Black Friday may signal the start of the holiday season at the Tanger Outlets on Coastal Highway, but December 1st is the kickoff in Lewes!

Hospitality Night

begins on Second Street at 6 pm and runs until 9 pm with the street blocked off for the party. Shop ’til you drop, meet up with old friends, dance to the music, and enjoy light refreshments provided by our local businesses.

If you’ve never visited the in-town shops, this would be a great time to start. From shops like Twila Farrell and Aquamarine for stylish women’s clothing and accessories to Shorebreak for some casual men’s clothing, then stop in at Kids’ Ketch for great toys and gifts for the kids. Blooming Boutique is the perfect place to find affordable and unique gifts for everyone on your list. (more…)

Is Fall my favorite time of year because I’m an October baby? Or, is it the weather, still warm during the day but crisp and cool at night. So many of my favorite things to do take place this month – my calendar is filled with:

Saturday mornings – Historic Lewes Farmers Market (voted BEST in  Delaware 2011) – the last month of Saturday morning Farmers Markets at the Lewes Historical Society Complex (LHS) – October 1st at Sheilds Elementary School.

October 1st – Lewes Historical Society Craft Faire at the Lewes Historical Society Complex (LHS) – this show features some fantastic artists and artisans. What will I find this year?

October 1st – Lewes in Bloom Fall Festival Plant Sale in town, Boast the Coast Maritime Festival presented by the Chamber of Commerce and so much more all weekend long.

October 15th – Coastal Concerts presents Israeli Chamber Project. What an unusual, eclectic schedule for this coming year of classical music in Lewes! And you wondered what we did here in the off-season?

Just a few ideas to entice you to come visit Lewes in the Autumn.

If you missed the 21st Annual Garden Tour on Saturday, you can take the tour with me. Before I went on duty at 3 pm in Garden #6, I toured on my bike with my trusty camera and caught some great photos of the hidden gardens. What wonderful shade gardens!

I discovered some plants like the Acanthus shown here that I had never seen before. Since I am planting new gardens at our home on Savannah Road, I was able to get ideas and see what the Akuba and Hydrangea I already planted may look like in a few years. Take the tour!

The 21st Annual Lewes Garden Tour will be held this Saturday, June 18, 2011, from 10 am to 5 pm, and the weather forecast is fantastic! The tour, sponsored by the Lewes Chamber of Commerce, will be held rain or shine, but it is so much nicer when the sun is shining and Saturday should be sunny and in the 80s.

Lewes Chamber of Commerce

Tickets are available at the Lewes Chamber of Commerce, 120 Kings Highway, and other local businesses.  For credit card orders or for more information, call 302-645-8073 or www.leweschamber.com.

This year there will be 8 private gardens on the tour throughout town. Most are in walking distance but there is also free trolley service to shuttle you from garden to garden.

Don’t miss the Public Herb Garden next door to the Visitor Center in the fisher-Martin House, 120 Kings Highway, next to the Zwaanendael Museum.

Look for me from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at Garden #6 where I will be one of the many volunteer docents this year. I am hoping to get around to see the other gardens before I go on duty. I’ll be bringing my camera with me so look for lots of pictures and maybe a video next week.

Following the Garden Tour, enjoy the week long 13th Annual Chautauqua Tent Show with free events at Zwaanendael Park, the Lewes Historical Society complex and in Stango Park by the Lewes Public Library. For a complete list of activities, CLICK HERE!

Saturday, June 11, from 10 am to 5 pm
Cadbury at Lewes, Gills Neck Road
Artists from the age of 5 to 85 present an array of inspiring handcrafted work including quilts, baskets, fabric art, watercolors, photography, wood working, pottery, jewelry and more! All exhibits are indoors so weather is not a factor! Local artists and craftsmen are offering a tremendous variety of original works. Quilts and quilt related items will be for sale.
For more information contact the Cadbury Foundation

Today was the day the Historic Lewes Farmers’ Market Opened for the 2011 Season. Had to buy some mini bella mushrooms, some Swiss Chard, some asparagus and some fresh lettuce. Also enjoyed a Goat Cheese and Spinach Croissant – Oh My!

One of my favorite shows is the Delaware By Hand Fine Arts & Crafts Show at the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes, Delaware. In a busy Memorial Day Weekend, this is one event you don’t want to miss. From 10 am to 4 pm, you’ll find exquisite original artwork from paintings, photographs, jewelry, ceramics and glass to metal, wood and more. Established only 7 years ago, Delaware By Hand is a statewide network of very talented artists and artisans.

Read More about the organization and the show coming up May 28th, 2011.

Clear your calendar and head to Lewes this month, but remember the parking meter enforcement begins on May 1st! So get out the bag of quarters and mark these events on your calendar:

Lewes Merchants’ Spring Sidewalk Sale Historic Commercial District – May 6th – 8th, 10 – 5

Do you really think I pay full price for all the great outfits I have bought in Lewes? The Sidewalk Sale is the best way to find those unique pieces at unbelievably low prices.

Lewes in Bloom Perennials, Herbs & Garden Shop, Citizens Bank in town – May 7th – 11 – 3

Perfect place to pick up some new plantings for your garden. Get there early for a good selection from Lewes in Bloom

Blessing of the Fleet at Fisherman’s Wharf on the Canal – May 8th, 2PM

Read more about May events throughout Lewes, Delaware.

And, my favorite time of year begins on May 28th when the Lewes Farmers Market opens at the Lewes Historical Society Complex at 8 am. Get there early for the popular breads from Kogler’s Old World Breads and check out this long list of local vendors.

The Lewes Tulip Festival, a celebration of Lewes’s Dutch heritage, will again include a photography contest. (For contest rules and deadlines, click here.) The festival, sponsored by the Lewes Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Lewes Historical Society, Lewes in Bloom, City of Lewes Parks and Recreation Commission, the Zwaanendael Museum and the Historic Lewes Farmers Market, will be held April 15 and 16, 2011 in various locations throughout Lewes with the photography exhibit taking place in Zwaanendael Park. The Tulip Festival kicks off on the evening of Thursday, April 14 at a community dinner when the Lewes Historical Society will honor 4 recipients with their 2nd Annual Preservation Award

Read More …