
During the first weekend of May, Dover residents dress in their finest Colonial garb for an entertaining trip back in time. Old Dover Days, held throughout Dover's historic downtown district, celebrates the rich history of Delaware's capital city. History comes alive with maypole dancing, colonial craft demonstrations, and a 19th century townball game.
Art tours and a reception on Friday start the festival. The bulk of the activities take place on Saturday including a garden tour, parade, craft faire, children's activities, art, food, and music. While activities are spread throughout the county, most take place on the beautiful, park-like grounds of Dover's Capitol Complex and Legislative Mall.
The event closes on Sunday with walking tours and an afternoon concert.The event is held rain or shine. Admission to the festival is free, although some individual events may have an admission charge. Festival events are subject to change.
The 2005 festival was the seventy-second for the City of Dover and the second for Mid-Atlantic Base. The Base sets up an informational table on Saturday each year, spreading the word about submarine veterans and submarines in general.
Below are some of the sights from the 2004 Old Dover Days Festival.

Dressed in colonial garb, a high-wheel bicyclist rides past the Sewell C. Biggs Museum of American Art.

The Mason Dixon Band entertains the crowd.

Connor Cooper, son of Base member Charlie Cooper, naps in the warm sun.

A young girl spends her day dancing in the sun.

Shortcut High, a hotrod school bus owned by Brenda Hoffman and Jerry Bowers of Brookneal, Virginia, drew a great deal of crowd interest.

A lovely woman in colonial dress smiles as she spins thread.

Mid-Atlantic Base members Charlie Dauphin, Ray Musciano, and Charlie Cooper man the booth.