Ladybug Organizers Launch New Halloween Festival

☀️ Rise and Shine, 302. You might be one introduction away from an entirely different social circle. Hopefully one where someone owns a boat.

Your 302 Rundown:

Let’s get to it

A good dinner. A few people you haven’t met. A reason to get out of the house.

Join Above the Canal Dinner Club in North Wilmington this Wednesday, October 28, at 6:30 p.m. We use a short questionnaire to put together tables of six at local restaurants, so you arrive with a group to meet. Come on your own or bring someone along.

Your restaurant is revealed Tuesday night. After dinner, join guests from the other restaurants at the after-dinner gathering.

Registration closes today at 6:30 p.m.

Save your seat before registration closes

Thanksgiving is still a month away, but some people already know who's coming, what's on the menu, and where everyone will sit. Others haven't given it a second thought. How far ahead does Thanksgiving enter your mind?

Source: Delaware Live

The organizers behind the Ladybug Music Festival scheduled a new Halloween event for Wilmington's Trolley Square. The inaugural Dark Bloom festival will take place on October 31 from noon to 6 PM.

The free gathering will feature women-led musical acts performing across multiple stages throughout the neighborhood. Alongside the live music, the event includes a marketplace for local artists and makers, as well as seasonal decorations blending autumn and Día de los Muertos themes.

Attendees are encouraged to wear vintage-gothic fashion or autumn-inspired outfits. Organizers plan to release the full schedule and map closer to the event.

Source: Delaware Public Media

Wilmington partnered with Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County to launch a new repair program for local homeowners. The initiative opened applications for residents needing help with critical property maintenance.

Eligible applicants can receive up to $10,000 in repairs, though city officials noted the cap is flexible depending on material and labor costs. The program is restricted to households earning at or below 80% of the area median income, which is about $69,000 for a single person.

The city allocated $500,000 in total funding for the effort. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis through the city website.

Source: Newark Post

Newark utility customers will soon have to pay a $2 monthly fee if they want to keep receiving printed bills in the mail. The city council directed the change as a cost-saving measure to help close a budget shortfall.

Officials said the move could save more than $100,000 in reduced postage and printing costs. Customers who want to avoid the new charge must switch to digital billing by November 30.

The paperless method is free, and city staff are available during regular business hours to help residents set up their electronic accounts.

Source: Newark Post

More than 2,300 runners filled the streets of Newark for the tenth annual Deer Park Goes Pink 5K. The race started on Orchard Road and wound through Old Newark and Devon before wrapping up with an after-party at the Deer Park Tavern.

Tavern owners Bob and Sandy Ashby launched the local event after Sandy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. The race originally drew about 500 participants and grew steadily over the following decade.

Organizers noted the annual gathering raised more than $200,000 for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition since its first year. They thanked the community for supporting the logistical challenge of hosting thousands of people in their parking lot.

Source: Delaware Online

The Delaware Community Foundation named Pam Cornforth the recipient of its 2026 First Founders' Award. Cornforth has served as the president and chief executive officer of Ronald McDonald House Delaware since 1999.

The annual award comes from the foundation's Fund for Women, a giving circle that supports women and girls across the state. Under her leadership, the organization expanded its facility from 17 to 52 guest rooms and provided housing for families seeking specialized medical care for their children.

The organization is now working to expand its mental health resources, increase food services, and develop support programs for families returning to their local communities.

Want your very own movie trailer-style videos to look back on and share with family and friends right after your wedding? 

We document everything you'll want to remember, including candid moments, behind-the-scenes details and guest reactions, delivering raw footage within 24 hours and edited recap videos within 72 hours.

View our portfolio and email [email protected] to reserve your date.

(And businesses, we're still creating content for your brands, corporate events and social media, too!)

Source: Delaware Live

Two proposed commercial projects in Hockessin remained in the initial stages of New Castle County review. A planned McDonald's near Limestone and Paper Mill roads saw no new filings for over a year, while a proposed car wash at Yorklyn Road and Lancaster Pike submitted updated plans.

Both developers asked for multiple exceptions to county rules, including fewer parking spaces and reduced landscaping buffers. The car wash project faced additional environmental scrutiny because it sits on a federal groundwater cleanup site, prompting officials to evaluate rainwater runoff impacts.

Neither project completed the preliminary review process. Both proposals will eventually require public hearings to address the requested zoning changes and rule exceptions.

Source: Spotlight Delaware

New Castle County decided to conduct its next property reassessment a year earlier than planned after an audit uncovered errors in commercial valuations. County Executive Marcus Henry announced the expedited timeline alongside a report detailing the discrepancies.

The audit reviewed 50 commercial properties and found inaccurate building sizes, incorrect classifications, and erroneous room counts. County officials attributed the mistakes to missing municipal data, low survey response rates from property owners, and complications from a software upgrade.

The county plans to seek bids from contractors for the upcoming reassessment. Officials set a July 2028 target completion date, which would apply the new values to tax bills the following year.

Source: Spotlight Delaware

All five public school districts in New Castle County voted to raise local property taxes. The boards approved the rate hikes during October meetings after a countywide property reassessment delayed the standard summer timeline.

Most districts attributed the higher rates to the rising costs of special-education programs, which are funded through a tuition tax that does not require a public referendum. Average homeowners face annual increases ranging from about $109 in the Appoquinimink district to nearly $270 in the Christina district. Red Clay cited a previously approved referendum for its rate change.

The county will issue new property tax bills in November, and residents have until December 31 to pay.

Source: WDEL

Crews painted over the aging 2005 mural on the CSX bridge near Cleveland Avenue in Newark. Workers covered the structure in a solid blue base coat while the Delaware Department of Transportation prepared to repair parts of the wall.

The city and the nonprofit Newark Partnership plan to raise about $250,000 for a new design to replace the original artwork. The bridge will remain blue until the new project is fully funded and approved by state and rail officials.

Before tackling the bridge, the Newark Partnership commissioned a separate mural at the new Hillside Park. Organizers are using that smaller project to test their fundraising and planning process for the larger bridge replacement.

On Mondays, opening acts and exhibits are listed here when they debut. After that, you'll find individual dates in the regular Theatre/Arts listings.

Fireflies | UD Theatre. A Resident Ensemble Players romantic comedy following a retired teacher whose quiet life is transformed by a mysterious drifter in her small Texas town, with tickets from $15 to $39. Playing October 29 through November 15.

The Brandywiners Second Stage Presents: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum | Newark Charter High School. The Brandywiners present Stephen Sondheim’s fast-paced, irreverent musical farce filled with mistaken identities, slamming doors, vaudeville energy, and nonstop laughs. Playing October 29 through November 1.

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

If you are looking for a large, handsome dog who actually knows how to take it easy on a leash, look no further. This 3-year-old mixed-breed pup is a gentle guy who strolls calmly out of his kennel instead of pulling you down the sidewalk. Sully is a bit of an independent spirit who is perfectly content entertaining himself with a toy, but he also loves a good cuddle session and a treat once he finishes his daily walk.

He recently went on a volunteer-led day trip and proved to be an excellent co-pilot. His friends at the shelter report he rides beautifully in the car and loves meeting new people around town.

Stop by Brandywine Valley SPCA at 290 Churchmans Road in New Castle to take Sully for a stroll and see if he is the right fit for your household.

Paranormal Tour at the Queen | The Queen Wilmington. A private tour of the historic theater led by the Cecil Paranormal Group, where attendees use investigative equipment to explore areas typically reserved for employees. Doors open at 7 PM. Wednesday and Thursday, 8 PM.

WXPN Welcomes Little Barrie w/ Emmett Drueding | Arden Concert Gild. British rock band Little Barrie plays behind its sixth studio album, Gravity Freeze, with Philadelphia guitarist, singer, and songwriter Emmett Drueding opening. All ages. Monday at 7 PM.

Percy Jones PKT feat. Kenny Grohowski & Tim Motzer | Elkton Music Hall. An improvisational performance by a trio blending electric jazz, ambient, and electronic sounds, featuring fretless bassist Percy Jones, guitarist Tim Motzer, and drummer Kenny Grohowski. 21+. Wednesday at 8 PM.

More happenings we couldn’t fit in the newsletter.

Were you there? Share your photos & videos →

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

Monday

70 🌡️ 51 | ☀️ Sunny | 0% | 💨 W 0 to 10 mph

Tuesday

67 🌡️ 45 | ☀️ Sunny | 0% | 💨 N 5 mph

Wednesday

66 🌡️ 48 | 🌤️ Mostly Sunny | 0% | 💨 E 0 to 5 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 62ºF. 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.

Submit an event →

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