AGP Executive Report

Young Artists: Delaware students took center stage at Coast Day, where more than 120 K–12 posters inspired by “Ocean from Space or the Sky” yielded 11 award winners. Halloween Weekend: Lewes, Georgetown and Milton offered family-friendly celebrations, from crafts and spooky stories to a costume parade and haunted walk. Arts & Culture: Rehoboth Beach’s international film festival opens Sunday, while Delaware’s Indigenous-inspired fashion show and Treinta y Tres Delaware Rueda’s Cuban dance keep local cultural traditions in the spotlight. HBCU Celebration: Philadelphia’s expanded HBCU Week paired football and band events with college opportunities, including Saturday’s Delaware State–Norfolk State game.

Campus Sports: Delaware women’s golf won the Lady Blue Hen Invitational for the third straight year, finishing five strokes ahead at Rehoboth Beach Country Club. Halloween Weekend: Lewes, Georgetown and Milton are among the Delaware towns hosting Saturday festivities, with crafts, parades and haunted walks; more events are planned statewide. School Recovery: After medications were destroyed in the Lulu M. Ross Elementary fire, Delaware is urging insurers and pharmacy benefit managers to help families get replacements without delay. Film & Community: A free Nov. 13 Lewes screening of United We Are Dreaming will share the stories of five young Dreamers, followed by a discussion with the filmmaker. Youth Development: Children’s Beach House named longtime Delaware educator Rocky Polite director of its Youth Development Program. HBCU Culture: Philadelphia’s expanded HBCU Week brings football, college access and cultural events to the region; Delaware State faces Norfolk State at Lincoln Financial Field Saturday.

Halloween Weekend: Delaware has a full slate of events Oct. 30–Nov. 1, from family-friendly trick-or-treating and haunted attractions to live music and Wilmington’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Indigenous Art: Delaware Art Museum’s annual fashion show puts Indigenous heritage in the spotlight, with artists using theatrical makeup and design to honor ancestry and cultural continuity. Coastal Heritage: Rehoboth Beach unveiled a historic marker at Poodle Beach, adding a new landmark to the town’s shoreline. Arts & Entertainment: The Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival opens Sunday, and Wilmington Ballet will offer a free dance-focused program Nov. 6. Parks & Recreation: Focus Multisports donated $10,400 from the Coastal Delaware Running Festival to support Delaware Seashore State Parks and preservation work.

LGBTQ+ History: Rehoboth Beach has unveiled a historic marker at Poodle Beach, recognizing its place as a gathering spot for LGBTQ+ visitors since 1930. Indigenous Arts: Delaware Art Museum’s annual fashion show puts Indigenous heritage in the spotlight, with artists using creative work to honor ancestry and bring cultural traditions into the present. Dance: Wilmington Ballet’s free, multicultural program comes to Lewes Elementary School on Nov. 6, with performance excerpts and a look at artists’ training; registration is required. On View: Peninsula Gallery in Lewes hosts master cabinetmaker Robert Bruce Weston’s marquetry exhibit Nov. 7–22, featuring wooden scenes inspired by local landmarks. Film: The Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival opens Sunday, offering another reason to make time for local arts this weekend.

Growth & Local Politics: Two closely watched Sussex County Council races are shaping up as a debate over development, infrastructure and affordable housing, with winners set to help guide the county’s next comprehensive plan. Mental Health: DJ’s Alliance is launching a statewide campaign for suicide-loss survivors, with remembrance and support events Nov. 21 and a Dover 5K on Nov. 22. Arts & Events: The Delaware Art Museum hosted a free Día de los Muertos celebration with traditional dance, music and an ofrenda blessing; this weekend brings Wilmington’s new Dark Bloom music festival and the opening of the Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival. Community Support: After a fire closed Lulu Ross Elementary, Milford schools and local partners are providing meals and other help as students prepare to return at temporary locations. Sports: The Delaware Blue Coats open their G League season with a weekend homestand in Wilmington. Local Life: With summer crowds gone, beach restaurants are promoting fall specials and easier, more relaxed dining.

Milford Recovery: After a fire shut Lulu Ross Elementary, the district and Food Bank of Delaware are providing meals and expanding weekend food support; students are expected back next week at temporary locations. Arts & Culture: Wilmington artist Catharine Fichtner’s free exhibition Interference opens Nov. 6 at the Mezzanine Gallery, featuring large-scale paintings inspired by memory, communication and family craft traditions. College Access: A federal lawsuit targeting the University of Delaware’s in-state tuition policy for students without lawful immigration status raises questions about residency rules and affordability. New Americans: Delaware’s newly codified Office of New Americans is intended to help immigrant families connect with services and support the state’s diverse communities. On the Calendar: The Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival opens Sunday, bringing independent cinema to the coast.

Games & Well-Being: University of Delaware junior Aedin McKenna is combining psychology with game studies and esports, exploring how games could help children who have experienced trauma. Youth Mental Health: Sean’s House has opened a second location in Lewes, offering free peer support and mental-health resources to young people ages 14–24. Arts & Culture: The Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival opens Sunday, and Wilmington Ballet presents a dance celebration Nov. 6. Heritage: Rehoboth’s Poodle Beach has received a state historical marker recognizing a landmark in LGBTQ history. Community: Delaware’s Office of New Americans is being developed as a hub to help immigrant families find services and connect with support.

Arts & Film: The Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival opens Nov. 1 with more than 113 films from 32-plus countries, filmmaker Q&As and special events. Dance: Wilmington Ballet brings a free, multicultural celebration of dance to Lewes Elementary on Nov. 6, with performances and a look at artists’ training. Nanticoke Heritage: Tribal artists and community members blessed a new Garden Story Post in Lewes, honoring Nanticoke culture and ties to Southern Delaware’s land and water. Delaware History: A Nov. 1 Lewes library talk marks 250 years of the state’s Declaration of Rights, exploring its influence on religious freedom, due process and other civic ideals. Community & Culture: Delaware State University’s homecoming spotlights campus pride at one of the nation’s oldest historically Black colleges; meanwhile, the Woodland Ferry, operating since the 1740s, faces an uncertain future amid rising costs and reliability concerns.

Youth Opportunity: The YMCA of Delaware received a $25,000 NBA Foundation grant to expand career training, paid internships and mentorship for young people ages 16 to 24. The program has placed 86% of its interns. Independent Film: The Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival opens Nov. 1 with more than 113 films from 32 countries, plus filmmaker Q&As, panels and special events through Nov. 8. Dance & Arts: Wilmington Ballet brings a free celebration of dance to Lewes Elementary School on Nov. 6, pairing performance excerpts with a look at dance history and artists’ training. Delaware Heritage: Nanticoke tribal representatives and Lewes in Bloom artists blessed a garden story post in Lewes, honoring Nanticoke traditions and the community’s relationship with the land and water. Music with a Mission: Newark Symphony Orchestra will perform Delaware composer Wilson Gault Somers’ “Requiem for 9/11” on Nov. 8, with proceeds supporting a Claymont memorial.

Dance & Community: Claymont-based Treinta Y Tres Delaware Rueda is hosting a free Cuban dance-and-dine evening Nov. 1 in Wilmington, with a beginner class and a shared meal. Delaware Heritage: The state’s HCA museums will gather at Dover’s Delaware Heritage Festival on Nov. 7 with hands-on crafts, history and activities for families. LGBTQ History: Rehoboth’s Poodle Beach, a longtime gathering place for LGBTQ visitors, will receive a Delaware historical marker Oct. 29. Film: The Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival runs Nov. 1–8, with screenings in Lewes featuring independent, documentary and international films. Preservation: Reith Hall’s 16 stained-glass windows are slated for restoration in early 2027, protecting artwork by Philadelphia glassmaker Wilhem Reith. Music History: As the Johnson Victrola Museum prepares to reopen after renovations, its staff recently connected early jazz recordings and Victrola machines with hip-hop culture at a Delaware Art Museum summit.

Coastal Cinema: The Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival runs Nov. 1–8, with screenings in Lewes, including at the Lewes Public Library. Milford Community: Lulu Ross Elementary’s fire has canceled classes through Oct. 30. Local groups are helping families with meals and childcare as the district plans next steps. Lenape Heritage: A new New York museum exhibit highlights Lenape history and living traditions, featuring voices from Lenape communities across the region. Millsboro will host a Native American Day celebration on Nov. 7. School Governance: Delaware’s First State Educate has opened a free online Knowledge Hub to help residents understand school board service ahead of the 2027 elections.

Milford Community: A fire caused major damage at Lulu Ross Elementary, closing the school through Oct. 30. No injuries were reported, and nearby districts and state education officials are helping the community plan next steps. Community Giving: More than 2,300 runners joined Newark’s 10th Deer Park Goes Pink 5K, which has raised over $200,000 for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition. Arts & Heritage: The University of Delaware has opened a civil rights collection honoring scholar Leland Ware, with selected works on display at Morris Library. Indigenous Culture: The Nanticoke Indian Association invites the public to its free Native American Day celebration Nov. 7 in Millsboro, featuring storytelling, drumming, museum tours and Native vendors.

Milford School Community: A three-alarm fire caused major damage to Lulu Ross Elementary, and classes are canceled all week as investigators work to determine the cause. No injuries were reported. Community Spirit: More than 2,300 runners joined Newark’s 10th annual Deer Park Goes Pink 5K, which has raised over $200,000 for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition. Delaware Heritage: The University of Delaware opened a civil rights collection honoring scholar Leland Ware, whose work explored racial inequality and segregation. In Millsboro, the Nanticoke Indian Association will host a free Native American Day celebration Nov. 7, with storytelling, drumming and museum tours. Books & Local Stories: Delaware author Jo-Ann Baca’s new book, inspired by Turtle Bridge and Gordons Pond, supports St. Elizabeth School in Wilmington. Halloween Plans: Rehoboth’s Sea Witch Festival wraps up with its costumed-dog parade, while Halloween weekend brings family events, fall attractions and performances across Philadelphia and the surrounding region.

Civil Rights & History: The University of Delaware has opened a public collection honoring Leland Ware, the late civil rights scholar whose work examined racial inequality and segregation. Around Delaware: Sea Witch Festival’s costumed-dog parade steps off in Rehoboth at 1 p.m. Sunday, weather permitting. Native Heritage: The Nanticoke Indian Association welcomes the public to a free Native American Day celebration in Millsboro on Nov. 7, with storytelling, drumming, museum tours and Native vendors. Local Books: Delaware author Jo-Ann Baca’s new book draws inspiration from Turtle Bridge and Gordons Pond; profits support St. Elizabeth School in Wilmington. Schools & Community: Red Clay officials confirmed an ICE-associated person was seen at Stanton Middle School, but said any arrest occurred off campus and no students were taken into custody.

Books & Beaches: Delaware author Jo-Ann Baca’s new book, The Treasures of Turtle Bridge, draws inspiration from Turtle Bridge and Gordons Pond. Profits will support Wilmington’s St. Elizabeth School. Arts & Events: Rehoboth’s Cinema Art Theater is celebrating film culture, while Sea Witch festivities and other events offer plenty to do this weekend. Education: Delmarva Christian School ranked No. 6 among Delaware Christian K-12 schools and first in Sussex County, with strong college-readiness results. Community: Red Clay confirmed an ICE-associated individual was seen at Stanton Middle School; the district said any arrests happened off campus and no students were detained. Music: The Delaware Symphony Orchestra’s new music director aims to make classical music more accessible.

Weekend Outings: Sea Witch brings parades, live entertainment and family activities to Rehoboth Beach through Sunday, while events across Delaware include charity races, fall festivals and history programs. Film & Theater: Rehoboth’s Cinema Art Theater celebrates local film culture, and the University of Delaware welcomes a new artistic director focused on theater and teaching. Community & Culture: A new Delaware Jewish Experience panel is set for Oct. 28 in Lewes; the Nanticoke Indian Association will host its Native American Day celebration on Nov. 7. Schools & Immigration: An ICE agent entered Stanton Middle School before school staff intervened; an arrest followed off campus, raising questions about immigration enforcement in sensitive community spaces. Classical Music: The Delaware Symphony Orchestra’s new music director aims to make classical music more accessible.