Delaware Junction pulls to a stop, will return next year

HARRINGTON — With foam flying, funnel cakes frying and music pumping, the Delaware Junction country music festival came to a close Sunday at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington.
But it won’t be a one and done affair. Organizer Alex Pires said Sunday night the festival is coming back next year.
Prior to the country music duo Florida Georgia Line wrapping up the three-day festival, Mr. Pires made an appearance on the Main Stage.
Delaware Junction’s Pires proud of successful launch

HARRINGTON — Alex Pires smiled inside and out, and why not?
After 18 months partnering with a host of entities to bring a large scale country music festival to Delaware, the opening night of Delaware Junction went off well when performers finally took the stage.
He stood on the main stage with his camera, looking out at a vast crowd of “15,000 or whatever it was” at the Delaware State Fairgrounds site on Friday night, and harkened back to far earlier days.
First Delaware Junction steps off in style

HARRINGTON –– The first Delaware Junction Country Music Festival got off to a loud start Thursday with a large crowd and plenty to do at the Delaware State Fairgrounds.
Music kicked off on the Main Stage at 2:40 p.m. with JT Hodges and the grounds had plenty for festival-goers to explore.
One of the biggest landmarks on the grounds was a giant inflatable water slide which had a line of swimsuit-clad music fans in line all day.
Slideshow: Delaware Junction Festival

HARRINGTON – A selection of photos from the inaugural Delaware Junction Country Music Festival on the grounds of the Delaware State Fair in Harrington. Photos by Dave Chambers
Sugarland’s Bush goes solo at Delaware Junction

HARRINGTON — Kristian Bush can see it in their eyes.
“I’ll get folks saying ‘I know you. I love you. I love your band.’ But then they get really nervous. ‘But I don’t know what you sound like. Is this going to be terrible?’ And then the tension sets in,” he says with a laugh.
Mr. Bush, one-half of the platinum-selling country duo Sugarland, is out on his own these days without Jennifer Nettles, whose voice fans are used to hearing on most of their hits down through the years.
“Once the show starts, their eyes pop open and it’s a beautiful thing. Just watching people discover that maybe I can sing. Oh my gosh. It’s just the best,” said the affable 45-year-old Tennessee native during a phone interview Wednesday morning prior to a show in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Laurel’s Bo Dickerson Band ready for bigger stages

You’ll excuse Bo Dickerson if he’s a bit on edge these days.
His Bo Dickerson Band is playing the first Delaware Junction country music festival in Harrington on Saturday.
Tonight, the Laurel-based group is opening for country great David Allan Coe at The Amphitheater at Heron Ponds in Delmar, Maryland.
Fans fired up for Delaware Junction Country Music Festival

By 9 a.m. Thursday, country music fans already were setting up camp at the Delaware State Fairgrounds for the Delaware Junction Country Music Festival. “There are 13 in our group and we headed down first thing,” said Lisa Nicholson of Wilmington. “We wanted to make sure we got a good spot and we’re looking forward to having a lot of fun.” The weekend festival begins today, with gates opening at 1 p.m.