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Horseshoe Crab and Shorebird Festival draws a crowd to Milton

Sam Waby of DuPont Nature Center shows a live horseshoe crab to Catie Matthews, 3, Maddie Matthews, 4, and their father, Alex Matthews. RYAN MAVITY PHOTOS
Ryan Mavity
June 25, 2021

After being postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Milton Chamber of Commerce’s Horseshoe Crab and Shorebird Festival returned June 19 with a healthy crowd at the grounds of Milton Historical Society.

The event featured educational exhibits, games, food trucks, music and local artisans. DuPont Nature Center in Milford provided a live horseshoe crab, with a demonstration by staff on the history of horseshoe crabs and their function in nature.

This is the 14th Horseshoe Crab and Shorebird Festival, which was postponed once due to the pandemic and then again in May due to inclement weather. The event was rescheduled for June 19 and despite some gloomy weather, went off as planned. 

Daisy Fiore, left, and Leila Andrews of Brandywine Zoo do a demonstration with Bibi, a Dumeril’s boa and ambassador animal for the zoo. Bibi and her handlers take part in youth education events to help youngsters learn about snakes.
Sam Waby of DuPont Nature Center holds up a horseshoe crab.
The event’s signature animal is the horseshoe crab.
The Lower Sussex NAACP chapter offered kids the chance to play Shorebird Shuffle, a game where the goal was to match pairs of shorebirds, with winners getting prizes. Taking part are (l-r) Christian Davis, Lavinia Davis, Kamille Smith, Karma Smith, Vashica Meades and Jakeem Davis, with chapter advisor Manuel Davis not shown.
Tanya Kaminski and Landen Kaminski, 6, of Milton, show off a fish they made at the arts and crafts table.
Bibi the Dumeril’s boa checks out the crowd.
Pianist Mark Gratton provides entertainment.
The festival was held on the grounds of the Milton Historical Society.

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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.

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