Delmarva Chicken Festival facts for kids

The Delmarva Chicken Festival is a big yearly party that celebrates chickens! It started way back in 1948 or 1949. The main idea was to show everyone how important the Delmarva Peninsula is for raising chickens. This area is famous for its poultry farms.

This festival lasts for two days and happens in different towns across Delmarva. It's packed with exciting things to see and do.

What Happens at the Festival?

The festival is a busy place! You can find lots of cool stuff. There are trade shows for poultry equipment, which is interesting for farmers. But for everyone else, there's a lot more fun!

Fun for Everyone

• Miss Del-Mar-Va Contest: A special contest to crown a festival queen.
• National Chicken Cooking Contest: Chefs and home cooks show off their best chicken recipes.
• Parade: A colorful parade with floats and music.
• Arts and Crafts: You can find unique handmade items.
• Carnival: Rides, games, and all the classic carnival fun!
• Entertainment: Live music and shows keep everyone happy.
• Food Concessions: So many yummy things to eat!

Delicious Festival Food

Of course, chicken is the star food here! But you can also enjoy other tasty treats. Look for french fries, sweet corn-on-the-cob, fluffy funnel cake, cool ice cream, crunchy kettle corn, and fresh-squeezed lemonade. These are all local favorites!

The Giant Frying Pan

One of the most amazing things at the festival is the world's largest frying pan! It's huge! This giant pan first appeared at the festival in 1950.

How Big is the Pan?

The first giant pan was made by a company in Selbyville, Delaware. It was given to the Delmarva Poultry Industry to help promote chicken from the area.

• It was 10 feet wide (that's like three tall adults lying down!).
• It had an 8-foot handle.
• It was 18 inches deep.
• It needed 180 gallons of cooking oil.
• It used 150 gallons of LP gas to heat up.
• It weighed 650 pounds (like a small car!).
• It could cook 800 chicken quarters at once.

Each year, nearly three tons of chicken are cooked in this giant pan. At the 65th festival, they cooked an amazing four tons of chicken!

Festival History and Locations

The Delmarva Chicken Festival has been held in many different towns over the years. It's a tradition that brings communities together.

Past Festival Dates and Places

• June 13-15, 1950: Dover, Delaware
• June 17-19, 1965: Salisbury, Maryland
• June 22-24, 1967: Dover, Delaware
• June 19-21, 1969: Seaford, Delaware
• June 19-20, 1990: Centreville, Maryland
• June 12-13, 1998: Millsboro, Delaware
• June 20-21, 2014: Centreville, Maryland (This was thought to be the last year for the festival and the giant pan!)
• Mid-June 2020: Centreville, Maryland (A smaller festival due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
• May 21, 2022: Ocean View, Maryland

The 65th festival in 2014 was expected to be the last one. But the festival has continued to bring chicken lovers together!

See also

• Tyson Foods, Inc.
• Perdue Farms, Inc.
• Mountaire Farms, Inc.
• Allen Family Foods, Inc.