A year without the Firefly Festival has left music fans in Delaware and beyond hungry for news about a return in 2024.
A major music festival appears headed to Delaware next year - but it’s not the Firefly Music Festival.
Last week, the legendary band Phish posted a Save the Date teaser on its Facebook page for a festival it plans to bring to Firefly’s home at The Woodlands in Dover August 15-18, 2024.
The band has previously held festival-style events, but not since an aborted 2018 effort in Watkins Glen, New York.
Phish management and concert promoter AEG - which also handled Firefly - have not responded to requests for comment. But Delaware Tourism Director Jessica Welch confirms work on the event is underway.
“We’ve been working with AEG to help them book hotel rooms that they can offer to the people who will be attending the festival .”
The Firefly Music Festival in Dover since 2012, canceled in 2023, promising to "recharge" for 2024. It is unclear why it decided to skip 2023 - and there is no indication when- or if - it will return.
Welch welcomes the return of a music festival at The Woodlands, saying these events have a ripple effect throughout the First State.
“We’ll see that impact right out of the gate from people staying in hotels. Some people will camp onsite, similar to Firefly, but we’ll see a lot of people staying in hotels, which puts money right in the pockets of our office, right into the other convention visitors bureaus throughout the state.”
Firefly Music Festival launched in Dover in 2012, but canceled in 2023, promising to "recharge" for 2024. It is unclear why Firefly decided to skip this year - and there’s no indication when - or if - it may return.
Welch adds that bringing in another music festival of this scale keeps Delaware competitive.
“It really puts Delaware on the map - it’s important for us, and it’s just important for showing off our state and showing what we can do.”
Delaware Public Media' s arts coverage is made possible, in part, by support from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
