The exciting, 81st annual Dover Days Festival will be held May 2nd through the 4th in Delaware's capital city of Dover. A celevbration of Delaware's history, this year’s theme is “Delaware Dresses Downton,” to coincide with the popular PBS television series “Downton Abby,” as well as to highlight the world-class Downton Abbey costume collection currently on display at the Winterthur Museum and Gardens this spring.
Authentic apparel, accessories, art and artifacts from the gilded era will be on-hand at the festival, including many rarely seen pieces from the Delaware collection. Historical interpreters from the American Historical Theatre and the Delaware Humanities Forum will bring Edwardian-era characters (including Frank Lloyd Wright, John Wanamaker, Madam C.J. Walker, Alice Roosevelt's maid and baseball's Judy Johnson), “back to life”. For a detailed schedule of festival events, including times for the spectacular fireworks display, visit the festival's dedicated website.
Insider Tips
The festival admission is free of charge. If you decide to make a weekend of it, the following hotels are featuring discounted pricing for the festival. Be sure and ask for the “Dover Days Weekend Package":
Holiday Inn Downtown Dover, $104, 302-747-5050
Holiday Inn Express, $109-$139, 302-678-0600
Days Inn, $79, 302-674-8002
The Scene
Fairfield Inn & Suites, $139-$149, 302-677-0900
Comfort Inn & Suites, $135, 302-677-0505
Mainstay Suites, $90-$120, 302-672-8166
Dover Days Festival
May 2 - 4, Dover, DE 19901
