DO Delaware: Clifford Brown Jazz Fest, Juneteenth, Waxahatchee, Miss Delaware this weekend

Andre Lamar, Delaware News Journal
·4 min read

Clifford Brown Jazz Festival

The largest free jazz festival on the East Coast is turning 35.

The Clifford Brown Jazz Festival will host close to a dozen rich musical acts in downtown Wilmington on Friday and Saturday.

On Friday, there will be performances by The Boysie Lowery Living Jazz Residency Ensembles (starting at 5 p.m.) and Ernest Stuart with Thr3zus. There also will be performances by Maya and Stokley, who will close out the night

On Saturday, folks will see Regina Carter (starting at 1 p.m.), followed by Tony Smith, Spartan Alumni Band, Lynn Riley and the World-Mix, Immanuel Wilkins and Rebirth Brass Band, who will cap off the night.

At the end of each night there will be Late Night Jams (10 p.m. to 1 a.m.) at the Nomad Bar (905 N. Orange St., Wilmington) and Wilmington Public Library (10 E. 10th St., Wilmington). Additionally, Le Cavalier (42 W. 11th St., Wilmington) will only be available Friday.

Jazz Fest will pay homage to Wilmington late-great trumpeter Clifford Brown at Rodney Square (1000 N. Market St., Wilmington) 5-10 p.m. Friday; and from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free. For more info, visit cliffordbrownjazzfest.org.

Miss Delaware Pageant

Sophie Philips will soon hand over her Miss Delaware crown to one of 10 new hopefuls at the next pageant.

Contestants include Lydia Cole, Kara Scarangella, Samantha Mason, Allison Dayton, Kristen Greenly, Grace Otley, Francisco Moreno, Cassandra DiMattia, Imani Cummings and Caroline Scalora.

Who will be named the next Miss Delaware? You’ll find out at the Milton Theatre (110 Union St., Milton) at 7 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $45. For more info, visit miltontheatre.com or (302) 684-3038.

Beyond Juneteenth Festival

Wilmington native Nitro Nitra, who appeared on NBC's 'American Song Contest' in the spring, will perform at Beyond Juneteenth Egungun Festival on Saturday. Nitra is pictured in her Middletown home on March 24, 2022.
Wilmington native Nitro Nitra, who appeared on NBC's 'American Song Contest' in the spring, will perform at Beyond Juneteenth Egungun Festival on Saturday. Nitra is pictured in her Middletown home on March 24, 2022.

There are a bunch of Juneteenth celebrations in the Small Wonder. A rising one is the third annual Beyond Juneteenth Egungun Festival.

The event features live performances by Sa-Roc Sol Messiah, Richard Raw, Nitro Nitra, GhettoSongBird, Jea Street, Nadjah Nicole, Ebony Zuudia, Hezekiah, Stiggs Stigalo, Jahiti and Tonantzin Yaotecas, with Laurel Mustafa hosting the event, according to Delaware Art Museum’s website.

Folks also can enjoy food offerings from Drop Squad Kitchen, food trucks, arts and crafts vendors, per the website.

Beyond Juneteenth will commemorate the end of slavery at Delaware Art Museum (2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free. For more info, visit delart.org or (302) 571-9590.

Tax Free Comedy Festival

The silly musical duo Hot Breakfast! will co-headline comedic the Tax Free Comedy Festival at The Delaware Contemporary in Wilmington on Saturday.
The silly musical duo Hot Breakfast! will co-headline comedic the Tax Free Comedy Festival at The Delaware Contemporary in Wilmington on Saturday.

As a reward for surviving another week of high gas prices, you can laugh it off with more than a dozen funny people for two days straight.

Tax Free Comedy Festival, presented by City Theater Company and Fearless Improv, features a mix of standup comedians, improv artists and musical comedy (Mean Wendy Band / Hot Breakfast!).

The talent in the lineup is mean and features folks who’ve opened for big names like Patrice O'Neal, Donnell Rawlings, Dave Attell and Tommy Davidson. Headlining Friday night are Brandon Vincent Jackson and Darryl Charles. On Saturday, the headliners are James Hesky, Mean Wendy Band and Hot Breakfast!

Tax Free Comedy Festival aims to split your sides in The Wings Foundation Black Box (The Delaware Contemporary, 200 S. Madison St., Wilmington) at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $30 general; $25 students (with ID) and military (with ID); $50 for both days (plus fees). For more info, visit taxfreecomedyfestival.com.

Waxahatchee in concert

Katie Crutchfield, frontwoman of Waxahatchee, will float to the First State on her “Saint Cloud,” the latest album from the singer-songwriter.

The introspective project was released at the start of the pandemic and written directly after Crutchfield decided to get sober. The name “Waxahatchee” is a nod to a creek not far from her childhood home in Alabama, according to the artist’s website.

Waxahatchee will bend a musical knee to The Queen (500 N. Market St., Wilmington) at 8 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $23-$28. For more info, visit thequeenwilmington.com or (302) 400-7020.

ICYMI

— Firefly fans sound off after fest adds Haim, T-Pain and 20+ others. Gunna was taken off bill

— Delaware's sizzling road map: Stick with us for updating guide to summer 2022 and beyond

— Pull up a chair: A local's look at everything you need to know about the Delaware beaches

— Here's how to celebrate Juneteenth throughout Delaware this month

— 'Little Demon': Delaware gets its own national TV show thanks to Wilmington's Aubrey Plaza

— Hidden no more: How the West Rehoboth community is telling their stories through art

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Clifford Brown Festival, Miss Delaware, Juneteenth on tap this weekend