Above: This year’s Pond Fest will feature 11 local musical acts.
By David Ferguson
Photos courtesy Friends of Lums Pond
Nestled off Howell School Road between Route 896 and Red Lion Road are 1,790 acres of natural land — land intentionally flooded in the 1700s by damming the St. Georges Creek to support local sawmills and create a 200-acre pond.
Nearly two centuries and several ownership changes later, the land became what many residents know today. As industrialization ramped up, New Castle County’s population grew, and demand for public outdoor space increased, the State acquired the land in 1963 and opened it to the public for recreation. That decision helped shape the identity of the area now known as Lums Pond State Park (named after the Lum Family who owned the land for generations). Thanks to decades of work by dedicated individuals and organizations, preservation efforts continue.
Recognized as a special place in Delaware, support for the park soon grew beyond state initiatives. In 2002, a group of volunteers formed The Friends of Lums Pond, a nonprofit committed to protecting, preserving, and strengthening community engagement with the park. For more than 20 years, the group has encouraged visitors to experience the park’s natural beauty and help preserve it. Bryan Mey, the organization’s current president, has been visiting the park for decades.
“I grew up going to Lums Pond with my family for cross-country races or simply to enjoy being outdoors,” Mey says. “My wife and in?laws also grew up visiting Lums Pond and even held family reunions there.”
When The Friends held a community interest meeting in 2020, shortly after COVID?19 restrictions began lifting, Mey was immediately drawn to the passion that other people had for the park. He knew he wanted to give back to the place that connected him to nature and shaped his family’s experiences — paying it forward not only for his own children, but for every family who visits and enjoys the park.
“Our goal is to be the bridge between the park and the community,” he says.
In 2024, The Friends introduced a community?focused festival, Pond Fest, which encouraged visitors to gather around music, food, friendship, and nature. This year’s October 10 event marks the third Pond Fest, and Mey is enthusiastic about what lies ahead.
This year’s event has expanded to three areas of the park and will include a host of family activities.
“We were only expecting close friends and family to show up,” Mey says, reflecting on the inaugural Pond Fest. “Instead, we had more than 600 attendees and more volunteer support than we imagined. It was clear the community was hungry to be part of something and to share their love of the park with others.”
That enthusiasm has continued, and Pond Fest 2026 is expected to draw more than 2,500 visitors.
While the first two Pond Fests were held in Area 1 of the park, this year’s event expands to three areas and features additional activities, including food trucks, a beer garden, a Kids Entrepreneur Market, a First Responders Block Party with a Wilmington Police Department K?9 demonstration, four craft breweries, and live music throughout the day featuring 11 local acts.
One of the most notable aspects of Pond Fest is its fundraising success. Over the past two years, the event has raised more than $30,000 for the park as well as the local community. Mey believes this year’s event could match that total in a single day and emphasizes that the achievement belongs to the community.
“We couldn’t do this without every person who shows up — to plan, sponsor, volunteer, and attend,” he says.
As Pond Fest continues to grow, Mey and The Friends of Lums Pond are already looking ahead. They hope future festivals will expand across the entire park, highlighting everything Lums Pond has to offer.
And while Mey is a catalyst, he recognizes there are many who share his appreciation of Lums Pond.
“I knew I wanted to give back to the park that has given me a connection to nature my whole life,“ Mey says. “[The Friends of Lums Pond] love what we do for this park. And this community.”
— Pond Fest is Saturday, Oct. 10 from 11am-6pm. For more information on the event and Friends of Lums Pond State Park, visit FriendsOfLumsPond.org
