Labor Day 2023 in Delaware
Labor Day may be a federal holiday celebrating the economic and social achievements of American workers, it has come to symbolize the last days of summer.
Trips to the beach, cookouts, long weekends and lots of getting ready for school mark the first Monday in September.
Sunlovers will find plenty to moon over, with the high Monday around 90.
And those who want to beat the traffic should leave before 7 a.m. or after 8 p.m. on their day of travel to avoid the height of the crowds.
Here’s a look ahead.
Weather
The weekend will have wonderful weather with comfortable temperatures and clear skies, according to the National Weather Service.
Friday will seek a high of 78 and a low of 59. Saturday is expected to be sunny with a high of 80 and a low of 61.
Sunday will heat up a bit, with sunny skies and a high of 86. There will be a slight overcast Sunday night as temperatures drop to 66.
Labor Day Monday will be a scorcher, with clear skies and a high of 90. Monday night will be a cool 67 degrees.
What’s happening?
- Rehoboth Beach’s Summer Concert Series includes The Fabulous HubcapsFriday, Sept. 1 at 8 p.m., Broken Arrow – Still Sufin’ Saturday, Sept. 2 at 8 p.m. and the Delaware State University band Sunday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. All shows are free and will be performed at the Bandstand.
- The 33rd Last Blast Prediction 5k Run will start at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, beginning at Grove Park in Rehoboth Beach. It costs $25 to participate. Sign up here.
- The Arden Club’s 115th annual Arden Fair is Saturday, Sept. 2, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It features children’s games and rides, handmade crafts by more than 100 vendors, an antiques market, used books, plants, live music in the Shady Grove, food and drink, an art exhibit and more. Park at the YMCA Hanby Outdoor Center for free. Admission and shuttle buses are free.
- Rehoboth Beach Convention Center will host SUNFESTIVAL 2023, a fundraiser to benefit CAMP Rehoboth. Saturday, Sept. 2, starting at 6:30 p.m. will be a night of comedy and music with an auction and show starting at 7:30 p.m. The highlight is Sunday, Sept. 3 from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday, with the festival’s night of dance. DJ Robbie Leslie and DJ Joe Gauthreaux will be keeping people going through the late hours of Sunday. Saturday, Sept. will be a night of comedy and music that opens at 6:30 p.m., with an auction and show starting at 7:30 p.m. Register to get tickets here.
- New Covenant Presbyterian Church is having a “SON-Rise at the Beach” service Sunday, Sept. 3 at 8 a.m. on the sand at the end of Rehoboth Avenue.
- White Clay Creek State Park is hosting a Labor Day/end of summer picnic in its Carpenter Recreation Area on Monday, Sept. 4 from noon to 5 p.m. There will be burgers, hot dogs, drinks and more set up at the pavilion with picnic tables. Attendees are encouraged to hike together on one of the trails. At 3 p.m., set up your folding chair the Bandstand will be taken over with the music of The Launch, who will perform a tribute to iconic bands Boston, Styx and Queen.
- The Pines American Bistro will host Monday Melodies with John Flynn and Friends from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 4. “Piano Man” John Flynn will be performing classic, feel-good songs and encouraging the audience to join in. Admission is free. Musical performances – in order – include the Diamond State Concert Band, June Bugs, BoosKay (Sharon Bousquet Band), Sug Daniels & Sam Nobles, XTra Alltra, Howard Hues, Revolution Heroes and lastly, Montana Wildaxe.
Gas prices and travel times
Those reaching their holiday destination will save some money on gas, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.
The average cost for a gallon of gas in Delaware is $3.644. That’s about 12 cents cheaper per gallon than it cost last week, and five cents cheaper than last year’s prices.
A gallon is a few cents more expensive in New Castle County than in Kent and Sussex counties.
AAA said that Thursday, Aug. 31, between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to be the busiest time on the roads during the long Labor Day weekend, making it the worst time to drive.
Friday, Sept. 1, is also expected to have higher than normal traffic volumes between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m., making it a less than ideal time to hit the road.
The agency recommends all drivers to leave for their destination before 7 a.m. or after 8 p.m. during the weekend.
Drive Sober, Move Over
The Delaware Office of Highway Safety said state and local law enforcement will be participating in a Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign over the weekend.
Wrecks and arrests attributed to impaired driving are increasing in the First State, the office said.
In 2022, there were 1,201 crashes, 104 serious injuries and 4,655 arrests involving impaired driving on Delaware roads, with males more likely than females to drive impaired and be involved in fatalities.
During last year’s Labor Day Weekend, there were five fatal crashes and three involved impaired driving.
A DUI can cost about $10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work, higher insurance rates and more, the office said.
AAA also reminds all drivers to “Slow Down and Move Over” for first responders working at the roadside over the holiday weekend.
The Move Over law requires motorists to slow down and, when possible, to change lanes, moving away from police, fire, emergency personnel and tow drivers.
Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
Jarek can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz
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