Bargains on the Broadkill powers through virus, gray weather
Milton Chamber of Commerce’s annual Bargains on the Broadkill went on as planned this year, despite the COVID-19 pandemic limiting events and the rainy weather dampening attendance in the morning.
The event, which took place Aug. 22 at Milton Memorial Park, brings in small business vendors to set up tents and sell their wares. Products ranged from homemade pottery to T-shirts to fishing gear to jewelry. About 15 vendors set up tents during the event.
There was some controversy at the event as there was a vendor selling Trump 2020 flags, Trump hats, as well as flags with the Confederate stars and bars on them. In a statement released after the event, the chamber said it does not approve of or condone racism and apologized for the presence of the vendor. The chamber said the vendor’s application was generic and did not mention the specifics of its merchandise, and that this vendor had worked the event before and there had been no issue in the past.
“The chamber is committed to correcting all policies that could impact our community in a negative way, and the board is meeting now to put changes to our vendor policy in place. Merchandise of a political/partisan or racist nature will not be allowed at chamber-sponsored events. In addition to broadening the list of prohibited items sold at our events, the new vendor policy will give the chamber the right to remove a vendor who does not comply with this policy,” the chamber said.
Attendees were encouraged to wear masks and practice social distancing, and sanitizer stations could be found around the park. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the playground and train rides for kids were not available.
Also part of the event were the annual duck race, where rubber ducks could be purchased for $5 to be “raced” down the Broadkill River, and the kayak race, in which boaters raced their kayaks nearly 10 miles down the river to the Route 1 bridge and back to the park. Nearly 30 racers, which included two stand-up paddleboarders, took off in two groups starting at 10 a.m.
Bargains on the Broadkill helps raise money for the chamber, a nonprofit organization that supports businesses in Milton.
Ryan Mavity covers Milton and the court system. He is married to Rachel Swick Mavity and has two kids, Alex and Jane. Ryan started with the Cape Gazette all the way back in February 2007, previously covering the City of Rehoboth Beach. A native of Easton, Md. and graduate of Towson University, Ryan enjoys watching the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Capitals and Baltimore Orioles in his spare time.
