It's Easter weekend at the Delaware beaches, where eggs will be hunted and mimosas will be spilled.
Whether you're seeking an Easter egg hunt or Easter brunch, or something altogether un-Easter-related, it's all happening this weekend at the Delaware beaches. There are not-to-be-missed events every weekend here in springtime.
Read on to find out what's going on this weekend, April 18, 19 and 20.
This event, in its 57th year, is held at Cape Henlopen State Park Friday. It starts with an Easter egg hunt at 11 a.m., followed by the kite competitons, which are held for various age groups in categories like highest kite and "open individual ballet." The Easter bunny will be on site, as will food trucks and other vendors.
The event is free to enter and attend but there is a fee to enter the park. Registration starts at 10 a.m. Make sure to leave enough time to find parking.
The Dewey Business Partnership hosts this egg hunt on the beach Saturday. The schedule is as follows:
The adult egg hunt is $20 per person and there's a cash prize. The children's egg hunts are free.
All this is followed at 11:45 a.m. by the Dewey Dogs Easter Parade, with all leashed dogs welcome. The event takes place at the bayside beach at the Hyatt on Van Dyke Street. Parking is still free but get there early to find it.
This is the premiere Lewes Easter event, held at Canalfront Park and complete with a bunny arriving by boat. There's also an Easter egg hunt, contests, face painting and more. The free event starts at 11 a.m. Saturday. Again, parking is still free but give yourself time to find it.
Schellville, Schell Brothers' event venue behind Tanger Outlets Seaside in Rehoboth Beach, will host an Easter Eggstravaganza Saturday. Tickets are $11 per person and are available for two sessions Saturday: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 6 p.m.
The event features, of course, an egg hunt, the Easter bunny, facepainting, balloon art, a bounce house, an obstacle course and more. Tickets will likely sell out so get them now.
Easter brunch
Easter brunch abounds from Lewes to Fenwick Island. Each Delaware beach town has several, if not many, restaurants serving it. Call ahead before going to make sure your preferred restaurant isn't sold out.
At the beach, Delaware Online/The News Journal food reporter Patricia Talorico recommends Victoria's Restaurant and Saketumi. Victoria's, on the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk at 2 Olive Ave., will feature a menu including crab benedict and a lobster Oscar omelet. Saketumi, at 18814 Coastal Highway, has an Easter brunch menu with a blend of modern Asian cuisine such as sushi and traditional American Easter dishes like carved prime rib.
This reporter has had good Easter brunch experiences at both Bethany Blues, which is serving brunch at its Lewes and Bethany Beach locations this year, and Big Fish Grill in Rehoboth.
And if you're looking for something entirely different, are 21 or older and enjoy marijuana, Blowchella is the event for you. It starts at 4:20 p.m. Friday, naturally, at Hudson Fields in Milton.
"As the clock strikes midnight,, we’ll light up together while our cannabis-themed ball drops from above, marking a historic celebration of our state’s long-awaited legalization," the Blowchella website says.
The festival will feature live music, vendors, food trucks, "weed Olympics," a "stoner obstacle course," The American Bully Kennel Club and more. Camping is permitted Friday night, with tickets start at $30.
More to know and do
Big Chill Beach Club at Delaware Seashore State Park opens for the season Friday. It's one of the only restaurants in Delaware from which you can see both the ocean and the bay. Also now open daily is Midway Speedway Park in Rehoboth.
Funland on the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk doesn't open until May 10, but just south of Delaware in Ocean City, Maryland, Trimper Rides is open Saturday and Sunday and will have egg hunts for the kids.
Protests continue on Saturday mornings in front of Walmart on Coastal Highway in Rehoboth Beach. This week, Indivisible Southern Delaware will hold a "Sussex Against Martial Law" rally at the bandstand in downtown Rehoboth at 2 p.m. Traffic in town will be heavy and parking spaces will be sparse.
And in case it's not obvious, Sunday is Easter. There will be church traffic around, too.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at [email protected] or on Facebook.