Delaware did it first. Three weeks before the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, the First State formally cut ties with Great Britain. On June 15, 1776, Delaware is widely credited as the first colony to declare separation, and that moment still echoes 250 years later across cobblestone towns, riverside festivals and at least one hotel suite priced to make the point.
The Wilmington region has a full summer calendar built around the nation's Semiquincentennial. Events run from a colonial boxing night in the city square to a historian who will personally call your room in the morning.
"Hotel du Pont is a living archive of the last century, having served as a gathering place for presidents, dignitaries and cultural icons," said Jeremy Costa, managing director of the hotel. "As we approach the nation's 250th anniversary, this package is an invitation to inhabit that history."
That invitation comes with a historian. Hotel du Pont officially appointed Tom Santora, a local figure with more than 45 years of service, as historian in residence for its new Homage to 1776 package. Costa said he wants guests to leave "with a tangible connection to the legacy of the First State.”
Step Inside History at Hotel du Pont
Available May 1 through July 31, the Homage to 1776 package starts at $1,776 per night. Santora is the centerpiece. He calls guests each morning with the du Pont Dispatch, delivering stories and little-known facts about the property and Delaware's past. Santora also leads behind-the-scenes tours covering the architecture and defining moments that shaped the building since 1913.
Dinner at Le Cavalier, the hotel's French brasserie, features a chef-designed four-course 250 Series menu tracing American cuisine across 250 years, with curated wine pairings. Welcome amenities include greeting postcards with period-specific quotes and a custom Spark'd Creative Pastry treat. The drink selection nods to the founding era, with Spark'd Founders' Reserve Brew and a specialty refresher called The Ratifier.
The package also covers private transportation and two admissions to the Hagley Museum, a 235-acre campus built around the first family home of the du Pont dynasty. Historic mills and exhibits on American industrial innovation fill the grounds. The stay includes one night in a newly renovated signature suite with breakfast for two.
Delaware's Founding Moment Still Has a Festival
The Homage to 1776 package offers a private version of the story. The broader region runs its own public programming starting well before July 4.
Separation Day, held annually in the colonial town of New Castle, returns June 12-13. This year, it carries added weight as part of the America 250 calendar.
"Separation Day is certainly one of Delaware's most treasured traditions," said Antonina Tantillo, city manager for New Castle, Delaware. "We celebrate it every year right in front of the New Castle Court House, where that decision was made in 1776."
Programming includes Revolutionary War reenactments, living history demonstrations, colonial-era music and fireworks over the Delaware River. New Castle sits 15 minutes from downtown Wilmington. Its cobblestone streets and preserved colonial architecture make it one of the better-intact founding-era towns in the country.
Rodney Square Gets a Boxing Night, June 26
On June 26, Rodney Square in downtown Wilmington hosts Rumble in Rodney. It is the first boxing event ever staged in the city center. The USA Boxing-sanctioned card features regional fighters from youth to adult. Live music and dance performances close out the evening with a drone show overhead.
The square takes its name from Caesar Rodney, the Delaware statesman who rode through a thunderstorm overnight in July 1776 to cast the deciding vote for independence.
Independence Day on the Riverfront
July 4 brings a free daylong festival along Wilmington's Christina River waterfront. Hot air balloon rides and a Delaware-made artisan village run through the afternoon. The Delaware Symphony Orchestra performs live before fireworks close out the night over the river.
Build a Revolutionary Road Trip
Travelers using Wilmington as a base can visit several nearby historic sites.
The Hale-Byrnes House in Newark served as George Washington's council of war headquarters before the 1777 Battle of Brandywine.Â
Cooch's Bridge Battlefield marks Delaware's only Revolutionary War engagement.
Old New Castle is home to the colonial-era courthouse, Amstel House and Immanuel Episcopal Church, all within walking distance of each other.
The Odessa Historic District’s 18th-century streetscape remains largely unchanged since the founding era.
The region sits within easy driving distance of Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and New York City. Full trip-planning information and event listings are at Visit Wilmington.
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