Gov. Jack Markell already had a bit of a sunburn under his Dogfish Head hat by 3 p.m. Friday at Firefly.
He’ll be at Firefly throughout the duration of the event with a group of friends. And while he says he’s most looking forward to Earth Wind and Fire, his 20-year-old son gave him a list of other bands to check out.
"Last night say the Arkells, they were great," he said. "They’re just missing one letter at the beginning of their name. We say Alunageorge, we say Jai Wolf, Oh Wonder."
Markell says he saw the Arkells on two stages, but particularly enjoyed the new Coffee House stage, for its more intimate vibe. The Coffee House is just one of many new additions as part of the $1 million Red Frog has added to the amenities this year.
And Director of Tourism for the State of Delaware Linda Parkowski says volleyball courts have been added to the North Hub. She says it’s like a mini-city.
It is so much fun, people are just playing all the time. There’s sand..it’s just like you’re on a beach in Delaware. It’s great.
The sand volleyball tournament slots are already sold out for the festival.
Parkowski says the festival is helping change the demographics of the First State that historically has catered to 35-55 year-olds.
“Since Firefly has been in Delaware, we’ve seen the demographic change to include 25-55 year-olds. So that’s huge," Parkowski said." That’s a significant change. We really think that‘s largely attributable to Firefly.”
Stephanie Mezzano is the CEO of Red Frog events and says Showtime premiered their brand new show "Roadies" during a premier party Wednesday night.
Also new this year is a diner, a loft stage, new VIP packages and more “glamping” - or glamorized - tents that offer upscale sleeping options.
For those who don’t own tents, a “carefree camping” package is offered with sleeping bags and other camping essentials that festival goers get to keep.
Cabanas are another option this year, where people can buy an entire cabana on the top deck of the VIP loft. They’re sold out for this year, and Mezzano says the program will continue to grow.
