Wine, food and music festival rescheduled for May 3

The Southern Delaware Wine, Food & Music Festival, originally set for Saturday, Oct. 5, has been rescheduled for noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, May 3, at Schellville near Rehoboth Beach.

Following her doctor’s guidance and with the full support of her board of directors and event committee, Stacy LaMotta, festival president and founder, said she made the decision to allow needed time to recover from recent health setbacks caused by Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

“When recent flareups significantly affected my everyday functioning, I was forced into an uncomfortable place,” said LaMotta. “I am grateful to all who are rallying around me with understanding, compassion and validation that my health and well-being are top priority.”

Since 2015, more than $250,000 has been donated from this event to support local charitable organizations.

To transform the postponement of this year’s festival into a positive, LaMotta will use the opportunity to increase awareness of this rare genetic disease.

According to the National Institutes of Health, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a genetic condition that weakens connective tissues, affecting many body systems at once. Symptoms vary based on the 13 subtypes of the disease but often include severe joint and muscle spasms that trigger dislocations, chronic pain and premature arthritis, dizziness and increased heart rates, compromises in cognitive functioning and mental acuity, debilitating fatigue and insomnia, and digestive distress with gastric reflux that leads to poor nutrient absorption.

Although individuals with EDS can typically ambulate and appear to have no disability, the debilitating condition significantly impacts their health and function with frequent and unpredictable flareups that are excruciatingly painful and multifaceted in ways that may cause serious and life-threatening complications. Poor awareness often leads to misdiagnosis, incorrect or unnecessary treatment, or no treatment at all.

“I know what it feels like to struggle with this disease alone. It’s been incredibly hard to not feel as if the disease has taken one more thing away from me,” said LaMotta. “But I’m choosing to believe that being open and honest still gives our community a valuable connection. That it will increase understanding of EDS, and more importantly, help others get the diagnoses, treatment and support they need too.”

All previously purchased tickets will be honored for the new date, and current ticket holders will receive more information via email as it becomes available.

For more information, go to ehlers-danlos.com and sodelfest.com.