Harrington set for big Heritage Day

In its 31st year, Heritage Day is still growing. The city of Harrington’s annual celebration of its 151 years of history is spreading further than usual this year, with even more to do — and more places to do it.

“We’re putting more things in downtown Harrington, on Commerce Street, this time,” said Parks & Recreation Director Bill Falasco, who is in charge of planning the festivities. “There are so many free things on this day, and so many different things on offer, that it would be a shame for anybody to miss out.”

The party starts with a parade at 9 a.m., beginning at Lake Forest South Elementary School, 301 Dorman St., and continuing to Commerce Street, north and east to Delaware Avenue, and then onto Center Street for the final leg.

“We’re looking for a big turnout for the parade, to get things started,” Falasco said.

Food, games, entertainment and crafts will be spread out all over town, from Commerce Street to the fire station, Parks & Rec and many area churches. And to help festival-goers take a load off, the city is setting up a shuttle to run from the W.T. Chipman Middle and Lake Forest South Elementary schools to the Harrington Fire Co. and Parks & Rec, and then back again, all day.

“People will be able to park near the schools and take a shuttle into the city,” Falasco said. “It’s going to be more convenient for everyone this way.”

The main entertainment will be on the main stage downtown, around Fleming and Mechanic streets. Parks & Rec has booked musical acts like the Norfolk Southern Lawmen Band and the Delaware National Guard’s rock band and an address from Gov. Jack Markell.

It’s also just a minute or two on foot from the dunking booth, BMX displays from First State BMX, a flea market, open house at the Harrington Historical Society and car, truck and tractor shows, courtesy of the First State Antique Tractor Club, Lower Delaware Mustang Club and the Eastern Shore Chapter of the Antique Truck Club of America.

“That area is the hub of Heritage Day,” Falasco said.

The truck and tractor shows are new this year, building on the perennially popular antique car display.

“We’re hoping to have 50 to 75 vehicles there, lined up all up and down Commerce Street,” Falasco said. “Usually we don’t have anything on Commerce Street. That center of activity is starting to get larger.”

Among the day’s biggest events is the annual watermelon-eating contest, set for 2:30 p.m. on the main stage. There’s a slate of locals signed up to take the stage, but officials are hoping that some of the day’s high-profile guests — including the governor — will decide to compete too.

“We’re hoping he’ll jump in there,” Falasco said. “We have plenty of bibs, and there’s one for him if he’d like one”

Anybody who wants more than watermelon can find it downtown too; food vendors will be set up in droves across the street from the police department.

“There’s beef, chicken, homemade ice cream, funnel cakes — there should be something there for everybody,” Falasco said.

Meanwhile, there’s almost as much to do at the Parks & Rec building on East Liberty Street as downtown. The slate of family and children’s activities includes model airplane demonstrations, a rock wall, pony rides, inflatables, dancing, face painting, a reptile show from the Abbott’s Mill Nature Center and more.

“We want to have enough to do here that a family can spend all day at the Parks & Rec building if they want to,” Falasco said.

There will be even more family events at the department’s Price Community Center, with clowns, juggling displays and more from Side By Side Productions.

The Harrington Fire Co. will also have its doors open for the day. Firefighters will give an open house, demonstrate their tools, guide children through a smoke house and, in one of the day’s main events, take on the Harrington Police Department in a tug-of-war.

“The police are going to be out for revenge — they lost pretty quick the last time they did this, a few weeks ago,” Falasco said. “It’ll be a good one.”

David LaRoss is a staff writer for the Milford Beacon, a sister paper to the Dover Post. Email David LaRoss at david@milfordbeacon.com.