By: Christine E. Serio
Director of  Marketing
and Public Relations
Wilmington Renaissance
Corporation

As August and September arrive, head to Wilmington to make the excitement of summer last with fun events and festivals. So before you start being consumed with getting the kids back to school, or all of the fall season to-dos you have on your list take over your world, make sure you hit up some of the events to make every moment of summer count.

Wilmington Renaissance Corporation’s (WRC) CityLife Block Party Series, presented by ING DIRECT and DuPont, is not over yet. There are still three parties left in the series and they are featuring fantastic, diverse performers as well as nonprofit partners.

The series will continue on Thursday, Aug. 5 in the Plaza at City Center (between the Nemours and Brandywine Buildings at 11th and Tatnall Streets) from 5 to 9 p.m. The band will be Ernie & The Automatics which is a blues, rock band that features former members of Boston, John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band and Peter Wolf’s Party of 5.

Each block party is paired with a nonprofit partner from the community which receives all of the proceeds from the $5 cover charges taken at the door the night of the party. The nonprofit partner for Aug. 5 is TEAM FOX for Parkinson’s Disease Research.

“We are really thrilled with the CityLife Block Party Series this year,” said Carrie W. Gray, managing director of WRC. “Not only do we have an extremely diverse line up that is sure to appeal to everyone, but we are able to add an element that will benefit some of the really important nonprofit organizations in our community.”

On Thursday, Aug. 19, Yarn will perform. The group is a country, folk, rock band which has charted in the Top 10 albums on the Americana charts. The proceeds from the cover charge will benefit the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation. It is a foundation that raises money to assist families with terminally  ill children.

The series will close out with a plaza-shattering performance by DJ Logic. If the name sounds familiar, it should. DJ Logic is a famous DJ that performs all over the country. He is a member of Yohimbe Brothers and the Bronx-born DJ has made successful crossovers between hip-hop, jazz and jam rock.

The Christina Cultural Arts Center (CCAC) will be the beneficiary for the last party in the series. CCAC is a premier community school of the arts with a mission to make affordable arts education and multicultural programs accessible to children, teens and adults in a family environment.

The block parties all feature food from downtown restaurants including Café Mezzanotte, Chelsea Tavern, Deep Blue, Public House and Qdoba Mexican Grill. In addition, wine, beer, soda and water are available. The $5 wristband charge not only goes to a worthy nonprofit, but will get you free parking in the City Center Garage which is located across from the plaza at 11th and Tatnall Streets.

For more information, visit www.downtownwilmington.com or call 302-425-5500.

If you are looking for more outdoor music, check out the following concerts:

In the Park Summer Lunchtime Concert Series are held at HB du Pont Park on Fridays at 12-1:30pm on:
•    August 6
•    August 13
•    August 20
•    August 27
Visit www.wilmingtonde.gov/lunchtimeconcerts/index.htm for more information.

Riverfront Blues Festival will take place at the Tubman Garret Riverfront Park in the Riverfront on:
•    Friday, August 6
•    Saturday, August 7
•    Sunday, August 8
For a full lineup of the featured artists, ticket prices and purchases please visit
www.riverfrontbluestfest.com.

Shipyard Concert Series will take place Thursdays at Dravo Plaza in the Riverfront at 7pm on:
•    August 5
•    August 12
•    August 19
•    August 26

Lunchtime Concert Series will take place Wednesdays at 12 noon at Hare Pavilion in the Riverfront on:
•    September 1
•    September 8
•    September 15
•    September 22

Visit www.riverfrontwilm.com for more information on both events and the featured artists.

The August Quarterly Festival will take place on Sunday,
August 29 at 2pm.  Visit: www.augustquarterly.org for more information about the event.

Polish Festival will take place at the Riverfront behind
Frawley Stadium during Monday, September 13- Saturday, September 18.
Visit www.polishfestival.net for more information.