Delaware State Fair cancels Sensory Friendly Afternoon following claims of not being 'sensory friendly'

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Up to one half foot of inundation above ground level in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways. * WHERE...Kent, Inland Sussex and Delaware Beaches. * WHEN...Until 8 PM EDT this evening. * IMPACTS...At this level, flooding begins on the most vulnerable roads in coastal and bayside communities, and along inland tidal waterways. Some partial or full road closures are possible. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Minor coastal flooding may linger beyond the time of high tide this evening in the back bays. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Coastal Flood Advisory means that minor tidal flooding is expected. Minor tidal flooding often results in some road closures. Usually, the most vulnerable roadways will flood. Do not leave your vehicle at a location that is prone to tidal flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flood waters. The water may be deeper than you think it is. You will be putting yourself in danger and your vehicle may be damaged, leading to costly repairs. Visit the National Water Prediction Service at https://water.noaa.gov/wfo/phi for additional water level and flood impact information for your local tide gauge. && Time of high total tides are approximate to the nearest hour. Murderkill River at Bowers Beach MLLW Categories - Minor 6.6 ft, Moderate 7.6 ft, Major 8.6 ft MHHW Categories - Minor 0.9 ft, Moderate 1.9 ft, Major 2.9 ft Total Total Departure Day/Time Tide Tide from Norm Flood ft MLLW ft MHHW ft Impact -------- --------- --------- --------- -------- 01/05 PM 7.0 1.3 1.5 Minor 02/06 AM 6.3 0.6 1.9 None 02/06 PM 6.7 1.0 1.0 Minor 03/07 AM 5.7 0.0 0.9 None 03/07 PM 6.3 0.6 0.4 None 04/07 AM 5.6 -0.1 0.3 None Delaware Bay at Lewes MLLW Categories - Minor 6.0 ft, Moderate 7.0 ft, Major 8.0 ft MHHW Categories - Minor 1.3 ft, Moderate 2.3 ft, Major 3.3 ft Total Total Departure Day/Time Tide Tide from Norm Flood ft MLLW ft MHHW ft Impact -------- --------- --------- --------- -------- 01/05 PM 6.4 1.8 2.0 Minor 02/05 AM 5.2 0.5 1.7 None 02/05 PM 5.9 1.2 1.4 None 03/06 AM 4.6 -0.0 0.8 None 03/06 PM 5.2 0.5 0.5 None 04/07 AM 4.4 -0.2 0.2 None &&

Emma Aken
Emma Aken
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Emma Aken joined CoastTV News in July of 2024. She graduated from Penn State University in May of 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business. While at Penn State, she was involved in Penn State Network News, where she grew even more passionate about the news industry. She also studied abroad in Florence, Italy.

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Jul 22, 2024
Jul 22, 2024

DELAWARE - Autism Delaware has put out a statement in response to the Delaware State Fair promoting their carnival on Tuesday, July 23 as being sensory friendly and in partnership with Autism Delaware.

According to the Director of Development for Autism Delaware, Dan Getman, "The Fair has included Autism Delaware as a resource on their FAQ page, offering for families to contact us with questions, something we were never asked to do nor have we agreed to assist with."

Following this, Autism Delaware said they had staff visit the fairgrounds to help provide Delaware families with a safe and inclusive environment.

As of Monday afternoon, the Delaware State Fair announced the cancellation of the day.

"I would like to apologize to families planning to visit the Delaware State Fair to experience a carnival where the lights and sounds would be turned down or off. Full refunds will be issued if your family planned to join us on Tuesday from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.," stated General Manager Danny Aguilar.

Autism Delaware said they had experienced the fair first-hand saying,

"After our visit, it is clear to us that the Fair is not properly equipped to provide a safe experience for those with autism," Getman said.

That there is only one "sensory friendly space" offered by the fair, and that it's on the opposite end of the fair from the carnival, said Getman.

According to Getman, getting to the space also requires needing to pass a soundstage that will be operating during sensory friendly hours, but with the sound at regular levels.

However, according to the state fair's schedule, Sensory Friendly Afternoon was scheduled for Tuesday.

Getman says Autism Delaware's number one priority is the families in this state. However, the fair continued to promise improvements in the future.

"we will continue to work hard to better understand the needs of our communities as we consider future programming."

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Delaware State Fair cancels Sensory Friendly Afternoon following claims of not being 'sensory friendly'

Emma Aken

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