DELAWARE

Dogfish, Lefty's, WonderFEST highlight Southern Delaware tourism awards

KIM HOEY
DELMARVANOW CORRESPONDENT
Lefty's Alley and Eats opened off Del. 1 near Lewes over the winter.

Almost every day, Leslie Reese uses the insulated metal mug she got from running in the Dogfish Dash.

Reese, of Greenwood, is a runner, and the Dogfish Dash in Milton is one of her favorite races.

“It’s a very fun, small town, event type race,” she said of the 8K that winds through the town of Milton to end at the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.

Though she runs several races a year, the dash stands out because of its odd length, festive atmosphere and the incredible swag bag — as evidenced by her cup.

“They make it more fun than the normal race,” Reese said.

Reese’s friend, Katie Leister of Millsboro, agreed. “It’s a nice run through Milton and they offer a lot to the participants. Swag bag, beer and food,” she said.

The only complaint they had was that the race was so popular they didn’t always get to the website to register fast enough before its 2,500 racing slots were filled.

Learning that the Dash was the winner of the 2017 Southern Delaware Tourism Award for “Best Event” wasn’t a surprise to them.

The awards are sponsored by Southern Delaware Tourism and include categories for Best Attraction, Best Event, Best New Event and Tourism Partner of the Year. Winners are chosen from a list of nominees by a panel of impartial travel writers. They were awarded Dec. 6, at the Annual Souther Delaware Tourism Awards Luncheon at the Atlantic Sands Hotel and Conference Center in Rehoboth Beach.

Carol Everhart, Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce, left, with Dogfish Head staffers Andrew Greeley, Mark Carter and Steve McLaine at the Southern Delaware awards banquet.

Along with the Dash, Lefty’s Alley & Eats won for Best Attraction for its 25,000-square-foot facility with an arcade, laser tag, restaurant and 16 lanes of bowling. In its first year of operation, Lefty’s is on track to host more than 140,000 visitors. It employs more than 80 full- and part-time employees, and partnesr with nonprofits and organizations in fundraising efforts.

Winter WonderFEST won for the Best New Event. The event that started in November 2016 attracted thousands of visitors to Sussex County to see the lights show and take part in the different holiday activities for the month of weekends it ran.

The Light Spectacular at Cape Henlopen State Park featured more than 60 light displays along a 1.5-mile drive. The Christmas Village at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal grounds featured a synthetic ice skating rink, three amusement rides, live music, Santa’s Workshop, The Giving Tree and pictures with Santa.

With the support and assistance of more than 200 volunteers, more than 60 sponsors and 14 media partners, Winter WonderFEST welcomed more than 45,000 guests in 11,000 vehicles from 26 states in 2016, and raised more than $150,000, $100,000 of which was awarded to 17 Sussex County nonprofit organizations.

Winter WonderFEST wins Southern Delaware Tourism’s 2017 Award for Best New Event. Ben Gray, Southern Delaware Tourism Co-Chair, left, and Winter WonderFEST’s John Snow, Peter Bricotto, Amy Mault, Dee Dee Montgomery, and Hank Rosenberg.

“People from all over will want to add this family-fun destination to their holiday To-Do list,” said Josh Grapski, treasurer of the nonprofit board that runs the event.

The Delaware Beach Book, launched in May 2011 by Becky and Marvin Carney and Kevin Fleming, won the Tourism Partner of the Year award. An internationally known photographer, Fleming said he’d thought about doing a guide to the beach areas in Delaware for some time. It was the type of book he always looked for to help acquaint himself to an area first wherever he traveled.

When a company from another state put out a beach guide that looked like, as Fleming said, it was put together by people who didn’t know the beach area at all, he knew it was time to act.

He and the Carneys got to work and created the hardcover book that features moderately priced ads, beach area articles and award-winning photography for visitors as well as year-round guests to read. The book highlights local events, fun things to do, arts and culture, history and heritage, state parks, outdoor recreation and campgrounds. It also promotes restaurants, retail and local businesses.

Winter WonderFest is a drive through light show at Cape Henlopen State Park, It raises money for charities.

"We wanted to do a good one (guide book) and I think we did,” said Fleming.

Tourism in Sussex County generates $1.7 billion in revenue annually and supports 18,000 jobs, according to the tourism department.

Southern Delaware Tourism gives the annual awards to recognize individuals or organizations that have made outstanding and significant contributions to the enrichment of tourism in Sussex County during the past year.  

“This year’s voting was extremely close," said Scott Thomas, executive director of Southern Delaware Tourism. "All of this year’s nominees are very deserving of the award as they provide wonderful experiences for our visitors and help make Sussex County such a special and beloved destination."