DOVER, DE - One of Delmarva’s biggest music festivals, Firefly, will once again not be returning to the Woodlands of Dover Motor Speedway this year.
Firefly organizers announced Thursday the festival would not be coming back to Dover in 2024.
The COVID-19 pandemic previously forced the festival to cancel in 2020. The event did eventually return in 2021, moving from the typical June or July slot to September, and followed up with another 4-day event in 2022. The festival brought an estimated forty thousand visitors to Dover.
Following the 2022 event, Firefly organizers announced the festival would not be returning in 2023, but still indicated the festival would be back.
“After 10 magical years of Firefly in the Woodlands, we’ve decided to take a year off to recharge our lights,” Firefly’s official website read. “We will see you in 2024!”
As of noon Thursday, the website had been updated to read the festival would be back on someday when the timing is right.
Some fans in Dover like Nathan O'Neil said they will miss the memorable tradition.
"It was probably some of the best times of my life," he shared, calling the festival one of Dover's main attractions besides NASCAR.
"It was one of the biggest things people actually come to Delaware for."
For small businesses like Dover's House of Coffi, the Firefly business boom has been missed.
"Firefly was always huge and everything was crowded," employee Jenna Clendaniel said.
Though Firefly’s lights will remain dark this year, promoters say new music events are still planned. The Mondegreen Festival, featuring the band Phish, is currently scheduled from August 15th through the 18th at the Woodlands in Dover.
