Arden Fair Returns For Its 118th Year

☀️ Rise and Shine, 302. A little confidence can carry you surprisingly far, especially if nobody asks follow-up questions.

Your 302 Rundown:

Let’s get to it

Above the Canal Experiences is creating more ways to get out, try something different, and spend time with people from around Northern Delaware.

That might mean a social gathering, a creative workshop, a local outing, a hands-on class, or an experience you probably would not have planned on your own.

The Dinner Club is only one piece of it. New events and ideas are being developed now, with a mix of casual, active, creative, and just-for-fun options.

Join the Above the Canal Experiences email list to hear about upcoming events, new experiences, and invitations as they are announced.

No commitment. Just an easy way to see what is coming next.

You know what houses cost, what dinner costs, and definitely what a trip to the grocery store costs. But how good is your feel for local household income?

Source: Delaware Public Media

Delaware drivers preparing for Labor Day travel face record high gas prices. The state average reached $3.93 per gallon on September 1, which would set a new high for the late summer holiday.

While the cost sits below the $4.35 peak seen around Memorial Day, it remains higher than July 4 prices. Nationally, the average price topped $4 per gallon following a steady climb throughout August.

For those heading to the beaches, the best times to drive are before 1 PM on Thursday and before noon on Friday. Traffic is expected to be lightest on Sunday.

Source: WDEL

A small SUV crashed through the front doors of the Wing Stop in La Grange Center on Route 40 in Glasgow. The vehicle ended up inside the building.

Delaware State Police detained the driver, a 47-year-old Newark man, after he showed signs of impairment. He was cited for driving under the influence, reckless driving, and other traffic offenses.

No injuries were reported inside the restaurant, and the driver refused medical treatment. Delmarva Power and a New Castle County building inspector responded to the scene to secure utilities and check the structure.

Source: Delaware Business Now

The Acme and Safeway combination held the top spot in the crowded New Castle County grocery market. The two brands accounted for just over 18% of total sales in the county, reaching $419 million.

The local grocery landscape remained highly fragmented, with no single chain capturing a 20% share. Wawa took second place with 12% of the market, followed closely by ShopRite. Walgreens moved into fourth place, picking up higher sales following the closure of regional Rite Aid locations.

Competition remained tight as newer arrivals like Lidl, Sprouts, and Redner's continued expanding their footprint across northern Delaware.

Source: Delaware Business Times 🔒 PAYWALLED

Pettinaro Companies is shifting gears on a piece of vacant land located next to the Fox Run Shopping Center in Bear. The developer filed plans to build townhouses on the property instead of the office space that was originally envisioned for the site.

The new proposal calls for 71 townhomes to be constructed on the unbuilt pads in the office park behind the commercial center on U.S. Route 40. The property had sat vacant while waiting for commercial development.

The updated residential plans were submitted in August and await further review.

Source: Spotlight Delaware

Delaware City leaders began preparing for the eventual end of a financial agreement with the nearby Delaware City Refining Company. For nearly two decades, the refinery paid the local government millions in exchange for a promise that the city would not annex the industrial complex.

A 2023 contract scheduled the payments to decrease over the following decade, dropping to zero by 2038. The refinery contributed $300,000 to the town budget in 2026, accounting for nearly 14% of municipal funding.

To replace the lost revenue, city leaders looked to expand the local tax base. Officials planned to use the remaining upfront refinery payments to help develop Fort DuPont and a nearby resort campground.

Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival | Salem County Fairgrounds. A weekend-long bluegrass festival featuring live main-stage performances, a children's stage with storytelling and magic, and hands-on workshops for jamming, clogging, and songwriting. Friday, 12-10:30 PM, Saturday, 10:45 AM - 11 PM, Sunday, 11:30 AM - 6 PM.

Sculpture Garden Happy Hours: First Responders & Healthcare Appreciation featuring Genesis Z | Delaware Art Museum. An outdoor happy hour with live music from Genesis Z, a cash bar, food trucks, Kaffeina Café, lawn games, and arts and crafts vendors. First responders get a free drink and DelArt Membership discounts with valid ID. Thursday at 5 PM.

Autumn Awaits | Milburn Orchards. An evening on the farm featuring sunset wagon rides, first access to the corn maze, live music by Adam Molden, and a cider bar pouring local hard cider, beer, and apple cider slushies. 21+. Thursday at 6 PM.

Summer Concert Series: Somethin' Like That | Bellevue State Park. A live outdoor set by local band Somethin' Like That as part of the 39th annual Summer Concert Series at the Bellevue Bandshell. Attendees can pack a picnic or purchase meals from locally owned food trucks. Thursday at 6:30 PM.

Dining on Delaware Avenue | Delaware Avenue, Wilmington. Delaware Avenue closes to traffic and fills with outdoor tables from local restaurants, live music at both ends of the street, and local vendors on the first Friday of each month, May through October. Friday 5-9 PM.

Family Fun Movie Night | New Garden Township. A combined movie night at New Garden Park, merging the postponed June and July screenings into a single event. Friday at 6 PM.

Cait9001, Community Chapstick & Team Lift | The Queen Wilmington. A concert featuring regional indie-rock group Cait9001 and Delaware-based trio Community Chapstick. The performance blends grunge textures and pop-driven hooks with a mix of vocals and rap, with doors opening at 7 PM. Friday at 8 PM.

The 118th Arden Fair | The Arden Club. An annual fair featuring over 100 craft vendors, an antiques market, used books, and a full day of live music in the Shady Grove. Free admission, with free shuttle parking at the Hanby YMCA. Saturday 10 AM - 6 PM.

Bingo Loco | The Queen Wilmington. An interactive bingo party in the Main Hall with DJs, dance-offs, lip-sync battles, confetti showers, and prizes. 21+ with valid ID; doors open at 5 PM. Two events: Saturday at 6 PM and 10 PM.

First Impression Band: Tribute to Classic Progressive Rock | Elkton Music Hall. A Philadelphia-based prog-rock tribute band covering Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Kansas, Rush, and more. 21+. Saturday at 8 PM.

Sugar Lime Blue: Acoustic Duo | Kennett Flash. Ashley and Dave Beth perform Sugar Lime Blue songs as an acoustic duo, drawing on Americana, blues, folk, and jam-infused rock. Tickets are $20 to $28; GA is $25, members $20, and BYOB is $5. Saturday at 8 PM.

More happenings we couldn’t fit in the newsletter.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. Just things worth knowing. I’ll always flag sponsors clearly.

Thursday

92 🌡️ 74 | ⛈️ Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 39% | 💨 SW 0 to 5 mph

Friday

89 🌡️ 68 | ⛈️ Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 51% | 💨 NW 0 to 5 mph

Saturday

83 🌡️ 62 | ☀️ Sunny | 1% | 💨 N 5 mph

Sunday

79 🌡️ 61 | ☀️ Sunny | 4% | 💨 NE 5 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 77ºF. Temperature readings taken from the Atlantic Ocean in Rehoboth Beach.

The full events calendar includes live music, festivals, classes, markets, family activities, community gatherings, and dozens more happenings across Northern Delaware.

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