This week, the city comes alive with August Quarterly 2025, the nation’s oldest African American religious and cultural festival. Known also as the Big Quarterly, the tradition dates back to 1814 and honors the vision of Peter Spencer, a formerly enslaved man who, in 1813, founded the Union Church of Africans, the first independent African American church in the United States, free of white supervision by law.
What began as a commemoration of spiritual independence has grown into a weeklong celebration of freedom, faith, and fellowship. August Quarterly became a kind of “Independence Day” for Black people on the Delmarva Peninsula, offering a rare platform for enslaved and free African Americans to gather, worship, and discuss critical issues of their time. Abolitionists such as Harriet Tubman and Thomas Garrett were even known to be present in Wilmington during the festival’s early years, lending their voices and support to the fight for freedom.
2025 Schedule of Events
This year’s observances, held August 24–31, blend worship, history, youth engagement, and cultural celebration.
- Sunday, August 24
- 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. — Opening Worship Service at Mother African Union Church, 812 N. Franklin St.
- 1:30 p.m. — Wreath-Laying Ceremony at Peter Spencer Plaza, 800 N. French St., honoring the festival’s founder.
- Thursday, August 28
- 7:00 p.m. — Mid-Week Revival Service, returning to Mother African Union Church for a spirit-filled evening of worship.
- Saturday, August 30
- 1:00–7:00 p.m. — Youth Day at Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park, Rosa Parks Dr. & Market St., featuring youth choirs, activities, and community empowerment.
- Sunday, August 31
- 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. — Worship Service at the Chase Center on the Riverfront, 815 Justison St.
- 12:00–7:00 p.m. — The Big Quarterly Celebration at Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park with gospel music, food vendors, cultural displays, and family activities.
Legacy and Impact
The August Quarterly has always been more than a festival. During slavery, it provided a sacred space for African Americans to worship together freely and maintain their spiritual identity. For free Black men and women, it was also a platform for discussing colonization, abolition, and the urgent issues of the day. Over two centuries later, the festival continues to embody that ecumenical spirit, uniting people of all backgrounds in faith, remembrance, and joy.
At its heart, August Quarterly is both a religious revival and a community reunion, a moment for Wilmington, Delaware, and the broader region to celebrate freedom hard-won and to honor the resilience of generations who carried the torch of faith and justice.
As August Quarterly 2025 unfolds, Wilmington once again becomes the gathering place for history, culture, and celebration—truly faithful to freedom.
For more information or a complete event lineup, visit: https://augustquarterly.orghttps://augustquarterly.org
