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Return Day tradition continues in Georgetown
Large parade, burying the hatchet, entertainment, oxen sandwiches all part of event
Georgetown Town Crier Kirk Lawson reads the Sussex County election results from the courthouse balcony on Return Day on The Circle in Georgetown after Sheriff Robert T. Lee verified them as official. RON MACARTHUR PHOTOS
November 10, 2022
Following a long run-up to the 2022 midterm election, political opponents came together Nov. 10 in Georgetown for Return Day to bury the hatchet.
Sussex County political party chairs gather on the stage to bury the hatchet in Lewes Beach sand. Taking part are Marilyn Booker, Republican Party; Jane Hovington, Democratic Party; Don Ayotte, Independent Party; Rob James, Libertarian Party; and James Brittingham, Non-Partisan Delaware.
Parker Mumford of Gumboro is patriotic as he flies a U.S. flag in front of the Return Day stage.
Dressed in colonial garb, Return Day committee member Stella Hickman hands out flags.
The Delaware State Police take the lead in the Return Day Parade.
The Pepper family has been taking part in the parade dressed in colonial clothing since the 1960s.
Ken Tull, a member of the Seaford Volunteer Fire Department fire police, was seriously injured when he was hit by a car while working a scene last October. He serves as the parade’s grand marshal.
The University of Delaware Marching Band fills the streets of Georgetown with their music.
Members of the Sussex Central High School Band are among the eight bands taking part in the Return Day Parade.
Waving to the crowd, Democrat Stell Parker Selby of Milton is winner of the 20th District representative seat.
Democrat Russ Huxtable, a newcomer to politics, won election to the District 6 Senate seat.
The Sussex Tech Ravens band never misses a Return Day Parade.
The Cape Henlopen High School Band takes part in the Return Day Parade.
Gov. John Carney, wearing a Phillies cap, walks along the parade route.
Georgetown Fire Company volunteers pull an 1883 hand-drawn wagon.
Democrat U.S. Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester won enough votes during the Nov. 8 election to serve another term.
Steve Smyk, right, who lost a bid for the District 6 Senate seat, talks with Tom Protack, Beebe Medical Foundation president, prior to the start of the parade.
Steve Smyk, second from left, gets a little help from some friends as they push his transport – with a dead battery – along the parade route. The former Republican state representative from Lewes lost his bid for the Senate District 6 seat.
Republican Lee Murphy and his family ride a horse-drawn carriage in the parade. Murphy lost his bid for U.S. Congress to incumbent Lisa Blunt Rochester.
Democrat Speaker of the House Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, who won another two-year term, waves to the crowd.
Republican Greg Fuller will be sworn in as the new Sussex County Register of Wills.
From left, Rep. Ruth Briggs King, R-Georgetown, and Lou Ann and John Rieley participate in the traditional Return Day ceremony following the parade. Republican Rieley won his second term as District 5 Sussex County Council member.
Sussex County District 4 Councilman Doug Hudson was re-elected for a second four-year term.
Republican Jeff Hilvosky won election to the new District 4 House of Representatives seat.
A crowd gathers on The Circle in downtown Georgetown to watch the traditional Return Day Parade.
Retired Sussex County Councilman Sam Wilson is one of the grand marshals of the parade.
Republican Dan Short of Seaford, 18th District representative, won re-election for the seat he has held since 2006.
Republican District 18 Sen. Dave Wilson rides in a carriage with friends and family.
Sons of Confederate Veterans, Delaware Grays, march with several flags.
Sen. Trey Paradee of District 17 in Kent County walks with his dog along the parade route.
Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution Maj. Nathaniel Mitchell Chapter ride in the parade.
Seaford Mayor David Genshaw takes aim and wins the mayor’s hatchet toss early on Return Day.
Lewes Mayor Andrew Williams competes in the Return Day hatchet toss.
Milford Mayor Archie Campbell takes aim as he competes in the Return Day hatchet toss.
Haley Cummins, a Sussex Academy senior, serves as emcee for the youth talent competition. She is the 2023 Distinguished Young Woman of Delaware.
Haley Cummins, Parker Mumford, Leah Marvel and Juliette Anger lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
Members of Sussex Dance Academy pose for a photograph before their performance on the street around The Circle.
Alison Schwarz of the Alley Cats tap dances to a country song.
Miss Delaware Outstanding Teen Brynn String performs a ballet.
Sussex Dance Academy members perform a dance to the song “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”
Sussex Dance Academy dancers perform to the hit song “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay.”
Gabby Morgan, Kent County Outstanding Young Teen, performs a dance on the streets of Georgetown.
A large group of Sussex Dance Academy performers takes over The Circle in the youth talent competition.
Little Miss Georgetown Quinn Matz sings her rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”
Town crier Kirk Lawson, left, and Sussex County Sheriff Robert T. Lee have the best view of Return Day from the balcony of the courthouse on The Circle.
Matt Barlow of the Georgetown Police Department opens ceremonies with the national anthem.
Georgetown Mayor Bill West says the community needs to come together and do the right thing to win the war against racism and dishonesty.
Hard workers such as Derrick Eming, left, and Jimmy Hitchens spent the day cooking the oxen for sandwiches given away at the end of Return Day.
David Speicher of Seaford closes out the 2022 Return Day ceremonies singing “If I Had a Dream.”
Kim Speicher of Seaford sings “God Bless America.”
Jim Weller, left, and Colin Walls have a great spot to watch and announce the parade.
Return Day has its own hot sauce made by Rick Ewing, owner of Delaware Sauce Co. in Seaford.
The Circle and surrounding streets in Georgetown were shut down for a parade, ceremony and plenty of food. Free oxen sandwiches were given out at the end of the day’s activities as prescribed by tradition.
Return Day has been a Sussex County tradition for more than 200 years.
Three of the four members of Sticky Situation are shown performing prior to the start of the parade.
