Free Event will also Celebrate Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve’s 30th Anniversary

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve will bring an added element to the traditional family fun, food and entertainment awaiting visitors to the 14th annual Blackbird Creek Fall Festival.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR) hosts the festival at the reserve, along the banks of Blackbird Creek. The festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Blackbird Creek Reserve, 801 Blackbird Landing Road, near Townsend.

The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, consisting of the Blackbird Creek Reserve and the St. Jones Reserve in Dover, is part of a national system of reserves that protects more than 1.3 million acres of coastal land and water.

This year, DNERR is celebrating its 30th year, and the milestone will be incorporated into kids crafts and other activities at the fall festival.

“Every year we look forward to the Blackbird Creek Fall Festival and for the opportunity to partner with our vendors to create a fun-filled day,” said Laurel Sullivan, education coordinator at DNERR. “This year is extra special because we are also celebrating DNERR’s 30th anniversary.”

The free festival will feature crafts, hands-on learning about the estuary, live music, food trucks and kids’ activities. Visitors may also browse the works of artisans, enjoy hayrides and check out the educational exhibitors.

Families also can get a “passport” and earn a prize by visiting all the participating stations throughout the festival, learning about the natural resources and heritage of the Delaware Bay through games, demonstrations and challenges.

More information on the Blackbird Creek Fall Festival is available de.gov/blackbirdfestival.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Jim Lee, JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov.

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The Blackbird Creek Fall Festival is a day of family-friendly fun celebrating the arrival of autumn and the beauty of the Blackbird Creek Reserve. DNREC photo.

Event Features Hayrides, Artisans, Crafts and More

The annual Blackbird Creek Fall Festival returns Saturday, Oct. 15, with a day of free family fun and entertainment. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR) hosts the festival at the Blackbird Creek Reserve, along the banks of Blackbird Creek. The festival will take place rain or shine, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Blackbird Creek Reserve, 801 Blackbird Landing Road, near Townsend.

“The Blackbird Creek Fall Festival provides a great opportunity to learn about the natural and cultural heritage of the Delaware Bay, said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “The free festival has become a go-to event for those looking to get outside and enjoy a fun-filled fall day.”

The festival will feature traditional crafts, hands-on learning about the estuary, live music, food trucks and kids’ activities. Visitors may also browse the works of artisans, enjoy hayrides, go on a guided hike of the Blackbird Creek Reserve and check out educational exhibitors.

Families also can get a “passport” enabling them to earn a prize by visiting all the participating stations throughout the festival and taking the opportunity to learn about the natural resources and heritage of the Delaware Bay through games, demonstrations and challenges.

More information about the Blackbird Creek Fall Festival is available at de.gov/blackbirdfestival.

The Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, with components at Blackbird Creek Reserve and the St. Jones Reserve in Dover, is part of a national system of reserves that protects more than 1.3 million acres of coastal land and water nationwide. Designated in 1993, DNERR has grown to protect 6,364 acres in two counties, incorporating a variety of important ecosystems that range from the Delaware Bay to upland forests. DNERR staff focus on habitat restoration, educational programs, creating land stewardship demonstration areas, and using the Reserve as a living laboratory for long-term data monitoring since 1995. More information about the reserve can be found at de.gov/dnerr.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Jim Lee, JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov.

Delaware’s Sassafras Landing living shoreline, a joint project of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays, was recognized as one of the 2021 Best Restored Shores by the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA). /DNREC photo

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Center for the Inland Bays (CIB) are again partnering to host Water Family Fest and Annual Native Plant Sale. The family-friendly event will be held at the James Farm Ecological Preserve in Ocean View from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, May 14. The free event highlights the work by DNREC and the CIB in the Inland Bays to improve Delaware’s environment and preserve the area’s natural resources, including wetlands, water quality and living shorelines.

Water Family Fest visitors will enjoy exhibits from more than 20 nature-based and non-profit organizations while taking advantage of the opportunity to explore a variety of environmental topics including native plants, shellfish, buffers, beaches, wetlands, tax ditches, rain gardens and more. Visitors also can explore hiking trails, take a guided hike, and even try paddle boarding and kayaking.

Short talks on topics such as horseshoe crabs, aquaculture, green infrastructure, and native plants are scheduled every half hour at Water Family Fest from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event also features family activities such as seining, bird identification and horseshoe crab tagging. An event program can be found at dnrec.delaware.gov.

Also, as part of Delaware Flood Awareness Week, DNREC’s Floodplain Management Program will unveil a working model of a floodplain at Water Family Fest that helps young people understand flooding and its impacts. The Enviroscape tabletop model at Water Family Fest offers a hands-on creative way to demonstrate flooding and floodplain management concepts. The model also shows how flooding on the floodplain can be caused by unplanned development – and the importance of wetlands in helping mitigate flooding impacts.

Sponsors of the event include Inland Bays Garden Center, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, WSFS Bank, Coldwell Banker Realty, Real McCoy Group, Sussex County Association of Realtors, Coastal Plant Care, Jolly Trolley, G&E Hardware, Bethany Club Tennis and Delmarva Public Media.

More information about the Water Family Fest can be found at dnrec.delaware.gov.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov

Yorklyn Day features many activities for kids, including a live reptile show

YORKLYN (June 21, 2018) – DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation will join Yorklyn community organizations in presenting the second annual Yorklyn Day, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, July 1 in Yorklyn. The event is a partnership between DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation, the Center for Creative Arts, Yorklyn Pool, and Dew Point Brewing Co.

DNREC staff will be on hand to discuss the progress on revitalization of the former NVF factory site, as well as the installation of the Paper Mill Bridge, the first in a series of repurposed historic iron truss bridges brought from all over the country to serve community trail users. Auburn Heights Preserve’s Steamin’ Day is also part of the event, with steam car and miniature train rides and mansion tours from 12:30-4:30 p.m. Also featured is a Sidewalk Chalk Festival contest, where kids can display their art for prizes.

Activities are set up in various areas, almost all within convenient walking distance of the new state park trails. Food trucks will offer a variety of culinary options. Live music, artisans, craft beer, vendors, and non-profit presenters are all part of the festivities.

Activity hubs include:

• 11 a.m.-5 p.m. – Dew Point Zone, featuring live music, lawn games, disc golf demo, and craft beer; a chance to try a new craze with Yorklyn Pool-Pickle Ball demonstrations; and Belinda Balloon the Clown
• 11 a.m.-3 p.m. – Center for Creative Arts’ Art Zone, featuring a Sidewalk Chalk Festival, live music, artisans and art sales, food trucks and adult beverages, and children’s art activities
• Noon-4 p.m. – Cozy Quarters Farm pony rides
• 1 p.m. – Yorklyn Bridge Trail’s Kid Zone, and Jungle John’s Dinosaur Show
• 1-3 p.m. – Juggling Hoffmans
• 2:30 – Live reptile show

Event parking is headquartered at H.B. Middle School, 735 Meeting House Road, Hockessin DE 19707. School buses will transport visitors to and from the school to the event site every 15 minutes, with smaller shuttle buses transporting throughout the activity areas. Parking for people with disabilities on the event site is available at Yorklyn Bridge Trail, 1178 Yorklyn Road, Hockessin DE 19707.

More information is available at www.YorklynDay.org, or by calling the Auburn Heights Preserve park office at 302-729-4278.

Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 48, No. 171

Registration open for June-July events in Smyrna, Dover, Georgetown

DOVER – Do you know a child or young teen who might enjoy learning about fishing and delight in having the opportunity to catch a fish? DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife invites budding anglers age 6 through 15 to come out and learn to fish with a parent/guardian on three upcoming “Take a Kid Fishing!” dates.

“Take a Kid Fishing!” events will be held on the following dates:

• 9 a.m.-noon, Wednesday, June 21, Aquatic Resources Education Center, Smyrna
• 5-7:30 p.m., Thursday, July 13, Silver Lake Park, Dover
• 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, July 15, Redden State Forest, Georgetown

To ensure enough supplies are on hand for these free programs, pre-registration is required. To pre-register for “Take a Kid Fishing!”, or for more information about the program or about volunteering as an instructor, please email Mary Rivera at mary.rivera@delaware.gov.

“Take a Kid Fishing!” teaches young people fundamental fishing skills and conservation concepts including catch-and-release. Along with the angling experience, these free-admission fishing days also feature activity stations and prizes. Fishing equipment is provided, but participants may want to pack a picnic.

Grandparents, parents, or others age 16 and older who wish to fish with “Take a Kid Fishing!” participants must have a current Delaware fishing license and a Delaware Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number. The free number is included as part of a Delaware fishing license purchase. License-exempt anglers, including Delaware residents 65 and older, may visit www.delaware-fin.com or call 800-432-9228 toll-free to obtain their free FIN number.

A resident annual Delaware recreational fishing license, which covers fresh and tidal waters as well as crabbing and clamming, costs $8.50 for ages 16 through 64. Persons under the age of 16 and residents age 65 and older are not required to purchase fishing licenses in Delaware, although exempt persons may purchase fishing licenses if they choose to help support fisheries management efforts. Delaware fishing licenses are sold online, at the licensing desk in DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, and by license agents statewide. To find a participating agent, or to purchase a license online, visit Delaware Licenses. For more information on Delaware fishing licenses, call 302-739-9918.

For more information on fishing in Delaware, click on the 2017 Delaware Fishing Guide. The guide also is available in printed form at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk, and from license agents throughout the state.

“Take a Kid Fishing!” is sponsored by the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Aquatic Resources Education Center, with host sites provided by DNREC’s Divisions of Fish & Wildlife and Parks & Recreation, the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the City of Dover Parks and Recreation. Some of the fishing tackle for these events has been donated by Cabela’s at Christiana Mall.

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Vol. 47, No. 136

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