Just minutes from the beautiful resort towns of Lewes and Rehoboth Beach on Delaware's Eastern Shore, paradise has been found, in the form of a quaint little Victorian shipbuilding village called Milton. With only approximately 2,000 in population today, Milton is a thriving community of small businesses and lovingly restored historic homes.
Top Events and Attractions
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Renowned craft brewery/distillery, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, has a Milton Tasting Room and Kitchen which is open for on-site eating and drinking, in indoor and outdoor seating areas.
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge is a 10,144 acre refuge officially established in 1963 under the authority of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act “for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds.” The refuge is an important stopover site for migratory birds as they travel up and down the Atlantic Flyway and provides protected breeding habitat for federally and State-listed threatened and endangered species, as well as many neo-tropical migrating bird species. Prime Hook’s habitat features include salt marsh, freshwater marsh, ponds and impoundments, wooded swamps and upland grasslands and forest. Hundreds of native plant and animal species thrive in this mosaic of these diverse cover types that provide habitat for 308 species of birds, 51 species of fish, 45 species of reptiles and amphibians, 37 species of mammals, and an array of rare insect and plant species. The refuge is open to the
public for wildlife-oriented recreation. Facilities include walking trails, a canoe trail, a bird blind and other wildlife observation areas, and a visitor center.
Holiday House Tour & Holly Festival
December. View several of Milton’s most charming homes, both historic and new, as well as four historic public buildings all beautifully decorated for the holidays. Also, the Annual Holly Festival is a Milton tradition. Held in the Milton Fire Department, Goshen Hall, the Milton Public Library, and the Milton Theatre and featuring crafts, art work, jewelry and holiday gifts. Fresh plants ,wreaths along with festive food items too. Of course, Santa is always there as well. Milton, Delaware was once known as The Holly Capital of the World. While holly may take a backseat to mistletoe and poinsettias these days, holly wreaths were once big business for this southern Delaware town. In the early 1900s, wreaths produced in Milton from locally grown holly were shipped around the region and beyond. Trains transporting fresh holly wreaths traveled from Sussex County to homes and major department stores in Philadelphia, New York, and elsewhere.
Milton Theatre
The Milton Theatre, located in historic downtown Milton Delaware, has had an illustrious history in its more than 100-year existence. Erected circa 1910, the two-story building served, at one time or another, as the town’s movie theatre, basketball hall, fire station, social center, and community stage. Various retail businesses and restaurants also thrived there. It has survived three major fires, countless “nor’easters”, and decades of neglect. But now, it proudly
stands as a hub of artistic culture, not just to the town of Milton, but to the Delmarva Peninsula, offering a variety of programs and performances throughout the year.
Horseshoe Crab and Shorebird Festival
May. This festival celebrates horseshoe crabs and migrating shorebirds, long considered by many to be a natural wonder of Delaware Bay. Count yourself among the 1,500-plus visitors who annually enjoy: arts and crafts, an art show, boat rides down the Broadkill River, canoe trips on Prime Hook Creek, exhibits, games, great food, music, scavenger hunt, trail walks at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, train rides for the kids, and more!
St. Patrick's Day Parade & Lucky Leprechaun 5K
March. For a decade, this event - a fantastic parade with 75 entries and a 5K, has raised funds for four benefactors: The Milton Fire Department, Casa San Francisco, The Milton Chamber of Commerce and the Gladys Wilkins Seeding the Future Scholarship Fund.