Marcia Reed has big plans for Milford. She wants the city on the Mispillion River to become a mecca for art aficionados from up and down the eastern seaboard. And if the attendance at the December opening of her Gallery 37 is any indication, she’s off to a good start.
Visitors from as far away as New York City and Washington, D.C., came to view not only her work but work by other artists in a variety of media and forms, including sculpture, marquetry furniture and wearable art.
“The name is Gallery 37: A Destination for Artful Living,” says Reed who relocated to Milford after 35 years of teaching art in western Massachusetts. “I’m not going to rely (entirely) on the Milford community. It will be more from outside. I’m carrying a lot of high-end pieces.”
Kent County is indeed teeming with talent. Whatever your interest—music, art, drama—you’ll find it here. The Dover Symphony has been bringing the classics to central Delaware for more than 40 years. The 60-member orchestra boasts a roster of amateur and professional musicians from around the region, says president Nancy Pikulik. The orchestra plays five concerts per season, including the “Symphony for the Sea” benefit concert to be held on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry in May. (doversymphony.org)
The Music School of Delaware offers more than 75 public performances each year covering a wide range of musical styles and genres. In addition, the school invites people of all ages and skill levels to get up close and personal with music through a variety of instructional programs and ensembles. Attendance at the Milford branch, which opened in 2008, has been rising. “Enrollment was about 25 percent above what it was last year and that’s quite remarkable,” says director Kate Ransom. (musicschoolofdelaware.org)
Drama queens—and kings—vie for the spotlight at the Kent County Theatre Guild in Dover and the Second Street Players in Milford. Both organizations present quality community theater in intimate settings filling their bills with comedy, drama, musicals and original works. Second Street Players produces three shows as part of its Children’s Dessert Theatre, which offers kids an after-show treat plus a meet-and-greet with the cast. Friday shows offer a “pay what you can” ticket option. (kctg.org, and secondstreetplayers.com)
Kent County’s two art leagues offer year-round programs of exhibits, classes and cultural activities for children, teens and adults. The Mispillion Art League in Milford presents eight shows per year in a supportive environment. “The members are 100 percent involved,” says marketing chairwoman and photographer April Abel. “If you’re exhibiting at the Mispillion Art League, you’re expected to host and talk about not only your artwork but other artists and their work as well.” (mispillionarts.org)
The Dover Art League provides opportunities for local artists of all ages and skill levels to develop their talents and display their creations. Pottery classes are especially popular, says gallery manager Kat Bursich. (doverartleague.com)
The Schwartz Center for the Arts in Dover is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its restoration with its traditional roster of musicals, comedies, plays, and children’s shows. (schwartzcenter.com)
Las Vegas-style entertainment is the draw at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino which features championship boxing, restaurants and lounge acts as well as headliners like Bill Cosby and Chicago. (doverdowns.com)
Enjoy a day at the races—the pig races, that is—at the Delaware State Fair in Harrington. A Kent County tradition since 1920, this 10-day event blends agricultural exhibitions, a midway and the hottest acts in pop and country. Small wonder visitors leave each year saying “Bigger and better than ever.” (delawarestatefair.com)
