By Craig Horleman

It’s another NASCAR race weekend in Dover and, as has been the case for many years, the action around the track is almost as busy as inside.

Leading the entertainment for race fans this weekend is a concert by country star Jimmie Allen of Milton.

The award-winning Mr. Allen will perform a pre-race show Sunday at 12:45 p.m. on the Embrace Home Loans stage in Victory Plaza at Dover Motor Speedway before the DuraMAX Drydene 400 NASCAR Cup Series race.

Mr. Allen has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame in a few short years, earning many awards and top-tier nominations, releasing a string of chart-topping hits, and appearing on numerous TV specials and celebrity contests.

He most recently was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards in April and co-hosted the ACM Awards with Dolly Parton in March. Other 2022 nominations have included ACM Male Artist of the Year and Outstanding New Artist at the NAACP Image Awards.

He is the reigning CMA New Artist of the Year and also won ACM New Male Artist of the Year in 2021. Additionally, he just appeared as well as a guest mentor on “American Idol,” a show he auditioned for years before signing a record deal. His third album “Tulip Drive” will be released June 24 and the record’s lead single “Down Home” is available now.

He last played a pre-race concert at Dover Motor Speedway in October of 2018 before the NASCAR Cup Series Gander Outdoors 400.

“I wasn’t a big NASCAR fan growing up but my grandfather is. The big thing I always remember about NASCAR weekends were to stay out of Dover because of all that traffic,” he told the Delaware State News then.

His first hit single “Best Shot” reached No. 1 on U.S. country airplay charts in 2018. Allen’s other No. 1 hits include the singles “Make Me Want To” in 2020 and “Freedom was a Highway” in 2022. Mr. Allen has amassed more than 1 billion career on-demand streams.

“Jimmie’s show is the centerpiece of all the fun, family events available for all our fans this year in Victory Plaza and the FanZone. This is shaping up to be one of the most memorable race weekends in quite some time, both on and off the track.” said Mike Tatoian, president and general manager of Dover Motor Speedway.

There will also be appearances by NASCAR Cup Series stars including Kevin Harvick Sunday at 11:45 a.m. at the Monster Monument in Victory Plaza followed by Martin Truex Jr. and defending Monster Mile NASCAR Cup Series race winner Alex Bowman.

Xfinity Series drivers will appear Saturday at the Monster Monument starting at 10:45 a.m.

Two-time World Series champion Johnny Damon along with RSS Racing driver Ryan Sieg will sign autographs in the A-GAME display in the FanZone Saturday at noon.

Driver appearances are just one of many free attractions coming to the Monster Mile.

Also slated are Micro Wrestling Federation matches, USO Military Village, Canine Stars performances, Bear Hollow Wood Carvers displays and auction, classic car shows, a performance by the popular Amish Outlaws Sunday at 10:45 a.m. at Victory Plaza, Hell On Wheels daredevil BMX stunt show and a petting zoo.

NASCAR fans can also test their cornhole skills – and win some cash in the process – during Saturday’s Monster Mile Bash.

The Inaugural Monster Mile Cornhole Tournament is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Saturday following the A-GAME 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race.

Hosted by Delaware Cornhole, registration for the tournament is available on Facebook through Saturday at 3:45 p.m. Additional cornhole boards will be available for non-competitive free-play as well.

The entry fee is $50 for a two-person team, with a guaranteed prize pool of $2,500 at stake. All ages and all skill levels are welcome to participate. Registration is first-come, first-served, with a limit of 100 teams.

Proceeds will benefit Speedway Children’s Charities, a nonprofit organization that provides funding for underserved children throughout the United States.

Other entertainment options at the Monster Bash include live music in Victory Plaza – hosted by MTV host Riki Rachtman – including a show by Jexxa, a popular duo who will perform original and cover music. Jexxa will also sing the national anthem before Saturday’s race.

Activities will also include free bumper car rides, giant slide attraction and axe throwing in the FanZone. Tethered hot air balloon rides will be available nearby, in Lot 8, from 7 to 9 p.m. Donations are encouraged and benefit Speedway Children’s Charities. Saturday night fireworks, presented by Kent County Tourism, will begin at 9 p.m. and be visible from all areas of Dover Motor Speedway property. Food will be available for purchase nearby at the SoDel Concepts tent by Victory Plaza.

The April 29-May 1 NASCAR tripleheader weekend race weekend schedule includes today’s General Tire 125 ARCA Menards Series East race at 5:30 p.m.; Saturday’s A-GAME 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race at 1:30 p.m.; and Sunday’s DuraMAX Drydene 400 presented by RelaDyne NASCAR Cup Series race at 3 p.m.

Kids 12 and under get in free with a paying adult to the Friday and Saturday races and start at $10 on Sunday.

For tickets and more information, visit here or call 800-441-RACE.

Bettie James Fest

Speaking of Mr. Allen, the lineup for his second annual Bettie James Fest, taking place Aug. 13 at Hudson Field in Milton was announced this week. General tickets will go on sale today at 10 a.m. here.

This year’s slate of performers include We The Kings, Lainey Wilson, Neon Union, Chayce Beckham, JJ Rupp and Kounty. Mr. Allen will once again serve as headliner for the festival, which he established in 2021 in honor of his late grandmother (Bettie Snead) and late father (James Allen).

Bug & Bud Festival

As we told you last week, the annual Bug & Bud Festival takes place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hosted by Downtown Milford Inc., this rain-or-shine event takes place along Walnut Street, Park Avenue and the Mispillion Riverwalk in historic downtown Milford.

The festival will be a little smaller than in years past and will include the spring costume parade featuring adults, children and pets dressed as ladybugs and trees. This year the ladybugs and trees have graciously invited the bees, butterflies and flowers to join in the parade as a show of springtime solidarity.

Arts and crafts vendors will line the streets. There will also be a preview of DMI’s Farmers Market.

There will also be local entertainment, food vendors including funnel cakes and cotton candy; a kid zone with games and activities; art and nature-related hands-on activities, pizza-eating contest, seedling tree giveaways and a petting zoo.

More information is available here or contact director@downtownmilford.org.

Plays abound

It’s a big weekend on local stages.

Staying in Milford, after a successful opening weekend, Second Street Players will again present Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express,” a Ken Ludwig adaption, at the Riverfront Theater in Milford today and Saturday at 7 p.m. along with a matinee at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets can be obtained here. The Riverfront Theater is at 2 S. Walnut St. in Milford. Tickets are $20 with a $1 discount for seniors. Patrons who need assistance with ticketing should call 302-422-0220.

This weekend will be the final performances of “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder” presented by Possum Point Players in Georgetown.

Tickets are $27 for adults and $25 for seniors and students. Tickets can be purchased here or by calling the ticketline 302-856-4560. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30 pm, and the Sunday matinee is at 2 pm. Possum Hall is at 441 Old Laurel Road, Georgetown.

“A Gentleman’s Guide” provides lots of laughter as a host of unlikely ways of determining the demise of inconvenient relatives are demonstrated by a “gentleman” determined to scale the family tree. While happily dispensing with some who depart, women dare to go out on even a legal limb to save the merry murderer and win his heart.

Finally, Smyrna Opera House will present a Dessert Theater presentation of “In the Restroom at Roseblooms” today and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

This contemporary comedy reveals hopes and dreams and fears of three elderly ladies who spark their lonely lives by meeting daily in the restroom lounge of an outdated department store, and the crazy touching events that occur the day one of them is supposedly threatened.

Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 seniors and military, $16 SOH members and $10 for children.

Dessert Theater is a play followed by a dessert reception in the Dickinson Room. Attendees are invited to attend after the play to enjoy desserts and mingle with the cast.

For tickets, visit SmyrnaOperaHouse.org, by calling 302-653-4236 or the box office at 7 W. South St.

Now Showing

New this weekend in theaters is the Liam Neeson thriller “Memory.”