Memorial Day Weekend Features a Number of Great Events Throughout the Region

If you live at the Delaware and Maryland beaches, or anywhere nearby, then you already know what's coming this weekend as the official Summer of 2021 kicks off here in the coastal region.

And with recently relaxed cornonavirus restrictions and some nice weather in store, we're expecting a fantastic Memorial Day Weekend followed by a much better summer than we all endured a year ago.

A few reminders before we get into what's going on this weekend in the region.

• Restaurants are Back to 100 Percent Capacity. While this is technically true, please remember that many of our local restaurants are yet to get back to pre-pandemic staffing levels. This is going to be a busy weekend for everyone, so please try to be a little extra patient as service may not be as quick and seamless as you've grown accustomed to during past Memorial Day Weekends.
• Funland is Still Dealing with Restrictions. If you're going to everyone's favorite place on the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk, remember the rules that are in place at bars and restaurants are not the same as they are at larger facilities like Funland. At least for now, you'll still need a reservation to enjoy the rides on the Boardwalk, which you can obtain at www.funlandrehoboth.com.
• Leave Some Extra Time to Get Where You're Going. It should go without saying that traffic is going to be crazy this weekend, so be sure to keep that in mind when heading out on the roads. Particularly after a difficult 2020, pent up frustrations may just come out this weekend with larger crowds than in past years.
• Outdoor Concerts Have Returned! If you missed our blog last week on all of the great outdoor concerts coming up this summer, including Memorial Day Weekend, click here and schedule your favorites.
• Lewes Memorial Day Parade Cancelled. One of the highlights of most Memorial Day Weekends, this fun and festive parade has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Decisions on big events like this had to be made well in advance, obviouslylong before the relaxed mask and social distancing mandates were announced. Incidentally, the Annapolis Memorial Day Parade has also been cancelled, if you had planned on attending that one.

In other words, a little patience is going to be required as we all maneuver our way through the season's first big holiday weekend. If so, we can all have a great time as we kick off the Summer of 2021.

Now here are a few of our top choices for the next few days in the coastal region, as well as upstate Delaware, southeastern Pennsylvania and Maryland's capital city of Annapolis.

Pick your favorites and have a fantastic Memorial Day Weekend everyone!

Let's get started...

Horseshoe Crab & Shorebird Festival (May 29)

EDITOR'S NOTE: As of Friday afternoon, May 28, it was announced that the Horseshoe Crab & Shorebird Festival is being postponed due to bad weather that's expected on Saturday. We will update you when we know more.

You know things are starting to get back to normal when you look on the calendar and see one of the early season's most beloved festivals scheduled for this weekend. And after a one-year hiatus in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, we're certainly happy to see this one returning for 2021!

This year's festival will be held entirely in downtown Milton and is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Saturday, May 29.

Scheduled activities for this always fun event include kayak rides, exhibits, arts and crafts, live music and plenty of activities for the kids. Most activities are free, as is entrance to the festival.

This annual festival celebrates horseshoe crabs and migrating shorebirds and is a fundraiser this year for the Friends of Prime Hook.

Scheduled exhibitors include the DuPont Nature Center, the Brandywine Zoo, the Friends of Prime Hook and Envirotech, among others.

Visit www.historicmilton.com for more information on the 2021 Horseshoe Crab & Shorebird Festival.

Delaware by Hand Annual Outdoor Fine Arts and Crafts Show (May 29)

If you're heading to the beach for a fun Memorial Day Weekend, be sure to stop by the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes for this holiday weekend event.

Free for all members of the public, the show is scheduled from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., on Saturday, May 29.

Organizers promise that nearly 50 artists will be on hand in 2021, displaying their creations in everything from furniture and wood to metal, glass, ceramics, sculpture, photography, jewelry and more.

Memorial Day Picnic and Dance Party (May 30)

It's Memorial Day Weekend at the beaches and that mean it's time to cut loose and have a little fun! And if that's what you're looking for, the gem that is the Milton Theatre has just the thing for you.

Billed as a "Socially Distanced Dance Party & Picnic," this festive Memorial Day Weekend event will be held in the quayside area outside the theatre on Sunday, May 30, from 7 to 10 p.m.

The Milton Theatre will have everyone hooked up for this holiday party, with party favors available for purchase, the on-site beer garden open and serving your favorite adult beverages (don't forget to try one of their slushie spiked drinks) and food ranging from hot dogs to freshly baked cookies, popcorn and more.

Why not celebrate Memorial Day Weekend on the shores of the Broadkill River kicking back, dancing to your favorite music and enjoying some great food and drink? Just remember to either bring your own chair or a few bucks to rent some of the theatre's quayside furniture.

Learn more about this fun holiday weekend event here or call the Milton Theatre at 302-684-3038.

Click here for the rest of this holiday weekend’s biggest events