Check out more from the Separation Day Block Party and Parade on City Topics socials.
Jump to: July News Round-Up | Beverly’s Reminiscences | Linda’s Garden Tips | State News Spotlight | Calendar of Upcoming Events
UPDATE: On July 31, 2026, Spotlight Delaware published an article that does a better job untangling the relationship between ‘First State Future PAC’ and ‘The Alliance to Protect Delaware’s Future.’ Please check out that reporting, here, to supplement the more New Castle-focused coverage below.
A newly-registered political action committee (PAC) recently spent nearly $100K on social media ads effusively thanking various incumbent state legislators, according to campaign finance filings made last week. All three of the New Castle area’s representatives in Dover were included: House Reps Frank Cooke and Melissa Minor-Brown, and Senator Nicole Poore.
The ads (examples pictured in the gallery below) are prolific, have been running for roughly a month and feature prominent “Thank You” messaging around legislators’ work on affordability issues, including energy prices.
Residents have also received printed mailers (two sets now - also pictured in the gallery below) in the same style and theme of these social media ads. The mailed ads appear to violate Delaware law, as they provide no disclosure regarding who paid for them. While this means they cannot (yet) be directly tied to a particular group, if nothing else, they complement the social media blitz well.
City Topics reached out to the Department of Elections regarding the apparently non-compliant print mailers.
“Tracking down third party advertisers or PACs is a tricky proposition,” noted Patrick Jackson, Campaign Finance Manager for the department, “as we literally have hundreds on file. Also, if a political action committee purchased the mailers, it won’t appear until they file their 30-day primary reports. Third party advertisers are required to report expenditures within 48 hours at this stage in the campaign…”
“Our options are very limited,” he continued when pressed. “We have no registered third party advertisers that correspond to the group in the prepaid postage stamp. Again, if a PAC, not a third party advertiser, issued the mailer, they are under no obligation to report anything until the PAC issues its 30-day primary report… Elections does not have subpoena power, however, DOJ does but that determination would rest with it after consulting with the commissioner.”
Campaign finance filings show that the new PAC running these ads was set up with nearly $1M from Delaware’s five biggest corporate law firms (lobbyists), each of which kicked in exactly $190K in May.
Registered as the ‘First State Future PAC’ in January, the group appears to have used variations of the name in different contexts, including ‘The Alliance to Protect Delaware’s Future” (APDF) and simply ‘Delaware Future PAC.’
Collectively, the five firms funding it (all have long names, see image below) represent some of the wealthiest people and largest corporations that do business in Delaware, including: the Murdoch Family (Fox News); RJ Reynolds Tobacco; Elon Musk (Tesla/SpaceX/X); Larry Ellison; Peter Thiel & his company Palantir; United Health; Walmart; LiveNation (owner of Ticketmaster); Mark Zuckerberg (Meta/Facebook); and more.
Social media posts by the Delaware Working Families Party (WFP), which first unearthed these disclosures, referred to the group as “five corporate law firms in a trench coat.”
The form registering First State Future PAC states its only purpose to be “third party advertising to influence elections.” It lists D.C. lobbyist Cassandra Tinsmon of Katz Compliance as its registered agent at a non-descript address in Dover. It was notarized in Butler County, Kansas.
The APDF website is a rump page, espousing pretty normal, Chamber-of-Commerce-coded, pro-growth talking points. It refers to its backers (while not naming them) as a “coalition of stakeholders united around a shared goal: strengthening the state’s economy, preserving its competitive advantages, and enhancing quality of life for all Delawareans.”
In the third paragraph (of four total on the entire single-page website), the text gets into to what appears to be the group’s real main interest, arguing that a “healthy business climate is central to [the] mission” and stressing that “Delaware’s corporate franchise and related business revenues are a cornerstone of the state’s economy.”
The only link on the APDF website is to a “Civics 101” series on Spotlight Delaware (SD), a set of advertorials which the group appears to have sponsored as a means of purchasing a bit of credibility to discuss Delaware policy.
City Topics reached out to Spotlight Delaware — of which this blog is a ‘Community Information Hub’ partner — to express concern about this potential lapse in ethical judgment. Responses from the non-profit news organization’s Publisher and Community Engagement director are below.
“We all hear you… We believe that information should be free but, unfortunately, journalism is expensive to produce… We simply have to generate revenue to be able to exist… We’ve established policies to set parameters around what we will and will not accept. We have conversations about this issue almost every single day. Sometimes we land on decisions you’d probably agree with, and sometimes we don’t.” - Allison Taylor Levine, Publisher & CEO
“From my perspective, the most salient portions [of our policy] … are: Spotlight “reserves the right to reject any sponsorship or advertising that we know or believe to be misleading, inaccurate, fraudulent or illegal;” … Spotlight “will not accept sponsored content from individuals actively running for political office, political parties and/or content that specifically advocates for individual political candidates;” … [and] “Sponsored content from PACs and other issue-oriented advocacy groups may be accepted if it provides factual, sourced information. If such issue-focused content is accepted, Spotlight Delaware reserves the right to also publish content (sponsored or otherwise) from opposing voices.”
“Admittedly, I haven’t read all parts of the Civics 101 series. But the articles I did read seem to have been pretty straight-forward explainer pieces providing good information about the state’s budget. Our editorial team didn’t work on the series at all. Knowing our reporters, the fact that the Alliance to Protect Delaware’s Future paid for the content series would not keep them from reporting on any campaign finance issues related to APDF if they find newsworthy information about the group in the future.” - David Stradley, Director of Community Engagement
Claiming to have been co-written by the marketing teams at SD and Delaware Today, the “Civics 101” series is, indeed, mostly a fairly standard review of how the state’s government and budget work.
Yet it’s not entirely anodyne, managing to repeatedly stress how the state’s corporate franchise revenue is a cornerstone of its economy… and tacitly endorsing State Senate leader Bryan Townsend’s corporate-friendly approach to managing it.
All of the legislators receiving “thank you” ads from APDF were supporters of last year’s SB21, which amended the corporate franchise in ways that critics argue empowered execs and top investors, and reduced the ability of regular shareholders to keep businesses accountable. Supporters argued that tweaks to the law were necessary to ensure stability.
(For great analysis, check out reviews of SB21 from: American University’s Juris Mentem Law Review and from Temple U’s Law Magazine, Temple 10-Q.)
In short, the recent ads have all been aligned with the ‘establishment’ wing of the state’s Democratic caucus, of which all three New Castle-area legislators are members.
Critics, including WFP, claim that the Democratic caucus has been on a corporate-compromising spree that began with SB21, recently included the watering down of a healthcare bill at the behest of hospital executives, and tonight — on the last day of the legislative session — may include concessions to Delmarva/Exelon on bills meant to rein in electric rate increases.
Returning to APDF, the only reported spending “to oppose” a candidate by the group so far is against WFP-endorsed Wilmington councilwoman Shané Darby, who is challenging the incumbent Democrat in her state representative district.
Taking the ads supporting New Castle reps at face value, they laud these legislators’ action on things most Delawareans surely care about: energy costs, housing affordability, keeping healthcare accessible, etc. There is no mention of APDF’s contributors having consistently lobbied to make many of these efforts as inoffensive to DE corporations as possible.
The sudden influx of cash from the biggest corporate lobbyists in DE to set up this Delaware Future PAC is the newest ethical question around New Castle’s state-level representatives, but not the only one.
In April, Senator Poore was the subject of a WHYY story by Cris Barish, which dug into the ‘severe appearance of impropriety’ created by her work on appropriations to Jobs for Delaware Graduates (JDG), the non-profit that she leads and from which she receives a $100K+ salary. Sen. Poore has asserted that lawyers have assured her there is no legal issue with her helping to craft, and voting for, the annual Grant-in-Aid bill.
Then, last week, Poore came under fresh scrutiny in another Barish article, for her role in making appropriations to the Police Athletic League (PAL) of Delaware. That article detailed how the FBI is now joining the criminal probe into PAL’s finances. Mr. Cooke has served on the embattled community organization’s Board of Directors and, as with Senator Poore and the allocations to JDG, has consistently refrained from abstaining on votes to fund the organization he helps to direct.
The most obvious parallel to this week’s corporate PAC news, however, is likely New York billionaire and ‘Dexit’ panic purveyor Phil Shawe’s recent $50K donation to Speaker Brown’s personally-controlled leadership PAC.
Area organizer and retired health worker Pamela Salaam is running against Mr. Cooke in the Democratic primary in September. She has been endorsed by WFP and offered the following statement about the role of corporate PACs in Delaware politics:
“Corporate PAC spending can have a negative impact on the constituents of the district because the elected officials become [incentivized to] make decisions according to the mindset of the PAC and not the constituents, which is the problem. The PAC puts out false information stating that elected officials have done this or that with issues such as affordable housing, healthcare and schools. We all know that some of them have blocked funds for feeding free lunch to those in need. It becomes the PAC agenda and not the constituents’…
“It appears that Frank Cooke and others have moved to supporting the PAC agenda.”
Asked if she would welcome such help for her own campaign, Salaam was emphatic. “No. I will not accept PAC funding or advertising support,” she said. “It gives them the power of control and I’m not allowing them to control me nor the constituents. The constituents are the ones who should hold power of choice.”
The candidate — the first challenger Mr. Cooke has faced in eight years — also addressed her strategy to deal with PAC spending on her opponent’s behalf. “Grassroots campaigns such as mine,” Salaam said, “have to stay vigilant with the goal of engaging constituents to give more of their voices power and send that massage of power to the elected legislators.”
Last week, Keonna Watson filed to challenge Sen. Poore to represent Senate District 12. City Topics reached out to Ms. Watson but she was not able to provide comment in time for publication. (Stay tuned for an introductory Q&A, however.)
No one has yet filed to take on Rep. Minor-Brown, in either the Democratic primary or the general election set for November. The deadline for candidates to file is July 14.
City Topics reached out multiple times to incumbents Cooke, Minor-Brown and Poore, seeking comment. We asked:
Whether they are familiar with the Delaware Future PAC, the Alliance to Protect DE’s Future, or their donors,
If they know why a PAC jointly funded by DE’s top corporate law firms is so happy with them,
Whether they welcome or disavow the support of corporate PACs, and
What they would say to constituents concerned that this support means their voices might be drowned out.
No response had been received at the time of publication. If those questions do get answered, this story will be updated.
Debuting during A Day in Old New Castle, our local Historical Society’s new exhibit celebrates the 375th anniversary of the city’s founding, highlighting New Castle’s unique role in America and Delaware as they celebrate 250 years.
Designed by NCHS director Mike Connolly and volunteers Susan Hannell and Linda Suskie, the exhibit sprawls through one wing of the Arsenal’s second floor. It is, Connolly told City Topics, “the largest physical space that I have ever curated an exhibit for – it’s about twice the size of the Old Library gallery.”
Covering 375 years of history in one room - even a large one - was no easy feat, as Mr. Connolly noted when asked about the challenges in creating it, but the exhibit pulls it off. Visitors are whisked through the city’s fascinating past with a mix of broad strokes to evoke the sweep of its history, along with fine details about and tangible reminders of the humans who made it.
Ms. Hannell also discussed this challenge. “It is quite an exhibit!” she said. “I had the most trouble with such a scope and how to present that many years in one room. There are bits that I, too, wished could be included, but at the risk of needing two more rooms.”
The end result is a rich experience that gets a lot of historic artifacts into the space without making it feel small.
The exhibit’s beginnings go all the way back to 2024, Connolly noted, “hatched during early discussions about celebrating America and Delaware at 250. As the town’s historical society, we realized that it was our responsibility to also mark the City’s 375th anniversary since Dutch settlement in 1651.”
The three curators began meeting in earnest in March of last year to brainstorm and begin collecting the information they wanted to present. Connolly: “The theme we latched on to was New Castle being central to Delaware and American history – based on the physical location of New Castle as the center of Delaware’s circular boundary and its location in the center of the Mid-Atlantic.”
They collected an enormous amount of written material, including original research, and then worked to cut it down to the essentials to tell a broad but understandable story.
“That was probably the most challenging aspect of the exhibit for me,” Connolly reflected, “reducing 375 years of history into a relatively small number of paragraphs that are easily digested by the public in an exhibit format.”
The team worked with UD-trained graphic designer Masey Blauch to give the exhibit a cohesive, professional look.
Some topics and artifacts that didn’t make the cut, Connolly said, included “New Castle during the Civil War, Clubs and Fraternal Organizations, the New Castle Library Company, the “Williamsburg Plan” for a historical attraction in the historic district, famous New Castle residents, a timeline of New Castle history, and details about New Castle’s diverse architecture. I also wanted to include some of the great historic documents that we have in our archives, but many are too large to display in the exhibit cases that we have – plus they should not be exposed to light for very long.”
Still, there is much to see, and the overall effect is strengthened by the exhibit’s focus.
“I am glad to see so many objects presented,” Hannell said, “since it seemed to me as a docent in past exhibits people enjoy seeing "stuff" to flesh out the stories. My hope is that people will want to return to process more at each visit.”
“We hope that people that visit the exhibit,” Connolly said, “will get a good overall understanding of New Castle’s long history – why it was here, and what the people that lived in New Castle contributed to American society.”
‘New Castle: A Center of the American Experience for 375 Years’ will run through the end of 2026, and is open during the same hours as NCHS and the Visitor’s Center at The Arsenal.
In meetings on June 1 (a special budget workshop) and June 9 (possibly the least-attended regular meeting of the year so far), City Council finished considering and unanimously adopted the FY2027 budget that goes into effect on July 1, 2026. The new budget follows months of special meetings and comes with a change to the municipal tax rate that will shift a larger portion of the city’s revenue burden onto commercial properties.
The budget presentation offered during the special meeting on June 1 was especially instructive, as members reviewed the most important changes line-by-line.
Despite this fiscal year’s final expenses looking set to come in under projections, the amounts budgeted for Public Safety (the police department) and Public Works had to be increased again next year, as inflexible labor and service contract costs continue to drive growth in those areas. Large increases in the budget for city administration and building maintenance also contributed to a total Operating Expense line of $8.74M, an increase of $1.14M over last year.
Grants are handled separately. The grant budget for next year will be $2.27M, bringing the total FY2027 combined budget to over $11M.
Council considered several options for raising additional revenue, including the use of ‘unreserved carry-over’ funds, ultimately committing $458K of this year’s overage to help cover next year’s expenses and reduce the amount of new revenue needed from taxes.
Members also took advantage of the state legislature’s change to city code permitting them to ‘split the rate,’ giving residential and commercial properties different tax rates. In the end, residential property owners will get a 16% tax cut for FY2027, while commercial property taxes will go up by 38%.
The sharp change for businesses, Council President Souder said, is an attempt to “restore the proportion of total property taxes paid by residential and commercial properties to the ratio that existed prior to last year’s reassessment. That ratio was 40% from residential properties and 60% from commercial properties.”
In addition to covering the rising costs of police and public services, the budget also prioritized support for a number of local institutions, including Good Will Fire Co., New Castle Community Partnership, New Castle Public Library (for which the appropriation quadrupled this year), and others. Council voted separately for each grant to organizations, allowing members to abstain from votes that would allocate funding to groups with which they have direct ties, then voted on the entire budget.
Council unanimously passed Resolution 2026-32, ‘Recognizing America 250, Delaware 250, New Castle 375, and Separation Day, and Affirming the City of New Castle’s Historic Significance.”
City Administrator Antonina Tantillo reported that…
The proposed Dobbinsville fishing pier has all of its approvals and permits and the project has been put up for bids.
The new equipment for the playground at Battery Park is now expected to be installed in the late Summer or early Fall.
The city received two bids for the installation of a Dog Park, one for $89K and one $20K higher. Ms. Tantillo has applied for grants to help with the costs.
She offered a reminder about street sweeping, which is the 3rd full week of every month.
City Treasurer Jim Whisman reported that, as of May 31 — with one month to go on the current budget — the city had received 109% of the total revenue projected, and spent less than 80% of what was budgeted for expenses. He described the city’s financial position as ‘healthy.’
New Castle Police Dept. Chief Richard McCabe shared that…
NCPD, with help from Good Will Fire Co., is investigating the source of two SWAT-ting incidents at Amazon (in which first responders are falsely called to nuisance someone or, in this case, a company).
People should not approach NCPD officers during ongoing traffic stops. The chief said this has recently happened several times and he will be issuing a Public Safety Announcement about it soon.
The chief agreed with a suggestion by Mayor Leary that parking along Market Street may need to be restricted to one side in order to let emergency vehicles get down it.
GWFC’s Chief David Majewski, Jr., reported that Good Will responded 212 EMS and 114 fire calls last month and thanked residents for their support of the company’s Mother’s Day Flower Sale, and for support of his own recent promotion to full-time Chief.
Heather Contant, Director of Government & Community Relations for the Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation (DEMEC), offered a presentation about the organization’s role in delivering electricity to residents of New Castle.
DEMEC is a not-for-profit state action agency set up to serve nine cities and towns around DE that provide municipal power to residents.
The agency also advocates on ratepayers’ behalf during legislative consideration of bills affecting electric utilities. “If you’re not at the table, you’re likely on the menu,” Contant said.
DEMEC also assists with member agencies’ training, coordinating mutual aid within and outside the area, and more.
City Board of Elections chair Marianne Caven offered the annual report on that body’s activities. She reviewed the board’s handling of the 2025 municipal elections, and how it works with state election officials and poll workers to complete what’s needed. The next city election will be in Spring 2027.
Ordinance 564, which significantly increases the fees on properties left vacant for more than three years while streamlining the process for owners to provide updates about their properties, passed unanimously.
Council gave a First Reading for Ordinance 567, which would extend certain deadlines for the Flats at River’s Edge project proposed for Lukens Drive.
Further Info:
6/1 Meeting Agenda | 6/1 Meeting Video | Final FY2027 Budget Presentation
6/9 Meeting Agenda | Meeting Video | Council’s Meeting Packet (PDF with all monthly department reports, resolutions/ordinances, etc.)
The City of New Castle’s Rain Barrell Sale has been extended to allow more time for folks to order. The new Pick-Up Date will be July 17, from 2pm to 4:30pm, for those who have pre-ordered through the website below.
Rain collection barrels can help with water management on a given property in a number of ways, allowing for storage of up to 60 gallons per barrel. With the ability to connect multiple barrels to the system, which connects right to a home’s downspouts, they can help reduce the need for water use during dry periods of peak demand.
Single barrels start at around $50 and New Castle households can get a $33.40 discount on their total order thanks to the Trustees of the New Castle Common subsidizing this program for residents (making a single barrel cost as little as $16.60).
Learn more & claim yours at: rainbarrel.ca/newcastle/.
by Beverly Flannigan
In lieu of a normal Reminiscence this month, since the Editor was unable to get to this year’s St. Anthony’s Day Procession, and as a follow-up to her story about the history of the event last month, here are some of Beverly’s great photos from the occasion on June 14.
Pictured here is the 2026 St. Anthony’s Day procession organizing in front of St. Peter Church on Fifth Street. They will march to the Italian monument at Eighth and South Street in Shawtown and return to the church social hall for refreshments. It is really great that Shawtown continues to organize this very important historical event honoring St. Anthony of Padua, the Italian community and Shawtown.
Thanks to Beverly Flannigan for sharing her photos and tales of New Castle, and to all who engage with these ultra-local posts. If you use Facebook, join the locals-only City Topics Group to discover more and get in on the conversation!
by Linda Suskie, DE Master Gardener & May Market Plants Chair for Arasapha
This is the time of year when our battles really start with weeds that threaten to take over our yardscapes. No, I’m not going to talk about how to get rid of them today—that’s a long, complicated topic for another time. Instead I’m going to talk about rethinking our approach to weeds.
I was surprised to learn that the horticulture world does not have an official definition of a weed. I’ve seen a lot of informal definitions. My favorites are “A weed is an unwanted plant” and “A weed is a plant in the wrong place.”
These definitions remind me that every plant belongs somewhere in the world. Crabgrass, for example, is native to Europe and Eurasia. (Fun fact: It was intentionally brought to the United States in the 1840s to be tested as a crop for livestock to eat. Big mistake!)
Some plants that we think of as weeds actually do belong here. Wild violets, for example, are native to this region. They are an important source of pollen to early-arriving bees and butterflies. But some people don’t want them in their lawn. They’re an example of a plant in the right place (Delaware) but sometimes unwanted.
Thinking of weeds as plants that are simply unwanted or in the wrong place has changed my thinking about them. But before I tackle a weed in my yardscape, I ask myself, “Can I live with it?” As a result, my lawn is a mix of grass, clover, oxalis, violets, and false wild strawberry. My lawn won’t make a garden magazine cover, but that’s okay with me. It’s more important to me to spend less time manicuring my lawn.
My biggest weed problem right now is under my birdfeeder. Birds drop a lot of the seeds on the ground…and then don’t eat them all. So every day I’m plucking birdseed sprouts from the ground.
I’m obviously rethinking this. I mostly use safflower seeds as birdfood, because squirrels don’t like them, and we love the cardinals, finches, and mourning doves that stop by to enjoy them. I’m now thinking about just letting the ground under the feeder become a bed of safflowers (pictured, photo credit Kew Gardens at kew.org). Safflowers (Carthamus tinctorius) are not native to our area (they’re from Asia) and they’re prickly, but local bees love them and they’re drought-tolerant.
Of course there are tons of weeds that must be eradicated because they spread aggressively and stymie other plants and pollinators from doing their thing. I remove crabgrass, English ivy, dandelions, and poison ivy (which is another good example of a plant in the right place—it’s native to North America—but definitely unwanted!).
But if you find an unwanted plant in your yardscape, do a little homework before you try to get rid of it. Take a photo of it and use an app like Google Lens or Picture This to learn more about it. Then ask yourself, “Can I live with it?” You’ll save yourself a lot of time and trouble if you can answer yes.
Thanks to Linda Suskie for sharing her knowledge! Look out for more of Linda’s local gardening and landscaping tips in future issues.
by Tim Carlin (started June 23, with updates from he and other SD reporters)
Over the next week, Delaware lawmakers will finalize the state’s nearly $7 billion budget and make decisions about sweeping policy proposals that could impact residents’ property tax bills, healthcare costs and more.
As legislators work toward the close of the 153rd General Assembly on June 30, Spotlight Delaware has relaunched its end-of-session live blog to track the latest developments inside Legislative Hall.
The blog will be updated periodically throughout the day, highlighting the passage of key bills, providing insights from committee hearings and monitoring any tense moments that may arise…
“Lawmakers debate whether to prioritize union labor on major projects,” by Naomi Weiss (June 19)
“New Traffic Cameras in New Castle County capture thousands of speeders,” by Naomi Weiss (June 16)
“Bills would require, incentivize Delaware data centers to bring their own power,” by Olivia Marble and Naomi Weiss (June 8)
The news stories previewed above come from Spotlight Delaware, a statewide, non-profit news outlet. New Castle City Topics is a Spotlight Delaware Community Information Hub partner. SD has a weekly free newsletter.
For a farther view and to catch more events as they are added, as well as the full list of regular/ongoing events, check out and bookmark our website’s Community Calendar.
7/1 - Vision2Learn Kids’ Vision Clinic at NC Public Library, by appointment.
Free vision screening, eye exams and glasses for kids in K-12. Info at bit.ly/ncplvision.7/2 - Yes2Health Walk & Seminar at New Castle Public Library, 5:30pm.
Recurs weekly as part of a 10-week series. Each session includes a short walk, followed by a workshop on nutrition. For adults and older adults. Registration required.7/3 - Brewing Change for USA 250: Tea, Boycotts & the Power of Buying Local, at Read House & Gardens, 10am.
Learn about the history of tea, boycotts during the American Revolution, and how buying local made a difference. Aaron and Dwayne of The Mercury Cafe and Teahouse will discuss their tea blending process and make tea. $15pp, tickets at the link.7/3 - Movies @ Old Town Hall: Terminal USA (1993), 6:30pm.
$5-10 recommended donation, refreshments available, BYOB welcome, presented by NC Public Library and The Mercury. More info & film description at link.7/3 - ‘Dog Days of Summer:’ 1776 Film Viewing on The Green, 8pm.
A pet-friendly outdoor movie, hosted by New Castle Court House Museum. Watch the film and join in a discussion about its historic themes. Bring a (leashed) furry friend!7/4 - Coming of Age: Grievances of the Declaration of Independence, NC Court House, 12pm.
Participate in a discussion of the lesser known grievances portion of the Declaration.7/4 - DE-250 Fourth of July Bell Ringing at Immanuel on the Green, 1:30pm.
Guests are asked to be seated by 1:25 for the historic, annual Independence Day ceremony, called for by Congress and held in tandem with sites throughout the U.S.A.7/6 - Walk-In Tech Assistance & Training at NC Public Library, 10am-5pm.
Recurring every Monday and Tuesday, get hands-on assistance with digital devices and services. Bring your smartphone, tablet, iPad, Kindle, or laptop. More info here.7/7 - Free Lunch & a Movie for Kids & Teens, at New Castle Public Library, 1pm.
Family-friendly feature films every Tues. & Fri. for kids in K-12, with lunch provided by Colonial School District. See the full list of dates and films plus more info at the link.7/8 - Del Soul Concert (Classic Soul, Motown, R&B) in Battery Park, 6:30-8pm.
Part of the Summer Concert Series from New Castle Community Partnership. Free.7/9 - Old Town Horror: Ice Cream Man (1995), at Old Town Hall, 7pm.
$5-10 recommended donation, refreshments available, BYOB welcome, presented by NC Public Library and The Mercury. More info & film description at link.7/10 - Outdoor Storytime in Battery Park, 10:30am.
Presented by New Castle Public Library, featuring stories and play with a mix of dance scarves, egg shakers, and more! Families are invited to stay afterwards for playtime to enjoy music, bubbles, and other activities. For babies and toddlers with their families.Outdoor Storytime recurs every Friday, weather permitting, except for July 24.
7/11 - Postcard Social, at New Castle Public Library, 10:30am-1pm.
Discover the hobby of postcard collecting and how to use Postcrossing.com to exchange “snail mail” with people around the world. Supplies will be provided to help you start your own collection. Registration requested.7/12 - “Not Today, PA!” Lecture at New Castle Court House Museum, 12pm.
A presenter from DE Public Archives will examine the early days of the Lower Counties on the Delaware under the proprietary governance of William Penn and his successors, delving into the conditions that ultimately led to DE’s separation from PA & Britain.7/12 - Old Town Outsiders: Wildwood, NJ (1994) at Old Town Hall, 6pm.
$5-10 recommended donation, refreshments available, BYOB welcome, presented by NC Public Library and The Mercury. More info & film description at link.7/13 - Hands to Heart, New Castle Public Library, 6:30-8:30pm.
Knit and crochet with Delawarm to create items for community members in need. Yarn provided; please bring needles & hooks; light refreshments available.7/14 - New Castle City Council Meeting at the NC Senior Center, 7pm.
Agenda to be posted.7/15 - Seven Rings Concert (Irish Rock) in Battery Park, 6:30-8pm.
Part of the Summer Concert Series from New Castle Community Partnership. Free.7/15 - Movies @ Old Town Hall: Charade (1963), 6:30pm.
$5-10 recommended donation, refreshments available, BYOB welcome, presented by NC Public Library and The Mercury. More info & film description at link.7/16 - (30) Books of Summer with Tyler at New Castle Public Library, 6pm.
Adult services librarian Tyler Antoine introduces thirty must-read titles for Summer 2026.7/18 - These Houses Were Homes: 5 Generations of Black Community in Old New Castle Walking Tour, starting from Read House & Gardens, 1pm-3pm.
2025 tours expand upon Dr. Benbow Flowers’ research on the African American population of Old New Castle with additional source materials, a revamped route and accompanying map, and a special focus on the time period from 1776-1876. ($25.)7/22 - Movies @ Old Town Hall: Grey Gardens (1975), 6:30pm.
$5-10 recommended donation, refreshments available, BYOB welcome, presented by NC Public Library and The Mercury. More info & film description at link.7/22 - Cherry Crush Concert (Dance, Classic Party) in Battery Park, 6:30-8pm.
Part of the Summer Concert Series from New Castle Community Partnership. Free.7/24 - Reading of the Declaration & Reenactment at NC Court House, 6pm.
Enjoy a full reading of the Declaration of Independence, a brief reenactment of the burning of the Court House’s tip staves, and a talk about civil disobedience and the Revolution.7/25 - Library on the Loose in Battery Park by the Wharf, 10am-12pm.
Join New Castle Public Library & partners in the park to take advantage of free resources for adults, kids and families, including healthy food and snaks, books and school supplies, hygiene and dental items, mental health and financial literacy resources & more.7/26 - New Castle Punk Rock Flea Market, at Old Town Hall, 12pm-5pm.
Enjoy live DJ sets while shopping for “records, art, clothing, crafts, oddities & more.” Presented by Underground Arts Alliance and The Mercury with sponsors/partners.7/26 - Old Town Outsiders: A Family Finds Entertainment (2004) at Town Hall, 6pm.
$5-10 recommended donation, refreshments available, BYOB welcome, presented by NC Public Library and The Mercury. More info & film description at link.7/29 - Wendy Logan Concert (Blues, Soul, Rock) in Battery Park, 6:30-8pm.
Part of the Summer Concert Series from New Castle Community Partnership. Free.7/29 - Movies @ Old Town Hall: 3 Women (1977), 6:30pm.
$5-10 recommended donation, refreshments available, BYOB welcome, presented by NC Public Library and The Mercury. More info & film description at link.
8/2 to 8/8 - Kalmar Nyckel Docked at HNC for Day Sails, Delaware St. Wharf.
Check the Kalmar Nyckel website for details of the historic tall ship replica’s visit.8/5 - The Kennett Squares Concert (Blues & Rock) in Battery Park, 6:30-8pm.
Part of the Summer Concert Series from New Castle Community Partnership. Free.8/6 - Truly a Public House: Women & Tavern Keeping, at NCCHM, 7pm.
Jane Pilato will discuss women-run tavern keeping in the 18th century as part of New Castle Court House Museum’s annual History Revival speaker series.
*NEW:* Free Yoga in the Park, Saturdays at 8am, hosted by Harmony Street Yoga in Battery Park (near the lot across from the tennis courts on W. 3rd St.
“A Center of the American Experience for 375 Years” — New Castle Historical Society’s newest standing exhibition, located at the Arsenal — opened in May, covering four centuries of New Castle history. It’s free and open Thu - Sat, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm and Sun 11:30 am to 4:30 pm.
2nd Tuesdays: 2nd & Delaware Stitchers’ Guild at 7pm at Denali Beauty Works.
Third Wednesdays: Delaware Street Book Wyrms Fantasy Book Club at 7pm at Denali Beauty Works.
Fourth Friday Art Loop at participating shops and galleries around downtown, including the Opera House, Mo’zArt Gallery, The Window on Delaware Street, The Arsenal/NCHS, the Mercury Cafe’s in-house gallery, and more!
Third Sundays: ‘Second Street Coffeehouse’ Local Talent Open Mic nights at NC Presbyterian Church’s fellowship hall on 2nd Street.
City Board and Commission Meetings are posted on the City Website, here.
New Castle Public Library - Full Program & Event Schedule.
New Castle Senior Center - July Newsletter with Activity & Meal Calendars.
Looking for more to do beyond the City of New Castle? 👀
Check out Above the Canal for a wide range of ‘Stuff to Do’ throughout northern New Castle County, including concerts, cultural events and festivals, craft and vendor fairs, kids & family activities, and more.
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