Things to Do in Delaware: Feb. 3-5, 2023
The weekend is coming (hooray!), and art, music and good food are all being celebrated with style this weekend in Delaware. You are cordially invited to enjoy line dancing, disco music and even some performing pets. Hungry? Head out for a chili cookoff, oyster roast or a wings contest at the beach!
Northern Delaware
February Wilmington Art Loop
Various venues, Wilmington
5:30-8:30 p.m., Feb. 3
Tickets: Free
Stroll the town and enjoy the exhibits set up for the night at art galleries, studios, museums, and alternative art spaces throughout the city. To save time and energy, be sure to take advantage of the Art Loop shuttle, leaving the parking lot of The Delaware Contemporary at 5:45 p.m.
Country Line Dancing with Rob Holley
The Grand Opera House, Wilmington
7-10 p.m., Feb. 3
Tickets: $7
Dust off your cowboy boots and grab your hats, Country Line Dancing is back @ The Grand! DJ and award-winning choreographer Rob Holley leads the class as you honky-tonk and two-step the night away. Cash bar available.
David Bromberg Quintet
The Grand Opera House, Wilmington
8 p.m., Feb. 3
Tickets: $43-$53
See one of Bob Dylan’s favorite musicians as he brings his folksy, energizing and eclectic musical skills to the stage.
Gimme Gimme Disco
The Queen, Wilmington
9 p.m., Feb. 4
Tickets: $18
You might want to pull out your best disco attire and head to The Queen, where you can get down and boogie to the sounds of ABBA all night long!
Mandy Patinkin in Concert
The Playhouse on Rodney Square, Wilmington
8 p.m., Feb. 4
Tickets: $57-$97
You’ve certainly seen Mandy Patinkin on TV, but you really can't appreciate this multi-talented performer until you’ve seen his stage show, featuring his favorite Broadway and classic American tunes.
Haunted Rockwood Private Portrait Shoot
Rockwood Museum, Wilmington
4-7 p.m., Feb. 4
Tickets: prices start at $200 for groups up to six
Grab a group of your friends and have a ball dressing up for a spooky portrait, taken in the famously haunted mansion at Rockwood.
Midnight Oil 5 Year Anniversary Party
Midnight Oil Brewing Company, Newark
11 a.m., Feb. 4
Tickets: Free
It's been 5 years since Midnight Oil Brewing opened, and you're invited to the celebration, featuring special beer releases, food trucks, and live music.
Popovich Comedy Pet Theater
The Grand Opera House, Wilmington
2 p.m., Feb. 4
Tickets: $28-$33
This European-style circus extravaganza has a little bit of everything, including physical comedy, juggling, acrobats from the Moscow Circus, highly intelligent dogs and even house cats!
OperaDelaware Sunday Spotlight
OperaDelaware Studios, Wilmington
2 p.m., Feb. 5
Tickets: $40
Experience artist-curated performances in an intimate space as tenor Andrew Bidlack and pianist Aurelien Eulert explore romantic sounds.
Banana Hammock Release Bash!
Crooked Hammock Brewery, Middletown
6-9 p.m., Feb. 4
Tickets: Free
Be the first to try this year’s batch of Banana Hammock, a deliciously complex Belgian-style brew. While you’re there, hang around for live music from the Red Hot Ramblers and some fun banana-themed games.
Central Delaware
Play that Funky Bingo @ Blue Earl Brewing!
Blue Earl Brewing Company, Smyrna
6-8 p.m., Feb. 3
Tickets: $8 online/$10 at the door
You might have played Bingo before, but here’s your chance to do it with music! And yes, there will be prizes for the winners.
Ending Erasure: The African Burial Ground
The Old State House, Dover
10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., Feb. 4
Tickets: Free
Part of the “Struggles for Equality” Black History Month series, this presentation will look at the recently discovered graveyard at John Dickinson Plantation that is the final resting place for enslaved and free Black men, women and children.
First Saturdays in Downtown Dover
Dover
All day, Feb. 4
Tickets: Free
There are things happening all over downtown, including shop-local deals, guided tours, DIY art and free admission to some museums!
Smithsonian Exhibit - Crossroads: Change in Rural America
Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village, Dover
10 a.m.-3 p.m., Feb. 4
The national touring exhibit explores how the past century has affected the lives of people living in rural America, a tale of transformation, and hope.
Southern Delaware
Ran'd Shine: Real Magic for Real People
Dickens Parlour Theatre, Millville
7 p.m., Feb. 3 and 4
Tickets: adult $52; child $35
With a flick of the wrist, this Philadelphia native has become a global phenomenon, combining magic and humor to the delight of audiences worldwide.
Bull & Oyster Roast 2023
Frankford Volunteer Fire Company, Frankford
6-10 p.m., Feb. 4
Tickets: $60
This beloved fire-house feast features mountains of food, from oyster fritters to roast beef sandwiches, all washed down with (naturally) beer.
Dewey Beer and Friends Festival
Hyatt Place Dewey Beach, Dewey Beach
12-5 p.m., Feb. 4
Tickets: $85-$150
Get a really, really early start on summer fun at the Delaware beaches at this annual blowout featuring delicious beer from more than 40 breweries across the nation, plus a buffet and live music.
9th Annual Best Wings on the Shore Contest
Crooked Hammock Brewery, Lewes
12-3 p.m., Feb. 5
Tickets: $20 donation
Sample delicious wing creations from 20 of the beach's best restaurants, then you be the judge! Who will take the prize this year?
Coastal Taproom Chili Cookoff
Rehoboth Beach
3 p.m., Feb. 5
Tickets: Free
Watch the NFL Pro Bowl and enjoy some great food as Coastal Taproom celebrates its annual Chili Cookoff! BYO-Antacids!
Lewes Polar Bear Plunge
Lewes
10 a.m., Feb. 5
Tickets: Free
It’s a great way to support the Special Olympics, and it promises to be fun whether you take the plunge or not: There’s plenty of plunge-related festivities around town, from sand sculpting to a restaurant chili contest.