⭐️ Delaware Student of the Week comes from the halls of Las Américas ASPIRA Academy

Brandywine arts, Nanticoke Powwow: Delaware's fall festivals in full swing this weekend

Sarika Jagtiani
The News Journal

Summer gets all the shine, but there is definitely a post-Labor Day boom for local festivals. This weekend alone there were too many events to detail; here are some of the major ones to hit now that summer is unofficially over.

Visitors at the Brandywine Festival of the Arts in 2014.

BRANDYWINE FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS

The festival featuring hundreds of artists and crafters, not to mention live music, children's activities and good eats, returns, as per usual, the weekend after Labor Day.

WHEN: 10 am.-6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8; and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9

WHERE: Brandywine Park, 1001 N. Park Drive, Wilmington. Park at either Salesianum School (1801 Broom St.) or Baynard Stadium (1797 Stadium Drive) and take a shuttle, which is pet-friendly, as is the festival. A limited number of handicapped parking spots are available on the park grounds.

COST: $5, free for children younger than 12 with paying adult; for an extra $1, gain admission to Brandywine Zoo (no pets allowed)

Wilmington businesswoman clears hip-hop samples for Eminem, Drake and more

MORE INFO: The featured artist at the Brandywine Festival of the Arts wouldn’t, say, behead someone to be named queen of the festival, but she would design the jewelry you might wear to commit such an act of treachery.

Jewelry designer Olga Ganoudis, a longtime exhibitor at the festival, is this year’s featured artist at the festival that runs Saturday and Sunday at Brandywine Park in Wilmington. Ganoudis is a licensed jewelry designer for HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” which means if you’re buying an officially sanctioned GOT necklace to channel your inner Daenerys, there’s a good chance it was designed by Ganoudis.

She’ll be one of about 200 artists and crafters at the park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. 

Newark rocker went from stomping holes in Deer Park stage to singing with Pearl Jam

Live music -- and morning yoga -- are part of this year’s festivities, as are children’s activities and plenty of food including local favorites like Home Grown Café and Caffe Gelato to American and Filipino barbeque by Famous Sgt. Bob BBQ & Grill and Red Bandana Kettle Corn. Those and more will be for sale, as will ice cream fresh from Hy-Point Dairy Farms.

For more information, visit www.brandywinearts.com.

The Historic Odessa Brewfest will host more than 50 breweries.

HISTORIC ODESSA BREWFEST

The fifth annual beer festival will feature over 50 breweries, including a hefty helping of local beermakers including longtime favorites like Dogfish Head and Iron Hill and newcomers like Stitch House and Volunteer. 

WHEN: 2-6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8 (VIP opens at noon)

WHERE: Historic Odessa Foundation, 201 Main St., Odessa

COST: $55, $65/day of 

MORE INFO: Little Odessa is going to get a lot more than pass-through beach traffic this Saturday with the arrival of its annual ode to beer.

The fifth annual Historic Odessa Brewfest takes over the grounds of the Historic Odessa Foundation from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday. Those who sprung for the VIP treatment will get into the grounds at noon, but VIP tickets are long gone.

Pumpkin Spice Playlist: Delaware Online's top songs for fall

Over 50 breweries will be pouring their finest while live music plays and colonial re-enactors drop some history on attendees. The mix of breweries includes tried-and-true craft brewers like Sierra Nevada, Bell’s and local superstars Dogfish Head, to newer local kids Stitch House and Volunteer Brewing. 

And don’t worry about food; eats from Cantwell’s Tavern will be for sale, along with ice cream from UDairy Creamery and other treats.

The event benefits the Historic Odessa Foundation.

For more information or tickets, visit www.odessabrewfest.com.

RIVERWALK FREEDOM FESTIVAL

The Milford tradition takes to the Riverwalk Saturday with a car show, pet parade, brew garden, food court and a day of family-friendly events.

WHEN: 9 a.m.-dusk Saturday, Sept. 8

WHERE: Downtown Milford (Walnut Street, Washington Street, Park Avenue, Bicentennial Park, Memorial Park and along the Riverwalk)

COST: Free

Fall preview: Beer, bands and cheese (!) festivals await summer's end

MORE INFO: One of Milford's biggest events is a day full of performances at multiple locations, so prepare to venue hop.

The day has a little bit of everything, including free paddleboat rides, live music and dance performances. Differentiating it from other festivals are some old-school touches, like the chief of police serving time in the dunk tank and the duck dash, 800 rubber ducks racing down Mispillion River. 

Fireworks go off shortly after dark, at about 8:30 p.m.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/riverwalkfreedomfestival

 

NANTICOKE INDIAN POWWOW

This celebration of the Nanticoke culture and people is a two-day affair, with worship and more than 40 tribes from across the country.

WHEN: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9

WHERE: GPS address is 26800 John J. Williams Highway, Millsboro

COST: $5, free for children 12 and younger; free parking

Wilmington businesswoman clears hip-hop samples for Eminem, Drake and more

MORE INFO: Some come for the weekend and camp, some bring a chair for the day just to enjoy the traditional festivities. Either way, the festival brings to life for visitors the Nanticoke culture, with different drumming groups, singers and dancers. 

You can also tour the Nanticoke Indian Museum, try authentic foods and immerse yourself in the culture of not only the Nanticoke, but also the more than 40 other tribes visiting from across the United States.

For more information, call the museum at 302-945-7022, visit www.nanticokeindians.org or visit the event's Facebook page. 

The annual sandcastle contest in Rehoboth Beach.

SANDCASTLE AND SCULPTURE CONTEST

Ok, it's not *technically* a festival. It is, however, one of the hallmark events at the beach, and it's turning 40 this weekend. Skilled architects have sculpted mermaids, castles and everything in between in the past, and this year will be no different. 

WHEN: Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8; registration between 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., sculptures must be finished by 3 p.m.

WHERE: On the beach in front of Funland, between Delaware and Laurel avenues, Rehoboth Beach

COST: Free to watch 

MORE INFO: From crabs to swamp things, the range of items sculpted out of sand will likely be broad. So will the skill level: There are categories for businesses, adults (15 and older), youth (7 to 14) and the "smiley" division (6 and younger).

Some will bust out straws, different sized cups and sketches to get their creation *just* right. And some will wing it with their hands and maybe a shovel.

It all has to be done with only manpower and handtools -- no mechanical assistance -- and nothing other than sand and water. And decorative touches you'll find on the beach, e.g. shells and such.

Here's the thing: Just because it's the 40th anniversary, doesn't mean this contest is failsafe. It is weather dependent, so it's possible the sculpting will be held off if rain or storms become an issue. Call 302-227-2233 for updates or visit the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.

The Mushroom Festival returns to Kennett Square, Pa., this weekend.

MUSHROOM FESTIVAL

Mushrooms don't typically inspire a lot of passion. Unless it's Mushroom Festival weekend, and then everyone's all about the mushroom -- especially its mascot, Fun Guy (come on, you had to have seen that coming).

The 31st annual festival returns Saturday and Sunday to downtown Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, with cooking demonstrations, an eating contest and kids' fun.

WHEN: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, with Alejandro Escovedo and Don Antonio show at 8 p.m. (separate tickets); and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9.

WHERE: GPS address is 101 S. Union St., Kennett Square (intersection of North Union and East State streets). Park at the Exelon parking lot from Route 1 South, or Kennett High School at the corner of South and South Union streets. Shuttles will be running to the festival.

COST: $3, free for ages 11 and younger. $5 parking.

She's beauty and she's grace: What you need to know about Miss Delaware

MORE INFO: There's a lot more to this party than fungus. There's a carnival with rides (3 to 10 p.m. Saturday, 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday). There's the Cute-As-A-Button Baby Photo Contest. There's a children's stage.

And then there's a lot of mushrooms, including an amateur mushroom cook-off, growers' exhibit, Soup and Wine Fest, eating contest and cooking demonstrations. 

Visit the Mushroom Festival's site for the full slate of events.