St. Anthony's Festival Returns to Wilmington

☀️ Rise and Shine, 302. Monday, June 8. The kind of morning where coffee on the porch is still a reasonable idea before the day asks you to come inside and be responsible.

Your 302 Rundown:

Let’s get to it

⚽ FIFA Comes to Newark

Delaware is hosting one of the state's official FIFA World Cup watch parties at the Bob Carpenter Center on Friday, June 12.

Before the USA takes on Paraguay, fans can enjoy a family friendly outdoor festival from 7 to 9 PM featuring food trucks, inflatable games, vendors, soccer activities, and more. When kickoff approaches, everyone heads inside to watch the match on the big screen. Participating food trucks will feature wood fired oven pizza, street tacos, cheesesteaks, crab fries, ice cream, parfaits and more!

The event has a hometown connection. Former Delaware Rush (now Delaware Football Club) player and former Philadelphia Union star Mark McKenzie is expected to be part of the U.S. squad and could be in the starting lineup.

Whether you're a longtime soccer fan or simply looking for a fun family night out, this official FIFA watch party offers a chance to experience World Cup excitement close to home. Tickets: $15

USA v. Paraguay Watch Party TICKETS

Welcoming the World Cup

The difference between comfortable and freezing can be just a few degrees. Everyone seems to have a personal definition of the perfect summer setting. What's yours?

Source: Newark Post

With university students out of town for the summer, Newark is bringing back free weekend parking downtown. The promotion runs from June 16 through August 15 and covers all city-run lots and on-street spaces every Saturday and Sunday.

In addition to the weekend deal, the city permanently dropped rates for on-street parking in several outer zones. Spaces on Main Street between Washington and Chapel streets, along with sections of New London Avenue, now cost $0.75 per hour instead of the usual $2.25.

City officials hope the cheaper rates will encourage visitors to use these quieter blocks and reduce congestion in the central business district. The discounted outer zones remain in effect year-round.

Source: Spotlight Delaware

Pharmaceutical company Incyte recently sold two downtown Wilmington office buildings to the Buccini Pollin Group. Public deed records show the Bracebridge complex properties sold for just $1 each, generating only $0.10 in real estate taxes.

The transaction marks a change from Incyte's original plans to establish a large headquarters at the site. After purchasing the buildings for nearly $50 million and investing millions more in renovations, the company wrote off the property value as a business loss. Incyte will now lease a smaller portion of the space from the new owners.

New Castle County officials are reviewing the tax payment. Meanwhile, state and city leaders are negotiating the status of nearly $25 million in grants previously awarded for the expansion.

Source: Delaware Business Now

Rail equipment maker Alstom dropped more than $55 million to purchase a 20-acre site in Newark, where it plans to build a service and maintenance center for Amtrak's NextGen Acela high-speed trains. The announcement came Thursday.

The facility is tied directly to Alstom's existing contract with Amtrak, which is rolling out its next generation of Acela equipment along the Northeast Corridor. Newark landed the site over other potential locations.

Details on construction timelines and local hiring have not yet been released publicly. The project puts Northern Delaware on the map as a maintenance node for one of the busiest passenger rail routes in the country.

Scout Cafe is hosting its first-ever Scout & Seek Market on Saturday, June 20, a one-day vintage and flea market featuring curated finds from local collectors, thrifters, and makers. Expect vintage home goods, records, art, retro décor, handmade pieces, and plenty of unexpected finds.

The market runs from 9 AM to 3 PM, with food and coffee available while you browse.

Source: Spotlight Delaware

Delaware lawmakers are back in action with a new set of property tax bills aimed at addressing the fallout from last year’s property reassessments. Among the proposals is a bill by Rep. Kim Williams to extend New Castle County school districts' ability to tax commercial properties at higher rates than residential ones, though at a slightly reduced rate than previously allowed.

Meanwhile, Rep. Cyndie Romer introduced a resolution to create statewide standards for property assessments. This could help prevent inconsistencies like those seen in Wilmington's poorer communities, which experienced significant property value increases. Her proposal is part of a broader package designed to address both immediate concerns and long-term solutions.

With only 10 working days left in the legislative session, the pressure is on for lawmakers to pass these bills. If they don't, the measures will not move forward this year, leaving the current policies in place.

Source: State of Delaware News

The Delaware Division of the Arts took home 20 awards at the annual Delaware Press Association Communications Contest Awards Banquet in Dover. The state agency was recognized for its work in public relations, storytelling, and promoting local artists.

The division earned eight first place honors across several categories, including television interviews, radio advertisements, and its annual report. The team also picked up four second place awards, two third place finishes, and six honorable mentions for various media projects.

The state competition serves as the first round of a larger contest. The eight first place entries will now advance to the national level through the National Federation of Press Women.

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.

Lucy Darling: You're Welcome | The Playhouse. A touring variety show starring award-winning performer Carisa Hendrix as socialite Lucy Darling, featuring magic, comedy, and live instrumentation by musician Mark Ettinger. Single performance Friday at 7:30 PM.

Rock of Ages | Chapel Street Players. A jukebox musical set on the Sunset Strip in the late 1980s, built around hits from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, and more. Tickets are $25. Runs June 12 through June 27.

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

Pearls go with everything, and this sweet girl is no exception. This 5-year-old large mixed-breed pup is an absolute breeze to walk on a leash, which is a major bonus for a dog her size. She is incredibly playful and loves nothing more than soaking up all the pets and attention you can offer.

If you already have a dog at home, you are in luck. Pearl is a dog-friendly companion who enjoys making new friends, though a quick meet-and-greet is recommended to make sure everyone gets along.

Stop by the Brandywine Valley SPCA at 290 Churchmans Road, New Castle, DE 19720 to take Pearl for a walk and see if she belongs at your place.

St. Anthony's Italian Festival | St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church. A week-long cultural festival featuring traditional Italian food, live music, carnival games, and an opening-day procession of saints. Monday-Firday 5:30-10 PM, Saturday 4-10 PM.

Andy Hull | The Queen Wilmington. A solo performance by Andy Hull at The Queen's Main Hall; doors open at 7 PM. Tuesday at 8 PM.

Summer Nights at Hagley | Hagley Museum and Library. A dog-friendly evening stroll along the Brandywine featuring local food trucks, craft beer, and ice cream. Tickets are $5, and free for members and children under six. Wednesday 5-8 PM.

Free Summer Concert Series: Cecily | Tina Betz Urban Artist Exchange. A live music performance by Cecily as part of the venue's seasonal concert series. Free. Wednesday at 5:30 PM.

Minquas Fire Co Presents Live Outdoors: Love Seed Mama Jump | Minquas Fire Company. An outdoor concert by Love Seed Mama Jump with food, raffles, and draft beer for purchase. Tickets are $20 presale, $25 at the door. 21+. Proceeds go towards purchase of LUCAS CPR devices. Wednesday 6-10 PM.

Sound of Summer Free Concert Series | Anson B Nixon Park. A free concert series featuring live performances with food and beverage vendors available. Wednesday at 6:30 PM.

Summer Concert Series: Newark Community Band | White Clay Creek State Park. An evening of live music featuring the Newark Community Band in the scenic surroundings of White Clay Creek State Park. Wednesday at 6:30 PM.

More happenings we didn't have room for.

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

Monday

83 🌡️ 55 | ☀️ Sunny | 0% | 💨 E 5 to 10 mph

Tuesday

83 🌡️ 61 | ☀️ Sunny | 0% | 💨 SW 0 to 5 mph

Wednesday

87 🌡️ 71 | ⛈️ Chance Showers And Thunderstorms | 29% | 💨 S 5 to 10 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 64ºF Temperature readings taken from the Atlantic Ocean in Rehoboth Beach.

Submit an event →

We’ve been getting a lot of love lately (thank you!). But here’s a little behind-the-scenes truth: when you click on things in this newsletter—links, polls, even the little “Read more” button—it tells the internet powers-that-be that Above the Canal is something people care about.

So if you like what you’re reading, tap below and let us know. It’s a small gesture that helps this whole local thing keep growing.

Thanks for reading. Forward this to the friend who said 'let's keep it simple' and then made it complicated.

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up
If Above the Canal adds value to your day, consider supporting it.
Let’s make it official—follow us on Facebook and Instagram.