Dover Days

Planning a trip to Dover this May?

Come down and enjoy the Dover Days Festival on the first weekend in May.

From the smallest towns to the biggest cities, local fairs and festivals offer charm and traditions. Dover’s rich history and culture include many traditions, including the annual Dover Days Festival.

The Dover Days Festival and Parade celebrates Delaware culture and heritage, incorporating Kent County and state history, art and local business while asking citizens and visitors to join the fun.

This annual event offers fun activities for all ages — perfect for a family outing or a meeting with friends. With various attractions, everyone in your group can find something they’ll love and remember for years to come. Dover Days is free for all participants.

The Dover Days Festival will continue as planned, regardless of the weather. Come ready with your friends and family in rain or shine!

The Dover Days Kickoff

Friday evening launches the Dover Days Festival. This portion of the festival will begin at 5 p.m. and continue through 9 p.m. During this period, visitors can enjoy a wide range of food trucks from local vendors, giving you a taste of Kent County’s best food. You can also join historical walking tours, where locals will take groups through the city and highlight its rich history.

At dusk, visitors can relax and watch a firework show lighting up the Dover sky in vibrant colors.

The Dover Days Parade

The Dover Days Parade showcases Delaware’s history and culture with displays and groups planned by local organizations and businesses. Many participants dress up in fun costumes or as historical figures to further engage the audience and draw attention to themselves. Some past organizations include Kent County firefighters on fire trucks and local elementary schools with student representatives.

The parade will work through the city, starting at 9 a.m. Parade signup is now open!

Traditional Maypole Dancing

Maypoles are a traditional way to celebrate the coming of spring. While maypole dances traditionally happen on May 1, Dover welcomes spring a few days later during the Dover Days Festival. You can participate in a traditional maypole dance by holding a ribbon while twirling around a decorated floral pole. As the ribbons twist around the pole, it will make a beautiful, multicolored wrap that showcases spring’s vibrance.

Many participants wear colonial clothes for the maypole dance. The outfits bring an interactive element to the activity, transporting participants and observers back through time.

Tethered Hot Air Balloon Rides

Get an overlook of Dover with Dover Days’ hot air balloon rides. These rides are perfect for people who love relaxing and enjoying the view. Because a tether connects each balloon to the ground, you can drift comfortably without moving, allowing your group to take in the sights of Dover.

Historical Reenactments

Visitors can get closer to Dover’s colonial history with historical reenactments. Volunteers will dress up as famous historical figures, speaking about significant events that took place in Delaware, Kent County and Dover. Many performers have authentic props, giving visitors more insight into life in colonial and revolutionary Dover.

The Dover Days Festival brings history further to life with the historical artisan village and demonstrations. Costumed volunteers will sell authentic items from the colonial and revolutionary periods while hosting demonstrations on how to make items with tools from that time. This portion of the festival is perfect for visitors who love history.

Local Vendors

If you get hungry during the festival, no worries! Dover Days attracts a diverse selection of local food vendors to feed visitors. On Friday and Saturday, vendors will sell delicious food that can satiate any palate, so everyone in the family can find something they’ll love. You might even discover your next favorite dish.

In addition to food, you can also find local craft vendors with stalls on Saturday of the Dover Days Festival. Local artisans will show off their skills with quality products that can make a lovely addition to your home or souvenir from your travels to Dover. You might even find the perfect gift for a loved one to cherish.

Like the food vendors, each artisan will offer a different trade, creating a diverse array of goods to explore and purchase.

Historic Downtown Dover

While many come to Dover specifically for the Dover Days Festival, Dover’s historic downtown offers many activities for the whole family, making it perfect for an extended stay. The beautiful colonial-style brick buildings create a scenic backdrop for anyone who loves to meander and explore the city, which you can also enjoy throughout the festival. Here are some other activities you can consider during your visit to Dover.

Old State House: Located on the Green in historic downtown Dover, the Old State House served as the first state’s capitol from 1791 to 1933. Now, the building is a free museum where visitors can leave contemporary times behind and step into the past. Tours are available for anyone who wants to learn more about the building, its significance and Delaware’s history.
Johnson Victrola Museum: If you want to see the origin place of innovation and change, you must visit the Johnson Victrola Museum. This site walks visitors through the history of the Victor Talking Machine Company, which produced phonograph records. Founded by Delaware citizen Eldridge Reeves Johnson, the company’s operations changed the recording industry and technology.

With so much to do and learn in downtown Dover, you can continue celebrating Delaware’s long history and culture in its historic district and many museums.

Dover Days 2025 FAQ

Where is the festival held?

Both Friday and Saturday’s events are centered around Legislative Mall and the Green. Legislative Mall’s address is 410 Legislative Ave (Dover, DE 19901). The Green is in the 300 block of South State Street.

Where is the parade?

Saturday morning, the parade will run from Hazel Road, down North State Street, through Division and Loockerman, to the Green, and disperse at Water Street. This section of State Street (from Hazel Road to Water Street) will be closed off to all traffic from 8 am to 11 am. State Street will be closed from North St to Water Street from 6 am to 3 pm on Saturday, May 3.

Where should I park?

Friday night, parking will be available around the Green, as well as in the state lots around Legislative Mall (Delaware Public Archives, Townsend, Haslet Armory, etc.). Additional street parking will be available on Loockerman Street, State Street, and Kings Highway SW, north of the festivities.

Delaware Public Archives address: 121 MLKJ BLVD N
Townsend Building address: 410 Federal St
Haslet Armory address: 122 MLKJ BLVD S

Saturday, those same state lots will be available, as well as Loockerman St (although the parade route will affect available amount of parking in that area). The DNREC lot (behind City Hall/Dover Public Library) is available to use. Street parking on Governors Avenue is open as well. Carpool, arrive early, and stay all day for the best parking situation! Keep the parade route closure in mind when choosing a parking spot.

City Hall/Dover Public Library address: 35 Loockerman Plaza (enter from Kings Hwy SW or Loockerman Plaza)
DNREC lot address: Innovation Way, Dover, DE 19901
South Governors Avenue address (Old Presbyterian Church): 316 S Governors Ave, Dover, DE 19904

Can I bring my dog?

Of course! Leashed dogs are welcome at Dover Days, and pet owners are encouraged to pick up after their furry friends per City of Dover ordinance. Your dog must remain with you and cannot be left tied to a post, tree, or anything else. If these rules are not followed you may be asked to leave the festival in the interest of keeping all attendees safe.

Can I bring a stroller?

Yes! This is a family-friendly event with closed streets, so strollers will be easy to get around the festival. Historic Downtown Dover does have brick sidewalks, but use of the (again, closed) streets are encouraged for strollers, scooters, walkers, and wheelchairs. You may also bring wagons and coolers, but please no alcohol or glass containers.

Should we bring our own seating?

Yes, if you want to sit to watch the fireworks, parade or other performances, you should bring your own collapsible chairs. Please be courteous if festival staff asks you to move for safety reasons (for example, the tethered hot-air balloon needs a certain amount of clearance).

Where can we use the restroom?

There will be portable restrooms on the west edge of the Green (by Bank Lane), Near the intersection of North and Federal Streets, behind the Legislative Mall stage, and in front of the Fireman’s Memorial on the southeast corner of Legislative Mall. This event’s portable restrooms are provided by First State Roll Off. We ask that you only use a museum’s restroom if you are a guest, and a business’ if you are a paying customer. Please be respectful of anyone with a “no public restroom” sign posted.

Will you cancel for rain?

No. We are a rain or shine event! In the case of rain, we will not have fireworks Friday night and will move some things indoors Saturday, but we do out best to still run the festival as closely as planned. There is no rain date. You are welcome to bring umbrellas, ponchos, etc. to prepare for the chance of rain. You may be asked to store your umbrella in a designated space when entering certain buildings. Changes to the schedule will be made known through social media channels, DoverDaysFestival.com, and signs within the festival grounds when possible.