There are lots of reasons to celebrate this weekend.
Father’s Day, Juneteenth, a long weekend for many and the waning days of spring as we get ready to celebrate the first day of summer!
As we write this, I’m seeing a forecast for sunny to partly sunny skies, and temps topping out around 82 Saturday, 85 Sunday and 88 Monday, so it’s also beach weather.
Still need some fun on your calendar, a place to take Dad or a special way to mark Juneteenth?
Let’s dive right in …
Dad’s big day
The absolute worst moment in any Father’s Day prep is having zero gift ideas and eyeing those sad end-cap displays in department stores with the most generic gift offerings of all time.
It’s like they scream from behind their plastic shells, “When you know absolutely nothing about your dad at all, buy him this obscure body wash!’’
If you want to treat your dad, grandpa or other great father figure in your life to something special, perhaps a shared adventure is more in order. We have some great Delaware-based suggestions for you right here.
Does your dad like a corny joke and a good laugh?
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Summer intern Justin Robertson delved into which dad jokes Delaware likes best and thinks are the most eye-rolling. He also sniffed out some places where beer-loving dads might enjoy some dad joke-themed beer and special events. Check it out.
Want to feel all the feels? Read this tribute to dads.
Still stuck for a gift idea? Here are 40 more.
Celebrating Juneteenth in Delaware
Juneteenth is traditionally celebrated on the third Saturday in June.
“The observance of Juneteenth goes by many names: Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day or Black Independence Day,’’ writes Cameron Goodnight. “But no matter what you call it, it is one of the most significant celebrations in American history,’’ he observes.
“It was on June 19, 1865 — two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation — that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, received word that the Civil War had ended and that all slaves were free. Shortly after, former slaves began to celebrate with prayer, song and dancing.’’
While the day has been observed for more than 150 years, the U.S. now commemorates Juneteenth as a national holiday and it marks the official end of slavery.
“In 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation that made Juneteenth a federal holiday in the wake of a summer of nationwide protests in 2020 that was set off by the killing of George Floyd’’ Cameron reports.
In honor of African American emancipation, the Delaware Juneteenth Association presents the Freedom Festival & Parade.
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The event starts with a parade, followed by the festival, which includes games, food, vendors and performances. Additionally, the festival features special guest Chubb Rock, a rap legend known for songs like “Treat ‘Em Right” and “Just the Two of Us.”
Freedom Festival & Parade is on Saturday, June 17. At 10 a.m., the parade begins on Rodney Square (1000 N. Market St., Wilmington) through 11th and King streets; at noon, the festival is at Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park (Rosa Parks Drive, Wilmington). Visit delawarejuneteenth.org.
Dancing, storytelling and music artists are on tap to celebrate the emancipation of Black Americans.
The Wilmington Ballet, in partnership with the Whitney Project, honors Black culture with musician and composer Jonathan Whitney, along with his Whitney Project participants, who will pour into Winterthur’s Enchanted Woods and Copeland Lecture Hall.
According to press materials, the day also offers a World Marketplace in Enchanted Woods, featuring Created by LA, Evernette Wines, Kara, Hinson Art and Soleil Dancewear.
Activities in Enchanted Woods are included with general admission tickets and are free for Winterthur members. There’s a separate fee for the performances.
The Whitney Project’s “A Celebration of Black Joy” takes place at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Copeland Lecture Hall inside Winterthur’s Visitor Center.
This Juneteenth event launches at Winterthur (5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 17. Admission is $22 adult, $20 senior (62 or older), $20 student (age 12 w/ID), $8 child (2-11) and free for infants. To RSVP, visit winterthur.org or (302) 888-4600.
Find more Delaware events here.
Beyond Juneteenth: Ancestors Festival comes to Del Art Museum
Everyone is invited to learn about the ancestral traditions of enslaved African Americans and the history of their descendants at Beyond Juneteenth Ancestors Festival: Afrosympoesium & Expo.
According to the event’s website, this year’s festival features an “AfrisymPOEMsium and Expo focused on the education, healing, protection, and adaptation of the human spirit.”
This festival launches at Delaware Art Museum (2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 18. Free event. Visit delart.org or (302) 571-9590.
In honor of Juneteenth, the Historic Odessa Foundation will present the “National Park Service Network to Freedom” exhibit and tour, “Freedom Seekers: The Odessa Story,” will be free to the public on that holiday, the foundation stated.
The foundation’s Corbit-Sharp House is a National Historic Landmark and a stop along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway.
According to press materials, the house was evaluated by the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom by the National Park Service, which determined it’s “making a significant contribution to the understanding of the Underground Railroad in American history.”
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In 2009, the Corbit-Sharp House was accepted into the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
Guests can explore the “Freedom Seekers” exhibit at the Historic Odessa Foundation (201 Main St., Odessa) at 2 p.m. Monday. Reservations are available. Free admission. Visit historicodessa.org or (302) 378-4119.
Your weekly beach 411
Every week, Shannon Marvel McNaught unpacks a big beach bag of info on what to expect from Cape Henlopen to Fenwick Island.
Check out what conditions might be like at Delaware Beaches for Father’s Day weekend, and what you can do when you get there.
And be sure to check out our 2023 beach landing page for dozens of stories about Delaware beaches.
Ready to cosplay?
You can embrace your inner villain or hero at the family-friendly Dover Comic Con. The con is the most popular in the state and attracts cosplayers who represent their fandom in anime, video games and superhero characters.
Gamers can sign up for a “Super Smash Bros.” tournament. There also will be a cosplay contest, along with food and art vendors, plus more. Activities will take place across downtown Dover on Loockerman and Federal streets, and on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Dover Comic Con is going down near Dover Public Library (35 Loockerman Plaza, Dover) on Saturday, June 17. Admission is free. Visit Dover Comic Con on Facebook, delmarvaevents.net or call (302) 741-8200.
That’s Italian!
The St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church’s Italian Festival continues through Saturday.
Don’t miss our historic gallery to create the perfect mood.
Andre Lamar and Cameron Goodnight contributed to this story
