Division sets festive fall schedule

We may be in the heat of summer, but the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs has a fun-filled fall already in the works! Make sure to make a note to check back in with us for details as these dates get closer, and join us for a variety of family-friendly history events across the state.

And always stay in the know with our Calendar of Events for upcoming historical happenings!

September

Starting Thursday, Sept. 8, through Sunday, Sept. 11, join Delaware’s 24th annual “That’s Entertainment” Chautauqua tent show events outside the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes (Sept. 8-9) and on The Green next to the New Castle Court House Museum (Sept. 10-11) for a variety of activities including theatrical performances and a musical performance of songs of the Underground Railroad.

October

Every Saturday: Join the “Mysteries of History” walking tour exploring the darker and more unusual history of Lewes. Tours leave the Zwaanendael Museum (102 Kings Highway in Lewes) at 2 p.m. For more information, contact the Zwaanendael Museum at 302-645-1148 or Zmuseum@delaware.gov.

Saturday, Oct. 8: Enjoy a fall day at Buena Vista, built in 1847 by former U.S. Secretary of State John M. Clayton. Activities include lawn games, pumpkin painting, house tours and more. Photography and picnicking are welcome. 302-323-4430. Check back for more details soon.

Step back in time on Oct. 8 at the John Dickinson Plantation for 18th Century Trades Day. This day-long series of activities will explore jobs of the 1700s, including preserving food in a smokehouse, dyeing fabric, carpentry, candle dipping and an 18th-century musket presentation. The event will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

Saturday, Oct. 15: Celebrate the outdoors at the Blackbird Creek Fall Festival, hosted by the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, at Blackbird Creek Reserve in Townsend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Dates to be announced: In October, historic sites will also host William Penn Day (at the New Castle Court House Museum), a Lantern Tour of the Plantation at the John Dickinson Plantation and the Governor’s Halloween Family Fun Fest (at Woodburn in Dover). And don’t forget to join Gov. John Carney and First Lady Tracey Carney for “Trick-or-Treat at Woodburn,” at 151 Kings Highway S.W. in Dover (date to be determined). Check back next month for more details!