Dover Days

This Year’s Dover Days Activities and Events

The 92nd Anniversary celebration of Dover Days will be Friday, May 2 and Saturday, May 3, 2025.

For the latest updates about this annual festival, check the Facebook page. 

Looking to participate in this year’s Dover Days Festival and Parade? Sign up via Eventbrite!

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.