Alim Smith, Cony Madariaga, 7GOD, James Wyatt,
Kariem Young, Oba Jackson, and Smashed Label.
“ is art is all about Wilmington,” he says. “I believe in this city. It’s a powerhouse of talent.”
Anthony is an artist in his own right, clipping fresh fades and clean lines alongside barber Matthew David and esthetician Charne Layvonne, whose talents have helped build Freakishly Awesome’s diverse clientele and substantial record of ve-star Google reviews.
Retired salon owner Christina Harris has a standing appointment every six weeks. “Shaun’s gift is his ability to create the perfect look for each individual, based on their lifestyle, personal style, hair type, and head and face shape, she says. “My mom, as well as my 15-year-old son — who is extremely di cult to impress — won’t go anywhere else. His four-step facials are amazing.”
Shaping Futures
Riding his road bike with friends and playing golf are Anthony’s favorite ways to stay active. He enjoys spending time with his 22-year-old son, Bryce, who recently graduated from Delaware State University, and his 17-year-old daughter, Lyana, another talented artist whose work is on loan to the barbershop.
Anthony holds a strong belief that everyone should give back, but tell no one about it. rough no self-promotion, he has earned a reputation for helping Wilmington’s less fortunate, organizing food and clothing drives and performing many other generous acts of kindness. >
Horsepower Meets Historic Beauty
He’s a volunteer lecturer at Howard High School of Technology, Christiana High School, and Camden High School. He also teaches at area cosmetology schools, including Premier Barber Institute and Paul Mitchell e School.
“If I can help my students understand how to approach this industry, I feel good about that,” he says. “Maybe I can ip a switch for someone who needs a di erent way to learn.”
Last year, Anthony was asked to be an instructor for Launcher, a program o ered by Wilmington’s West End Neighborhood House, a nonpro t community development organization. Launcher’s mission is to help Delaware entrepreneurs start or enhance their small business, and in turn, help revitalize disinvested neighborhoods.
So far, Anthony has taught business plan development to two of the 12-week Launcher program cohorts, which he thoroughly enjoyed. He also shares his knowledge and expertise outside of class, o ering additional one-on-one support and mentorship.
“I explain to the students: ‘You can’t skip steps. You’ve got to build your craft. Read the books. Become an expert in your eld. It’s a lot. But you’ve got to do the hard work rst.’”
New Location, Expanded Services
To allow for even greater visibility, Freakishly Awesome by Shaun Anthony has recently moved to a new location as a full-service salon, at 5 E. Fourth St. (near the intersection of Fourth and Market streets).
e new salon will o er the same by-appointment haircut, grooming, and facial services as always, but Layvonne will expand her esthetician services to include manicures and pedicures. With the addition of stylist Shaniyah omas, braids and locs will be available as well.
For client convenience, the new location will o er recommended hair, grooming, and skincare products for sale, including fragrances.
e grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration will be held in September, on a to-be-announced date. A new website with built-in scheduling is also in the works.
“You’ll notice that my Shaun Anthony logo has no straight lines,” Anthony says. “ at’s symbolic. ere isn’t always a straight path to success in life. But I like to think that I’ve made my mom proud.”
Anthony clips fresh fades and clean lines alongside barber Matthew David.
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Crazy About Crabs
It’s picking season in Delaware. Time to get crackin’!
By Pam George
Nothing says summer in Delaware like the staggered staccato crack of crab mallets. Throughout the state, diners are bellying up to tables covered in brown paper with paper towel rolls as centerpieces. For proof, visit The Surfing Crab Restaurant & Bar just outside Lewes on Route 1’s northbound side.
e spicy smell that permeates the air will make you hungry for crabs, even if you didn’t intend to order them. Watch where you walk; servers with hunched shoulders are continually weaving through the three enclosed porches with trays piled high with crabs.
Judging by the mountain of shells on the tables, there is seemingly an endless supply. However, feeding the public’s appetite for blue crabs is challenging for crabbers and restaurants serving them. >
Customers Jim and Debi Hackett with Kathy's Crab House owner/operator Kathy Wisowaty.
Photo by Joe del Tufo
TOAST OF THE COAST
Callinectes sapidus — Latin for “beautiful savory swimmer” has a pretty shell with bright blue accents on the menacing-looking claws. Granted, some nd it far more beautiful after steam turns it into a distinctive orange-red shade.
e crustacean is found along the Atlantic Ocean’s coast, from Cape Cod to Argentina, and around the entire coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Louisiana boasts the world’s largest blue crab shery. According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, crabs from the Gulf of Mexico grow fast, mature quickly, and have a high reproduction rate.
More than one-third of the nation’s blue crab catch comes from the Chesapeake Bay, including hard-shell, peeler, and soft-shell crabs. Consequently, blue crabs are the most valuable commercial shery in the Chesapeake, earning millions of dollars of revenue each year.
Delaware is no slouch. Blue crabs bring in well over $10 million a year, making it Delaware’s “most important and valuable commercial shery,” says Richard Wong, a biometrician and program manager for the Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife. “Commercial watermen land
around 4 million pounds of blue crabs in Delaware yearly,” he notes. “ is is greater than all other species landings combined.”
MEETING THE DEMAND
e Maryland crab season runs from early April into late November and December. However, the crabs aren’t large and meaty until later in the season — so don’t put your mallets and crackers away until late fall.
Since the southern states’ crab seasons started earlier, restaurants initially purchased crabs from Louisiana and North Carolina.
“ e simplest explanation is that crabs are more prevalent where it’s warm,” says Mike Muzzin, senior director of operations for Big Fish Restaurant Group, which owns e Crab House in Rehoboth Beach. Depending on the size and local supply, restaurants may continue Louisiana and Carolina crabs well into the season. Compare a bushel of Louisiana crabs to one with Maryland crustaceans, and you can spot the size di erence — even if they’re all desirable number ones, Muzzin says. However, some locals maintain that crabs from the Delmarva region are sweeter, he adds.
Philip and MarySue DiFebo of Feby's Fishery in Wilmington. Photo by Jim Coarse
A PRECARIOUS BALANCE
However, the local crab population is a subject of concern. In the Chesapeake Bay, the adult crab population decreased to 133 million compared to 152 million last year, and both numbers are below the 215 million adult female crabs needed for a healthy population.
e statistics come from the Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, a collaboration between the Maryland Department of Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Adult male crabs decreased from 55 million in 2023 to 46 million in 2024.
Wong says Delaware’s harvests are traditionally robust, averaging 4.4 million pounds since 2016. “But we did see a dip last year to 3.6 million pounds,” he adds.
What’s affecting the population? While harvesting is the leading cause of crab mortality, water quality and weather patterns, which can flush larvae and babies out of the bays, also play a part. The crabs also have nonhuman predators, including striped bass (rockfish), Atlantic croaker, red drum and blue herons. Sea turtles feed on smaller crabs. A more recent threat is the invasive wild blue catfish, which gorges unchecked on blue crabs and striped bass. “They are voracious predators,” Wong agrees.
Many beach restaurants now serve blue cat sh to promote sustainability. Crabs will even eat each other.
To promote population growth, e Chesapeake Bay
Foundation promotes science-based e orts to improve water quality and restore underwater grasses and marshes where the crabs live and breed.
While the scientists hammer out a solution, consumers will keep cracking, and hopefully, the supply will keep up with the demand.
Working north to south, here are 14 restaurants that specialize in blue crabs.
Feby’s Fishery
e Wilmington institution is renowned for its allyou-can-eat Dungeness crab with two sides. However, Feby’s also sells blue crabs in its adjoining market, and they are available during the season in the dining room.
Lestardo’s Crab House is New Castle-area landmark has a long history. In 1968, Eugene “Rusty” Lestardo bought the Rambleton Inn and sold it. In 1975, he repurchased the business and renamed it Lestardo’s. e restaurant sells crabs seasoned with garlic, Cajun spices or both, a mix that might raise eyebrows on the Eastern Shore. You may also nd whole crabs cooked in marinara sauce.
135 Christiana Road, New Castle; 328-5070; facebook.com/LestardosCrabHouse >
Kathy’s Crab House & Family Restaurant
e Delaware City restaurant started as Wiso’s Crab House. When Bob Wisowaty and his wife, Kathy, divorced, it became Kathy’s Crab House. Bob opened Wiso’s Crabs & Seafood at 101 Fifth St., which closed earlier this year. Along with crabs, Kathy’s o ers a variety of seafood dishes and comfort foods.
Don’t be fooled by the name — this is no shack. It’s a 5,000-square-foot restaurant that many remember as the Crab Crib. It’s so large that the building was once a local re company’s banquet hall. Crabber Robert “Gus” Gesullo and his wife Micki kept the decorative fountain where pickers could clean their hands. Many appreciate the live music.
29 W. Market St., Port Penn; 598-2685; GusgotCrabs.com
Boondocks Restaurant & Package Store
Boondocks is kitschy in the most delicious way. Consider a wall of license plates, a menu featuring a winking leggy “pinup” crab wearing a pout and a bra, and a hearse with a sign that reads, “Crab Laid To Rest Here.” Pair the crabs with the green Swamp Water cocktail in a Mason jar.
e Burrows family has owned Sambo’s Tavern since 1953 when crabber Samuel “Sambo” Burrows purchased the Leipsic River building. e seasonal restaurant is a true tavern, so you must be 21 to enter. Bring cash.
283 Front St., Leipsic; 674-9724; facebook.com/ SambosTavern
The Surfing Crab Restaurant & Bar
Come for the crabs — many do — but check out the other seafood options, including steamed middle-neck clams that are far more satisfying than littlenecks. is is a no-frills restaurant with fresh seafood and a personable sta . To get the desired size, pre-order your crabs. But note that you can’t reserve a seat.
Lazy Susan’s Hot Fat Crabs, the OG of beach crab houses, moved three times before closing. Anthony and Chris Jacona of Zogg’s and e Wheelhouse fame opened Bushels in the Route 1 space. e emphasis has changed to sports, but the restaurant o ers All You Can Eat (AUCE) blue crabs, snow crabs and shrimp all year.
18289 Coastal Hwy, Lewes; 645-5115; bushelsde.com
The Crab House
Part of the Big Fish Restaurant Group, e Crab House has All You Can Eat (AUCE) crabs every night and a seafood bu et every day from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
e downtown restaurant is part of Fins Hospitality Group, which owns Big Oyster Brewery. Crabs are delivered daily and steamed to order. e crab-averse have plenty of options, especially if they like seafood.
e newest crab house, part of the Starboard family of restaurants, was built from the ground up on Hammerheads’s old site. Crabs are steamed to order, and there’s also a “Claw Bar” with a chilled crab cocktail, snow crab legs and Dungeness crabs.
Blue crabs and snow crab legs are available at this family favorite.
210 Gar eld Parkway, Bethany Beach; 537-4700; BethanyBlueCrab.com
Mickey’s Family Crab House
Michael “Mickey” Walker opened the Bethany crab house in 1990. AUCE blue crabs and snow crabs are o ered until 8:45 p.m.
39610 Je erson Bridge Road; Bethany Beach; 539-5384; MickeysFamilyCrabHouse.com
Fenwick Crab House
For over ve decades, this crab house has served hot, juicy blue crabs steamed or in various dishes, including crab cakes, which are available for shipping.
SEPT 12, 2024 - An Evening with JD Souther: All the Hits. Some of the Stories.
SEPT 20, 2024 - Todd Barry
SEPT 21, 2024 - Suzanne Vega - Old Songs, New Songs and Other Songs
SEPT 27, 2024 - John Pizzarelli Trio
OCT 5, 2024 - Ari Shapiro: Thank You For Listening
OCT 17, 2024 - Matthew Sweet
OCT 19, 2024 - Richie Kotzen with Special Guest Mark Daly
NOV 8, 2024 - Andy Falco & Travis Book Play Jerry Garcia
NOV 9, 2024 - Rene Vaca
NOV 16, 2024 - Choir! Choir! Choir! Presents: We Will CHOIR! You!: An EPIC QUEEN Sing-Along
DEC 13, 2024 - Lunasa- An Irish Solstice Celebration featuring special guest Dave Curley
JAN 4, 2025 - Ms. Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton
MAR 7, 2025 - The Seldom Scene
MAR 9, 2025 - Louisiana Calling featuring Sonny Landreth & The Iguanas
APR 25, 2025 - Lucy Kaplansky & Richard Shindell
MAY 23, 2025 - Roger McGuinn
OCT 11-13, 2024 - Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
NOV 15-17, 2024 - MEAN GIRLS
JAN 31-FEB 1, 2025 - The Cher Show
APR 11-13, 2025 - DEAR EVAN HANSEN
MAY 2-4, 2025 - HADESTOWN
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SEPT 7, 2024 - Kathleen Madigan
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SEPT 28, 2024 - AJ Collier & the Band of Believers 7th Year Anniversary and Reunion Concert featuring Special Guest Melvin Crispell lll and Vincent Bohanan & SOV
FEB 1, 2025 - In Conversation with The Sopranos featuring Steve Schirripa, Vincent Pastore, and Michael Imperioli
FEB 7, 2025 - Celia Vive: A Tribute to Celia Cruz
OCT 9, 2024 - Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let’s Play
OCT 11, 2024 - Tony BennettThe Official Musical Celebration
FEB 15, 2025 - The Rock Orchestra performs Phil Collins
FEB 23, 2025 - Air Supply
MAR 7, 2025 - Red Hot Chilli Pipers
OCT 12, 2024 - The Rock Orchestra performs Chicago (including a full performance of “Chicago Transit Authority”)
NOV 1, 2024 - The Robert Cray BandGroovin’ For 50 Years
NOV 2, 2024 - Mutts Gone Nuts, Unleashed
NOV 2, 2024 - Eddie Griffin Live
NOV 7, 2024 - Damien Escobar The Victory Lap Tour
NOV 9, 2024 - Dionne Warwick
MAR 21, 2025 - Vir Das: Mind Fool Tour
MAR 30, 2025 - Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood: Asking for Trouble
APR 11, 2025 - Melissa Etheridge
APR 26, 2025 - The Rock Orchestra performs Queen
MAY 31, 2025 - Laurie Berkner The Greatest Hits Solo Tour
From top l-r: A welcoming sign in Delaware's City Battery Park; a view down Clinton Street; Emily Dominick of popular sandwich shop Sabatina's; an aerial view of Clinton Street & Battery Park as it flows into the Delaware River; you can explore by bike courtesy of Pastel Pedals.
Photos by Joe del Tufo
A Stroll Delaware City
rough
A collection of creative entrepreneurs are creating momentum in this historic waterfront town
By Mary Ellen Mitchell
Founded in 1801, at the junction of the Delaware River and Chesapeake and Delaware (C & D) Canal, Delaware City is a town rich in history and full of charm. Delaware City’s founders and planners, brothers Daniel and William Newbold, recognized the potential for the locale, anticipating growth that would surpass the size and prominence of Philadelphia, as both a port and city. >
Before the 14-mile C & D Canal opened for navigation in 1829, ships traveling between Baltimore and Philadelphia had to navigate 300 miles around the Delmarva Peninsula. As early as 1661, Dutch settlers recognized the need for a waterway to link the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River.
Beginning in 1802, a two-year e ort to excavate the C & D Canal stalled as funding dwindled until 1824, when a company backed by private, state and federal funding was formed. With design assistance from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, thousands of men toiled for ve years using pickaxes and shovels to connect Delaware City to Chesapeake City, creating a waterway shortcut of incalculable value.
A system of four locks, operated by workers who tended them, relied on steam-powered water wheels and a pumping station in Chesapeake City to help ships navigate, by lifting them up or down to the next level on the canal.
Nearly six million locally grown peaches were shipped by steamboat from Delaware City in 1845, which led to a national boom in popularity of the fruit, which lasted
more than three decades.
When the Delaware and Pennsylvania Railroad Company laid tracks in Delaware City in 1870, the e ect was initially positive, o ering a more e cient way to deliver peaches and other natural resources to the west. By the turn of the 20th century, railroad distribution dominated, and Delaware City’s viability as a shipping port diminished.
e U.S. government purchased and further excavated the canal in 1919, which eliminated the need for locks.
ey moved the eastern terminus two miles south to Reedy Point in 1927, to accommodate larger ships, but it meant that far fewer travelers could disembark to shop, dine, and stay in town.
A virus called peach yellows, novel in 1880 and not well understood, destroyed most of the local orchards.
Given these changes, Delaware City never reached the size or status of a city, but the early success of the riverport town had an undeniable in uence on the development of commerce in our nation’s history.
With a nod to this history, Delaware’s state ower is the peach blossom, and the state food is peach pie.
Clinton Street has seen a major uptick in new businesses over the past few years.
Delaware City Today
One aspect that hasn’t changed over the past 100 years is the slow pace of life that residents have enjoyed in this tight-knit community, even when the Delaware City Refinery set up along the river in 1956.
Delaware City also is a destination on the Underground Railroad Byway, a scenic route that follows the known locations where slaves found safety on their route to freedom.
The historic district, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, includes 250 buildings constructed from 1826 to 1930, representing a variety of architectural styles, including Colonial, Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, and Victorian, which help tell the town’s story.
To revitalize the area as a historic destination, Governor John Carney designated Delaware City as a Downtown Development District in 2019, which helped facilitate the preservation of historic buildings. Over the past decade, investors, developers, and entrepreneurs have placed a solid bet on the town, and momentum is beginning to build.
For a selection of some of the creative enterprises you will see on a stroll through Delaware City, read on:
FORT DELAWARE STATE PARK
On Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River, a half-mile east of Battery Park, lies Fort Delaware. is imposing granite compound is surrounded by a foreboding moat. Its walls, between 7- and 30-feet thick, held Confederate prisoners during the Civil War. Fort Delaware also was part of a three-port defense system, which included Fort DuPont, also in Delaware City, and Fort Mott, in Pennsville, New Jersey, which served to protect the cities north along the Delaware River. From the dock in Battery Park, catch the Delafort Ferry for a tour and civil war re-enactments. If you meet a ghost, please be respectful. You’re a guest.
—DeStateParks.com/History/FortDelaware
THE EASTERN LOCK OF THE C & D CANAL
A single lock remains preserved in history and also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. “Harriet Tubman passed through this lock in 1856, on one of her best documented and most daring freedom missions, known as ‘ e Tilly Escape,” says Debbie Martin of the Delaware Underground Railroad Coalition.
— Archives.Delaware.gov
CRABBY DICK’S
A sidewalk sign that reads, “Come on in, Hon,” is an invitation too playful to ignore. Crabby Dick’s occupies the rst oor of the Delaware City Hotel, another historic building on the National Register of Historic Places. A large outdoor deck o ers a lovely view of the Delaware River and a delightful breeze. Select from a variety of humorously named crab dishes, as well as burgers, “sammiches,” soups and salads, and all the drinks. On your way out, you can pick up Crabby Dick’s Creamery Fudge (16 avors) and fun crab-themed merchandise.
—Crabby-dicks.com (30 Clinton St.)
THE ICE CREAM PARLOR
If you said no to dessert at Crabby Dick’s, you could change your mind next door at the Ice Cream Parlor, featuring Crabby Dick’s Creamery ice cream and desserts. With 10 delicious avors, imagine the possibilities. Order a hand-dipped single, double or cone — or try the new “Clawsome Crabshake.” e Ice Cream Parlor also o ers avored co ees, takeout, and outdoor seating on bright and inviting pink chairs.
—Scoop-a-licious.com (32 Clinton St.)
BELLEVUE FARMERS MARKET
FRIDAYS 3-7 P.M.
DON’T MISS THIRD FRIDAYS AT THE MARKET! AUGUST 16 | SEPTEMBER 20 | OCTOBER 18
ARTWORTH CREATIONS
Experience the art of Ainsworth McKend, an inspiring artist from Guyana, South America, who works in a range of styles from cubism to impressionism. He’ll gladly show you around the gallery, where hundreds of paintings and one-of-a kind statement pieces of handcrafted jewelry, drinkware, and greeting cards are on display and available for purchase. And, he offers layaway. McKend also hosts paint-and-sip parties. Even if you’ve never picked up a brush, he’ll help you and your group master self-expression through art while having a whole lot of fun.
— ArtworthCreations.com (36 Clinton St.)
510 Duncan Rd. Bellevue Community Center North Wilmington nccde.org/farmersmarkets
Ainsworth McKend at his gallery, Artworth Creations.
MUSIC ON T HE RIVER
Tuesday August 6th • 6-9pm
Tuesday, August 13th • 6-9pm
Tuesday, August 20th • 6-9pm Tuesday, August 27th • 6-9pm
YELLOW DOOR SPA & BOUTIQUE
Self-care awaits behind the yellow door, where you’ll experience the healing power of massage to rejuvenate your body, mind and spirit. In this recently renovated historic space, the vibe is inviting and serene. You’ll leave feeling relaxed, refreshed, and renewed, and possibly holding a bag of new skincare products, candles, or jewelry, handcrafted by small business partners from all over the state.
— Site under construction (302.772-2012; 38 Clinton St.)
PASTEL PEDALS
e aesthetically pleasing lineup of pastel cruiser bicycles creates an aura of possibility at Delaware’s rst bike share company. With every bike you rent from Pastel Pedals, a tree will be planted as part of a global reforestation project. e rental process is self-serve. Simply scan the barcode at the entrance, and download the Pastel Pedals app. Select your bike, featuring airless, at-proof tires. Pay with the solar-powered card reader, and o you go.
— PastelPedals.com (42 Clinton St).
DELAWARE CITY TRADING COMPANY
is modern-day interpretation of a general store features regional and organic food products and specialty snacks and beverages, including co ee and tea. You’ll also nd an impressive selection of nostalgic candy that’s sure to bring back childhood memories, and vintage toys that encourage kids to use their hands. Take all the time you want browsing local history books, unique home décor, Simply Southern clothing and accessories, and Delaware City souvenirs. Tables in the front of the store provide the perfect spot for co ee and conversation. — DelawareCityTradingCompany.com (62 Clinton St.)
THE SALTBOX
A Delaware Today Best of Delaware past winner of in the home decor store category, this beautiful shop o ers unique beach and nautical themed home goods, perfect for that empty corner or blank wall on the boat, beach or lake house, or really, any home that could use a peaceful, beachy accent. Be sure to check out the tote bags made of sailcloth that you didn’t know you needed.
— eSaltBoxde.com (70 Clinton St.)
THE CAKE SISTERS
Where customers are part of their family, the a able and talented sisters of all things sweet will bring your vision to life using only the nest fresh ingredients. From gorgeous, multi-tiered wedding cakes and desserts to breakfast trays for your morning meeting, they deliver — literally and guratively. You can select from a variety of delicious creations such as crème brulee, brownies, cupcakes, cookies, and scones — or go online to request nearly anything you can imagine, custom-made to sweeten up your next party or event.
— eCakeSisters.com (88 Clinton St.)
SABATINA’S SANDWICHES
Although this new deli and caterer hasn’t even been in business for a full second year, it has already garnered hundreds of rave reviews. According to one recent customer, Sabatina’s has, “the best hoagies and cheesesteaks in the area,” and there seems to be a consensus. e eatery recently earned a First State Favorites Community's Choice Award in the Best Sub/ Deli/Sandwich Shop, Best Caterer/Catering Company, and Best Cheesestake categories. One of its most popular creations is the chicken cutlet Italiano.
— Sabatinas.com (94 Clinton St.)
Scott Demaczak pictured here at Delaware City Trading Company, where you can find a little bit of everything. Demczak also owns and operates The Saltbox.
The Saltbox has become a fixture on historic Clinton Street.
PETIT SOCIAL STUDIO
Searching for a stunning venue for your wedding, baby shower, or luncheon? Petit Social Studio, located on the rst oor of the historic and iconic Central Hotel/ Sterling’s Tavern building, was recently renovated and repurposed into impressive event space and photography studio. With indoor and outdoor seating, guests can take in an incredible view of the branch canal and watch the pleasure craft make their way to the pristine docks of the quaint Delaware City Marina.
— PetitSocialStudio.com (85 Clinton St.)
HONEY SALON
Also located in the Central Hotel/Sterling’s Tavern building is Honey Salon, a beauty collective in which each stylist operates as an independent business. From luxurious hair treatments to professional makeup artistry, Honey Spa is a place to treat yourself or a loved one to top-tier beauty services. Honey Bridal, a subsection of the collective, is a place for the bride and wedding party to relax and get glam for the big day next door at Petit Social.
— HoneySalonllc.com (92 Clinton St., Floors 1 - 3)
FORT DUPONT
A lively military base from the Civil War through World War II, Fort Dupont was part of a three-port defense system, which included Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island, and Fort Mott, in Pennsville, New Jersey, which served to protect the cities north along the Delaware River. e fort also housed thousands of German prisoners-of-war, who performed various duties around the base. Fort DuPont was decommissioned in 1946 and sold to the state. In 1992, about a third of the property that hugs the riverbank was designated as Fort Delaware State Park, where visitors can walk along the River View Trail and enjoy a picnic lunch or spend the afternoon shing or boating. On the section with pleasure craft access to the branch canal and marina, new homes that
Kathy's Crab House and Crabby Dick's provides locals and visiting seafood lovers with two tasty options.
blend in quite nicely were recently constructed, sold, and occupied. e state has recently forged ahead with adaptive re-use of remaining historic buildings on the property. Plans are also in the works for an RV park and campground resort along the waterways, as well as additional new housing.
— DelawareStateParks.com
EARTHMOMMY FLORALS
is delightful ower and gift shop is a convenient stop on your way in or out of town, where you’ll discover a unique selection of highend gifts, including ne jewelry, perfume, and gourmet chocolates, to name a few. You can also order the perfect custom arrangement for any event, including weddings and all kinds of celebrations from large to small, for pick up or delivery.
—EarthmommyFlowers.com (502 Fifth St.)
KATHY'S CRAB HOUSE AND FAMILY RESTAURANT
With a lighthouse façade and a down-home atmosphere, Kathy’s is a casual eatery where the kids’ menu is always available. Featuring Maryland blue crabs fresh from the Chester River, Kathy’s hearty, homemade recipies have earned a reputation for the best homemade crab cakes in the area, with plenty of non-seafood options as well, such as cheesesteaks, subs, soups and salads.
to check out the elegant lineup of docked boats: a lovely scene you won’t soon forget. — DelawareCityMarina.biz (302 Clinton St.)
THE MICHAEL N. CASTLE TRAIL
You can walk, bike, rollerblade, or push a stroller or wheelchair along this 12.7-mile paved trail, accessible from the Branch Canal Trail, which you can pick up in Battery Park or
next to Kathy’s Crab House on Route 9. As you cross into Maryland, you’ll connect to the 1.8-mile Ben Cardin Trail, for a total of 14.5 miles end-toend. Take in beautiful views of ships on the canal and listen for the quiet sounds from the estuary marshes, inhabited by a variety of wildlife, including rare avian species. Be sure to bring your binoculars. — Traillink.com
For more, visit DelawareCity.com
Visit Delaware City!
Visit Delaware City, Delaware!
Visit Delaware City, Delaware!
Visit Delaware City, Delaware!
Two hundred years of maritime heritage come alive when you visit Delaware City, Delaware. You can almost hear the toots of steamboats in the distance!
Two hundred years of maritime heritage come alive when you visit Delaware City, Delaware. You can almost hear the toots of steamboats in the distance!
Two hundred years of maritime heritage come alive when you visit Delaware City, Delaware. You can almost hear the toots of steamboats in the distance!
• Ride the Three Forts Ferry to Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island and Fort Mott in New Jersey.
• Visit Fort DuPont.
• Ride the Three Forts Ferry to Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island and Fort Mott in New Jersey.
• Visit Fort DuPont.
—KathysCrabHouse.com (107 Fifth St.)
DELAWARE CITY MARINA
You’ll receive a warm welcome at the docks of this full-service marina on the Branch Canal, which is open to all kinds of pleasure craft. If you’re looking for great conversation or have any questions about Delaware City, stop in and say hello to the operators, technicians and sta . In addition to boat service, fuel and rentals, you’ll nd all the parts and equipment you could need in the Ship’s Store, along with ice, drinks and snacks. Splurge in Red’s Gear & Gifts for fun, nautical novelties. Stroll along the promenade
Visit Fort DuPont.
• Walk along the original Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
• Ride the Three Forts Ferry to Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island and Fort Mott in New Jersey.
• Walk along the original Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
• Stroll Main Street with quaint shops.
• Dine in style at the town’s eateries.
Walk along the original Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
• Stroll Main Street with quaint shops.
• Dine in style at the town’s eateries.
Stay at Delaware City Marina, a clean, modern full-service facility central to all the attractions of this historic seaport. Friendly staff and knowledgeable technicians await your arrival.
Stroll Main Street with quaint shops. Dine in style at the town’s eateries.
Stay at Delaware City Marina, a clean, modern full-service facility central to all the attractions of this historic seaport. Friendly staff and knowledgeable technicians await your arrival.
Stay at Delaware City Marina, a clean, modern full-service facility central to all the attractions of this historic seaport. Friendly staff and knowledgeable technicians await your arrival.
Newly remodeled, the marina features new, beautiful, sparkling bath facilities; new oating docks; new 30- and 50-amp electrical service and pedestals; remodeled and updated ship’s store; new Wi-Fi; new laundry room; and new diesel and gas dispensers on the fuel dock.
Newly remodeled, the marina features new, beautiful, sparkling bath facilities; new oating docks; new 30- and 50-amp electrical service and pedestals; remodeled and updated ship’s store; new Wi-Fi; new laundry
Newly remodeled, the marina features new, beautiful, sparkling bath facilities; new oating docks; new 30- and 50-amp electrical service and pedestals; remodeled and updated ship’s store; new Wi-Fi; new laundry room; and new diesel and gas dispensers
Slips, Storage, Service, Fuel & Marine Supplies 35-Ton Marine Travelift, Launch and Tow Services Delaware City Marina
PHONE: 302.834.4172 • FAX: 302.834.5187
Slips, Storage, Service, Fuel & Marine Supplies
302 Canal Street, Delaware City, Delaware 19706 LAT: 39.57318 /
35-Ton Marine Travelift, Launch and Tow Services
Canal Street, Delaware City, Delaware 19706 LAT: 39.57318 / LONG: 75.59027 Your first step to an unforgettable step into history begins at: www.delawarecitymarina.biz
Your first step to an unforgettable step into history begins at: www.delawarecitymarina.biz
Your first step to an unforgettable step into history begins at: www.delawarecitymarina.biz
All In e Family
Casapulla’s sandwich shops are a tight-knit operation. That, and a tasty product, are key to six decades of success.
Two things the Casapulla clan want you to know:
No. 1: Even though it seems as if one of their sandwich shops is on every street corner in Delaware, Casapulla’s sub shops are not part of a chain or a franchise — it’s a family business that just happens to have a lot of family.
No. 2: They never, ever considered calling their sandwiches hoagies .
Casapulla’s is a well-known name in Delaware, perhaps second only to du Pont. The group of family-owned sub shops has been feeding Delawareans for more than 60 years, and the brand is stronger than ever.
And so is the bond among family members, even though each sub shop is a separate entity owned and operated by one or more of the Casapullas. Other than their gene pool, there really is no connection between the various sub-making descendants of Luigi Casapulla, who started it all back in 1956.
at was after Luigi emigrated from Italy in 1921 and settled in Elsmere. Eventually, he and his wife, Anna, bought what was Phil’s Market, a small, neighborhood grocery store in a modest brick building that is still the heart of the Casapulla empire.
e young couple also made and sold sandwiches at their store and after Anna died, Luigi had an epiphany. His sandwiches were selling better than expected, and he realized that there were plenty of places in the area to buy groceries, but very few that sold subs, especially subs as tasty as Casapulla’s.
ere weren’t many old-style sub shops in Wilmington in those days. It was before the advent of assembly-line chain stores such as Subway, Jersey Mike’s, Jimmy John’s and Wawa — so Casapulla’s quickly became a go-to stop for hungry Wilmingtonians.
By Kevin Noonan
Fast forward and now Casapulla’s is feeding people all over the state. All nine of Luigi’s children and all of his grandchildren have owned and/or worked at one of the shops, and most of them were weaned on the business at the original Elsmere store.
Lou Casapulla (center, green shirt) at the flagship Elsmere shop with other members of the Casapulla clan (l-r): Rose, Annlynn and Michelle. In back: Adam and Louis Jr.
Photos by Justin Heyes
Now there are six di erent Casapulla Sub Shops, and the operative word there is “di erent.” ere is no business connection between any of the shops and it’s an arrangement that, so far, has worked well.
“ ey do their own thing and we do our own thing,” says Annlynn Casapulla, one of Luigi’s granddaughters who now oversees operations at the Elsmere store, a place where she grew up. She was just 6 years old when her father, Andrew, would pick her up after school and head right to the original Casapulla’s, where she would hang out until it was time to head home. She started working there when she was 15 and she’s never left.
“I think we all understand that there’s a standard that’s been set for Casapulla subs,” she says, “and for all the shops, it’s all about quality and continuing the tradition that Luigi started. We just do it in our own way.”
e Beat Goes On
Luigi started it, and his son, Lou kept it going. In fact, the 81-year-old — also known to older generations as Lue Cazz, his stage name when he was a local rock and roll star in the 1950s and 1960s (he was inducted into the Delaware Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1976) — still clocks in at the Elsmere store every day, just as he has seemingly forever.
“Every morning, he’s the rst one here,” Annlynn
Casapulla says. “He’s amazing.”
Maybe it’s genetic — Luigi worked at the Elsmere shop until the day he died in 1985, when he was, like Lou, in his 80s.
Lou Casapulla acknowledges the non-family part of his family business and says it was never a real plan for the di erent members to open their own shops; it just happened over time. And he acknowledges the potential for trouble that exists in every family business, however, he says it’s never happened in his.
“ e secret is that everyone does [their] own thing and nobody does it exactly the same way,” he says. “We just run our own stores and mind our own business.”
Still, Lou Casapulla says that if it had been up to him, Casapulla’s would have become a franchise brand and not so family-dominated.
“It really goes back to my dad,” he says. “He encouraged us to go o on our own, and that was his way of expanding the business without having to deal with all the business stu . He just loved what he did and he wasn’t interested in getting rich.”
at’s a marked contrast from Casapulla’s main competition, Capriotti’s, which incorporated and now has its headquarters in, of all places, Las Vegas. Ironically, the founder of Capriotti’s, the late Lois Margolet, was a regular customer at Casapulla’s before starting her own sub shop in 1976. Now there are 112 Capriotti’s locations in 28 states.
Establishing A Beachhead
Meanwhile, the farthest the Casapulla’s have expanded is to Sussex County.
Paula Casapulla LaPenta is a perfect example of the family in uence. Now 67, she started working in the Elsmere shop when she was 13. She initially wanted to be a pharmaceutical representative and even went to
Every Casapulla shop knows "it's about quality and continuing the tradition that Luigi started," says Annlynn Casapulla.
college in Minnesota with that goal in mind.
“But I quickly found out that the corporate world wasn’t for me,” she says.
So, she came home and jumped back in the family business. Eventually, she and her husband, Mike LaPenta — a former basketball star and coach at Salesianum School — decided to branch out on their own. So, they took a big leap, financially and geographically, and opened a Casapulla’s near Lewes.
That was 40 years ago and their business, now located off of Route 1, is still going strong. And their store is a little different than other Casapulla’s because it was the first one outside of New Castle County and the influx of out-of-state vacationers means they can’t rely on the Casapulla reputation to enhance their business.
“More than anything, we depend on word of mouth,” she says. “Up North, everyone knows about Casapulla’s because they grew up with it. People know it and love it. Here, you get so many people who aren’t from Delaware and know nothing about our history.
“But people find out. Now we have lots of out-ofstate people who want to know how they can get our subs where they live. They recognize and appreciate the quality of our sandwiches and our service and they tell others.”
Paula says the secret to their success is the same as all the Casapulla sub shops — personal involvement.
“Mike and I are in here every day and that makes a difference,” she says. “We’re there to make sure the quality is there. So many other places have gone corporate and there aren’t many mom-and-pop stores around anymore. But when you come to one of our stores, you know that there will be a Casapulla working there and you know that you’ll get great service and great sandwiches. That’s how we’ve made our mark in Delaware for decades.”
And though Philadelphia, not Delaware, is often thought of as the promised land when it comes to those sandwiches and most people in the region (including Wawas in Delaware) call them hoagies, Lou Casapulla says neither he, his father nor any of their descendants felt they had to follow the leader.
“Why would we?” Lou Casapulla asks. “It’s called a sub because it has the same shape as a submarine, and everyone knows what a submarine looks like.
“But what’s a ‘hoagie’?”
Paula Casapulla LaPenta and husband Mike LaPenta carried the Casapulla's tradition to Sussex County. Photo provided
Brewing Community
Wilmington Brew Works doesn’t just make beer, they make friends
By Catherine Kempista
After sitting vacant for nearly two decades, the property at 3201 Miller Road gained a tenant with a purpose — to create a space where community could grow and to create a business that builds community. Since 2018, Wilmington Brew Works (WBW) has put their mission to work, breathing new life into a forgotten industrial site and forging partnerships with organizations that are equally committed to building community in Wilmington. >
Wilmington Brew Works has become the "third space" for a wide range of community groups.
Photo by John Fusco
For the Ninth Ward neighborhood, the rehabilitation and reuse of the iconic colonial Spanish revival-style building has been transformative. Prior to 2016, when city o cials and the developer started work on remediating the brown eld site, the industrial property was a vacant and deteriorating landmark for passersby traveling from North Wilmington into the city and back.
Despite the dilapidated condition of the site, residents of the Ninth Ward and surrounding neighborhoods knew the building had tremendous potential, including Craig Wensell, WBW founder, CEO, CFO, and master brewer.
“When I rst moved to Wilmington, Haynes Park was the rst park I found to play in with my son,” says Wensell. “ e building was all boarded up, had this fence, and at one point, I told my kids I was going to put a brewery in this building. en, it was like a year, a year and a half later, the city ended up approaching me.”
The Third Space
In 2018, WBW opened their doors to the public, ushering in a new phase of economic development and
community gathering for the once-forgotten space, now called Miller Road Station. With WBW as its successful anchor, the commercial space became home to La Pizzeria Metro in 2019 and Sleeping Bird Co ee in 2021, and public infrastructure investments, including sidewalks and major renovations to Haynes Park, were completed in the surrounding area.
“It was fantastic honestly,” says Jonathan Jones, a WBW Cellarman’s Circle member who lived in the Ninth Ward from 2011 to 2020.
“It's just a complete transformation. It's not just that it was a brewery moving into the building, but it was a great group of people who really invested time into the neighborhood.”
For Jones, who now lives in e Triangle neighborhood, WBW remains the go-to place to host celebrations, like his wife’s baby shower; grab a beer and pizza with friends; and meet up with his brother, who lives in Brandywine Hills.
“When it’s a brothers’ day out, we’ll meet at WBW, let the kids have some fun, be outside, and just be in a di erent space,” says Jones.
e concept that Jones refers to is known in sociology as “the third space,” which represents a place outside of your home and workplace that plays an equally important
Wilmington Brew Works owners (l-r): John Fusco, Craig Wensell, Derek Berkeley, Dan Yopp. Photo courtesy WBW
role in gathering and socializing.
“In Friends, it was Central Perk. In Seinfeld, it was the diner,” says John Fusco, WBW’s vice president of creative and brand marketing. “ is is the third space for a lot of people in the neighborhood.”
But what makes the experience at WBW unique from other places within Wilmington is the variety of groups that make the taproom their third space, which is a direct result of outreach by the WBW team to create partnerships that appeal to audiences far and wide.
“You start to see people that are having knitting clubs that come in on Sunday mornings or a run club that comes in on ursday nights,” says Fusco. “We have the '80s Babies’ meetup group in the taproom and yoga in the Alamo Room.” And that’s just to name a few.
Community Partnerships
WBW’s commitment to building community extends well beyond the walls of their Miller Road location.
“We're trying to do what we think businesses should do in their community, which is have some tangible support for the greater community,” says Wensell.
Within days of having their license approved in July
2018, WBW sta poured their rst beers in Bellevue State Park for patrons of Delaware State Parks’ Summer Concert Series, marking the start of their presence at every Sunday night concert since.
But what patrons may not realize is their community support often translates into nancial support for the partnering organization.
“All the beer sales at Bellevue support the Friends of Bellevue State Park,” says Fusco. From the outset, they adopted a model with partnering nonpro ts where WBW sells the beer at a wholesale price, allowing the nonpro t to set the price for each pour and keep all the pro ts for their mission-based work.
WBW has supported Friends of Wilmington Parks in the same way.
“When WBW had just opened, our Wilmington state park superintendent had reached out letting us know that they were interested in partnership opportunities, so she put us in touch with John and the group to talk about what our summer concert needs would be,” says Blair Tkacz, board president of the Friends of Wilmington Parks. “ ey immediately said let's partner, and this is how we can support you.” >
In addition to the Summer Concert Series at Rockford Park and the Sugar Bowl Pavilion in Brandywine Park, WBW similarly supports their Folk Art Fridays events and donates beer for their annual Jasper Crane Rose Garden Party fundraiser.
Partnering with WBW can also look di erent depending on where the conversation goes, as is the case with Hagley Museum and Library and its collaboration with WBW for e Fruits of Eleutherian Mills cider production and its Grand-Père Éleuthère Irénée's Molasses Porter
“One night in the tap room, Ryan, the cider guy, stopped me to say, hey, did the du Ponts ever make booze? And I’m like, well, yeah, there are historic recipes,” says Lucas Clawson, Hagley Historian. He asked, did they grow stu on the property? Yeah, they had their own orchard. So, the conversation spun up from there.”
e resulting partnership gave Hagley an opportunity to see its heirloom fruits used in a commercially successful cider and their historic recipes tapped for the enjoyment of a 21st century audience.
“ ey're working at all levels in the community and are genuinely out there,” says Clawson.
For Alex Yoh, vice president of operations for the Delaware Blue Coats, the opportunities to partner with WBW have been endlessly innovative and bene cial to both organizations.
“John and Craig are idea people,” says Yoh. “And what's cool about our business in the NBA G League is we can do a lot of creative things. I think that's the foundation that led to some pretty cool initiatives.”
Some of their most notable collaborations include a WBW-branded beer garden suite and WBW Courtside Brew House at Blue Coats home games, a Blue Coats-inspired Varsity Brew available at the Chase Field House and in the taproom, and sponsorship of jerseys for Wilmington Blue Bombers tribute nights, which celebrates the history of Delaware’s rst professional basketball team founded in 1941.
“WBW got involved in the Blue Bomber tribute nights because it kind of called to exactly what they try to do, too, in a di erent way,” says Yoh. is year, the WBW-sponsored jerseys were auctioned o , and proceeds were donated to a charity chosen by WBW — the Friends of Wilmington Parks.
“I think that they know that to create a community, you have to be in the community,” says Leslie Hubbard, executive director of Friends of Wilmington Parks. “And, you know, they do a great job.”
WBW has developed a creative partnership with the Delaware Blue Coats. Photo courtesy WBW
Art of the Matter
Freeman Arts knows how to host a concert, but its artistic reach extends beyond the nonprofit’s Selbyville stage
By Roger Hillis
The summer of 2024 finds the outdoor Freeman Arts Pavilion in Selbyville running at full throttle. As is the case each summer, tens of thousands of music fans are braving the heat to enjoy concerts by famous faces.
ese types of heavy hitters who hit the stage as the sun starts to set get the lion’s share of publicity and attention for the seasonal, 4,000-capacity pavilion, which is a program of the nonpro t Joshua M. Freeman Foundation. However, CEO Patti Grimes and her team also o er family fare during the day.
“A lot of people don’t realize that 50% of our programming is free,” says Grimes.
This includes events for kids and their parents each Saturday featuring magicians, drumming, spokenword performers and more. And while the pavilion closes shop each September, the activity moves inside as the organization visits schools. Freeman’s folks
behind the scenes are already focused on these fall and winter community projects for teens and children which spotlight culture and the arts.
“Even though we’re at the height of our summer season, we’re busy scheduling our back-to-school programming,” says Grimes. “It’s a delight to be working for the community almost 365 days per year.” >
Freeman Arts offers diverse cultural programming along with providing arts outreach to more than 20,000 students each year.
Photos courtesy Freeman Arts
by William Shakespeare
APR. 10 27
King Lear has decided to end his reign and divide his country among his three daughters. Loyalties are misjudged and Lear soon finds himself stripped of everything that once defined him. A classic tale full of betrayal and chaos that only the Bard could weave.
Freeman has a committee that consults with elementary and high schools to determine which types of programs would most bene t their students. “We try to o er things that are tied to their core curriculum,” says Grimes.
ese age-appropriate events run the gamut. Elementary school programs focus on dance; the middle school programs focus on the visual arts; and high school programs feature more music. ese can be in the form of general assemblies, small classroom experiences or both.
“We’ve had a brass band that performed at a school assembly, and then met with music students in a classroom setting,” says Grimes. “It gave the students the chance to ask the musicians about everything from posture to how to hold longer breaths.”
ere are also night classes that parents can attend along with their children who are students. “We’re reaching 20,000 to 30,000 students per year,” says Grimes.
e Freeman events programs also seek to bridge ethnicities and cultures. “One of the best examples of this is our opera program,” she says. “It teaches the language and etiquette of opera, and it’s bilingual in Spanish and English.”
Nine of the school districts involved are in Sussex County, but last year Freeman crossed state lines for the rst time.
“In 2023, we started working with Worcester County and Wicomoco County schools in Maryland,” says Grimes. “We get a preponderance of patrons from Delaware, but we’re so close to the state line that we also get a lot of people from Maryland. We always say you don’t need a passport to enjoy the Freeman Arts Pavilion.”
Freeman received some major props this summer when Grimes traveled to Wilmington for the annual Delaware Business Times awards ceremony — where she was named CEO Of e Year in the Large Nonpro t category.
“I was proud to accept it on behalf of the entire Freeman organization. It’s a true team e ort,” she says. “And it was nice that a Sussex Countian was chosen, since there is usually a lot of focus on Kent County and New Castle County.”
Freeman Arts CEO Patti Grimes says 50% of their programming is free.
The City
FREE LEVITT MUSIC SERIES CONTINUES AT UAE
The FREE Levitt AMP Wilmington Music Series continues this month at Wilmington’s award-winning Urban Artist Exchange (UAE) Amphitheater, 1509 Cli ord Brown Walk on the City’s East Side. e series is supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, which partners with changemakers and nonpro ts across the country to activate underused outdoor spaces through the power of free, live music — bringing people together, fostering belonging, and invigorating community life. All shows begin at 6:30 p.m. Visit cityfestwilm.com for more info.
• WEDS., AUG. 7: PLENA LIBRE
• WEDS., AUG. 14 DIGGING ROOTS
• WEDS., AUG. 21: JESSICA FICHOT
• WEDS., AUG. 28: JUMAANE SMITH
PHOTOS:
Plena Libre / www.plenalibre.com
Digging Roots / www.diggingrootsmusic.com
Jessica Fichot/ www.jessicasongs.com
Jumaane Smith / www.jumaanesmith.com
CITY HOSTS 3RD ANNUAL BLACK STORYTELLING RESIDENCY
The 3rd Annual Wilmington Black Storytelling Residency, under the theme “Rooted in Resilience: Celebrating Black Narratives,” took place July 7-14 and culminated in a free public performance of original stories at the U.A.E. Amphitheater on Saturday, July 13. e event focused on exploring and honoring the resilience of Black communities throughout history and today, highlighting stories of triumph, perseverance, and empowerment e 2024 residency brought together eleven storytellers from seven states to take part in the immersive, weeklong learning experience sponsored by the Mayor’s O ce of Cultural A airs and Cityfest, Inc., and led by nationally recognized local storyteller TAHIRA. Participants were trained by masters in storytelling, African dance, and African drumming in a learning format that includes group instruction, independent study, research, and performance rehearsal. e 2024 WBSR cohort also explored African American history in Delaware in depth, creating original stories based on their learning experiences.
“We were thrilled to welcome Black storytellers from across the country, including participants from as far away as California, to our great city of Wilmington for this immersive learning experience,” said TAHIRA, Founder and Program Director of WBSR. “Black storytellers from across the country descend on our great City to learn of its history, experience its vibrant presence, and help shape its future by using their creative skills to tell the world about the historic accomplishments of this city.”
Wilmington Black Storytelling Residency is an annual program that elevates Black storytelling as an art form and a vital cultural practice. By bringing together storytellers from across the country, the residency fosters a deep understanding and appreciation of Black communities' rich history and ongoing contributions. e WBSR seeks to elevate the skills of emerging and experienced storytellers in story crafting and performance and to expand their knowledge of African Diaspora storytelling.
2024 Wilmington Black Storytelling Residency participants
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT
Ihave known Joe Biden for many years and am grateful for his guidance and his friendship. While his decision last month to withdraw from the presidential race to focus exclusively on the duties of his office may have taken many people by surprise, it is very much in line with the Joe Biden that I know and respect.
Much will be written about Joe’s numerous accomplishments and his lasting legacy of service to the people of Delaware and to our entire nation — as senator, as vice president, and now as a successful president. But putting aside his natural inclination to fight for the good of our country at this critical juncture, and recognizing that the best way to serve our nation now is by relinquishing this one final campaign to the next generation, is emblematic of the kind of leader Joe Biden is.
To paraphrase the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the true measure of a man is how he stands at times of challenges. Joe Biden has shown himself to be someone who courageously put the welfare of his fellow citizens above personal ambition, remaining true to the ideals of leadership, fortitude, and compassion that have always endeared him to the people of our city, our state, the nation, and the world.
We have been proud to host the President and his entire reelection team over this past year. Wilmington was given the opportunity to shine on the international stage and show the world just how special our little city is. As we welcome the Kamala Harris campaign to town, we will continue to stand with Joe as he spends these last few months working tirelessly to improve the lives of everyday Americans, and we look forward to welcoming him back home in January.
