Wilmington’s Favorite Festival Set for June 8 to 15

WILMINGTON, DE — St. Anthony of Padua will host its 40^th annual Italian Festival, beginning Sunday, June 8. For 2014, the Festival is highlighting the Ascoli Piceno, a town in the Le Marche region of Italy. Many Italian-Americans in the St. Anthony’s Parish and the Wilmington area can trace their heritage to this region.Read full post...

Bear, DE — Traditionally held in July, the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Family Carnival will now open on Monday, June 9, and run through Saturday, June 14, at 345 Bear Christiana Road in Bear. On-site admission is $5 for ages 13 to 64, free for seniors, and free for children under the age of 12 (must be accompanied by an adult). Discounted passes are available in advance, with weekly passes for $10 and Mega-Passes (which include unlimited rides) for $35. Starting May 3, the parish will sell these passes at its office from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and after each mass. On-site parking is free.Read full post...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbygSoZkDtk&feature=youtu.be

Put on those sneakers and stretch those calves — Team AB&C is gearing up for the American Lung Association’s Fight for Air Climb in Wilmington, Delaware, on November 9. The venue is 1201 North Market Street — at 331 feet, the state’s tallest building. Runners will start their 21-floor ascent at 8:30 a.m. And, if one time just isn’t enough, the boldest climbers have the option of running a second leg. Luckily, a nice elevator ride awaits them on the way down.

Each AB&C’er hopes to raise $100. Additionally, the AB&C team is aiming high with a $1,000 goal in the team category. Donations will support lung disease education, research and advocacy. Lung diseases include lung cancer, COPD, asthma and emphysema — diseases to which AB&C team members have very personal connections.Read full post...

What are you waiting for? Get the kids buckled in and come on down.

The “kids” at AB&C want you to know about some fun events and exhibits at the Delaware Children’s Museum (DCM):

• Are there any aspiring baseball players or Phillie Phanatics in your house? Now through August 31, the DCM will feature Playing with the Phillies, displaying all the Phillies artwork you can imagine.
• With the ongoing Stratosphere exhibition, kids literally reach for new heights as they ascend into a 30-foot-diameter climbing structure that overlooks the lobby entrance. The sky’s the limit!
• Put muscles to the test at the Power of Me exhibition. How long can you hang from a pull-up bar? How long does it take to send signals from your brain to your muscles? How does the human body work? At “Power of Me,” your child will not only build stronger muscles, but a stronger mind. Read full post...

Bear, DE — After drawing 12,300 attendees, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Family Carnival concluded on Saturday, July 20. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the summer celebration at the Bear parish.

“What a week!” says Rich Yotter, a member of the carnival’s organizing committee. “We promote a safe family environment at the Seton Carnival, and our terrific volunteers ensured an awesome experience.” More than 750 volunteers donated their time during the six-day event, which raises money for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church.Read full post...

Photo courtesy of Joe del Tufo

This little city has its problems. But the biggest problem is that too many people have given up. Not everyone — there are plenty of people who are committed to making Wilmington vital and vibrant. They open small businesses and restaurants. They bend over backwards to nurture an arts scene. They need your support.

Maybe you go home at the end of the workday and are afraid to come back downtown after dark. “Too much crime.” “Not enough parking.”

What if you changed your mind? What if you decided to get a bunch of friends together and check out the restaurants and enjoy the artistic and cultural events that are available in Wilmington? There are plenty of magazines and websites and Facebook pages where you can find information about all the events. There are plenty of email subscriptions to make getting that information even easier. It’s easy to find a variety of things to do. But for cryin’ out loud, do something.

Explore. A good time to start is the first Friday of every month, when venues all around town participate in the art loop. You might be surprised at the cool little shops and galleries and restaurants buzzing with people.Read full post...