Division-sponsored programs in May 2022
The Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will be sponsoring eight special events during the month of May 2022. A full schedule is included below. Except where noted, all programs are free and open to the public.
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs programs, May 2022
Saturday, May 7, 2022
Dover Days Festival. Celebration of Delaware history featuring historical re-enactments, parade, maypole dancing, walking tours, pet parade, arts and crafts, music and more. Events are primarily based in downtown Dover locations including the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Johnson Victrola Museum and The Old State House. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. 302-744-5054.
Friday, May 13, 2022
RESCHEDULED — Concert by Captain Blue’s Grass Band. Acoustic/folk/rock/Americana music. Presented in partnership with the Delaware Friends of Folk. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 7:30 p.m. 302-744-5054 or mailto:OSHmuseum@delaware.gov. NOTE: This concert, originally scheduled for Feb. 11, 2022, was rescheduled to May 13, 2022.
Saturday, May 14, 2022
Buena Vista spring event. Enjoy a spring day at of one of Delaware’s most historic estates completed by former U.S. Secretary of State John M. Clayton in 1847. Visitors can go for nature walks, learn about the gardens and agricultural history of the farm, enjoy educational programs by the Sunshine Plein Air Artists and Bluebird Society, and participate in outdoor children’s games. Photography and picnicking are welcome. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Buena Vista: A Delaware Country Estate, 661 S. Dupont Highway (Route 13), New Castle. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Rain date: Sunday, May 15. 302-323-4430.
Saturday, May 14, 2022
Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site: Touring the homestead. Join historical interpreters for this introductory program on the history of the Cooch’s Bridge homestead. Learn about some of the individuals who lived on the property, how they shaped the land around them and how the location’s landscape contributed to national history. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site, 961 Old Baltimore Pike, Newark. Tours at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Limit 20 visitors per tour. Free admission but reservations required. NOTE: Tours on May 14 and June 11 are fully booked. Reservations are now being accepted for July 9, 2022 tours by going here, by calling 302-922-7116 or mailto:coochsbridgehistoricsite@gmail.com.
Saturday, May 21, 2022
“The Wooden World Revealed.” Day-long series of activities commemorating HMS DeBraak, a British warship that sank off the coast of Delaware on May 25, 1798. Activities include block-and-tackle demonstrations; “Life at Sea,” a program on day-to day experiences on an 18th-century sailing vessel; and, at 2:30 p.m., a presentation of the program “The Wreck of the DeBraak.” Presented in conjunction with Lewes Maritime Day 2022. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. 10 a.m.–4:15 p.m. Free admission. 302-645-1148 or mailto:zmuseum@delaware.gov.
Saturday, May 21, 2022
A Day in Old New Castle. The oldest house and garden tour in the nation includes programs at the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ New Castle Court House Museum and the New Castle Green. Downtown New Castle. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Admission free at the New Castle Court House Museum. Admission charge at other venues. 302-322-5774.
Saturday, May 21, 2022
“An Unsurpassed Soldiery: The Delaware Regiment During the American Revolution, 1776-1783.” Lecture by archaeologist and historian Chuck Fithian. Presented in partnership with the First State Heritage Park. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 1 p.m. Free admission. 302-744-5054 or mailto:OSHmuseum@delaware.gov.
Saturday, May 28, 2022
“Time Traveling Tea.” Program in which lead historical interpreter Juliette Wurm explores the time when the court house building served as a restaurant called the Old Court House Tea Room which was in operation from the 1920s until the 1950s. Complimentary tea and light refreshments provided. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. 11:30 a.m. Free admission but reservations required by calling 302-323-4453 or mailto:NCCHmuseum@delaware.gov.
Administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the five museums of the State of Delaware — the John Dickinson Plantation, the Johnson Victrola Museum, the New Castle Court House Museum, The Old State House and the Zwaanendael Museum — tell the story of the First State’s contributions to the history and culture of the United States. Through tours, exhibits and special programs, the museums shine a spotlight on Delaware’s unique history and the diverse people who came to live there. The museums are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The New Castle Court House Museum and the John Dickinson Plantation are partner sites of the First State National Historical Park. The Old State House is located on the Dover Green, another partner site of the park. Go to the following for a long-term calendar of division-sponsored events.