Bury the Hatchet event to take place on The Circle Nov. 5

Bury the Hatchet, the 2020 version of Return Day, will take place on The Circle in Georgetown starting at noon, Thursday, Nov. 5. Election results will be read by Sussex County Sheriff Robert Lee, followed by the burying of the hatchet on the stage in front of the Sussex County administrative offices by the chairs of the Sussex County Democratic Party, Republican Party, Independent Party and Libertarian Party.

The Circle will be closed to traffic from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. No additional Return Day-related events will be held by the organizers. All participants and spectators will be expected to abide by COVID-19 guidelines relating to social distancing and wearing face coverings. The event is not sponsored, endorsed or authorized by the Sussex County Return Day Committee.

For additional information and updates, visit BuryTheHatchet2020.com.

The official Return Day celebration was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. The event, dating back nearly 230 years, was also canceled in 1918 during the Spanish Flu epidemic and then from 1942 to 1946 because of World War II.

Although the actual start date of Return Day is not known, it probably dates back to 1792. Voters were required to cast their election ballots in the county seat, Georgetown, and then could return two days later to hear the results, hence the name Return Day.

Return Day is one of the most unique election events in the country. In typical years, election results are read by the town crier. Winners and losers of each race, many riding together in horse-drawn carriages, antique cars or convertibles in a parade, join together afterward to literally bury the hatchet in Sussex County beach sand. While the parade is the highlight of the event, Georgetown shuts down the area around The Circle all day to make way for food vendors and entertainment.