Concerts & Events in Wilmington

The cello-shaped Verizon Hall serenades eyes with mahogany accents under the 150-foot barrel-vaulted glass ceiling of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. With seats for 2,500 audience members, the hall immerses both spectators and musicians in the clarity generated by its premium acoustics, which absorb vibrations from the subway tunnel below with 225 rubber isolation pads and allow for precise tuning with retractable curtains and sound-reflecting panels. Seasoned jazz artist Branford Marsalis confirmed Verizon Hall's sound acumen when he told NPR it is "the best concert hall on the East Coast."

Sports Authority Field's turf trembles beneath the stampeding cleats of the teams in the Mile High Classic, which will showcase some of the country's best collegiate lacrosse in a precursor to May's NCAA Tournament. As reigning national champions, the top-ranked Virginia Cavaliers sprint into the event with last season's national and ACC Player of the Year, Steele Stanwick, whose average of nearly five points per game is among the nation's elite in 2012. The Penn Quakers, meanwhile, roll into the Centennial State with a chance to boost their national ranking by ousting the Cavaliers or carving "Quakers #1" into nearby mountainsides.

The Baltimore Blast is a professional indoor soccer team that plays at 1st Mariner Arena.

After practicing a new way to combine balls with baskets during the pro lacrosse clinic, both newbies and enthusiasts of the sport can kick back and enjoy the sights and sounds of the LXM Fan Experience. When the blades of grass settle, Wale will get them jumping again with tracks like his Billboard-charting singles "Pretty Girls," "Chillin," and more. By then, the crowd should be plenty amped for the main event—the LXM PRO Lacrosse Game. On the field, dozens of the sport's best players, including Kyle Harrison and Joe Walters, will split into two teams and go goal-for-goal and stick-for-stick as they play for sheer love of the game—inspiring the crowd's aspiring youth athletes with rocket-powered passes, last-second catches, and thrilling goals. There's no cap for today's Groupon, so feel free to bus in with a team or carpool in with a family.

At the Maryland Drafts and Laughs Festival, attendees sample suds from taps dispensing more than 50 craft and imported brews. As festival-goers make their way among breweries such as Port City and Yuengling, they can break for comic relief at one of five standup shows. There, regional comedians culled from Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central, and Sirius XM Radio entertain with adult-brand humor. Visitors can also sit in on presentations and Q&As with brew masters from Flying Dog and Heavy Seas, asking them about their unique brewing process or how many elves it takes to seal a beer can once it's been filled. To sustain the unlimited sampling, food and soda will be available for purchase.

As the Class A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals—and as four-time Carolina League champions—the Blue Rocks represent one of the most successful traditions in all of Minor League Baseball. Continuing to build upon a franchise history that stretches back to the 1940s, Wilmington has served as a launching pad for more than 100 big leaguers since 1993. As the squad of rising stars kicks up dust with diving stops and gritty slides, the 7-foot mascot Rocky Bluewinkle roams through the seats passing out fist bumps and lecturing youngsters on the pros and cons of having antlers.