Funksgiving: Universal Funk Order Brings the Funk to The Queen on Thanksgiving Eve
Written by Kiss Media on 10 November 2026
Thanksgiving Eve is about to get funky in Wilmington. Delaware’s own Universal Funk Order is bringing its annual Funksgiving celebration back to The Queen on Wednesday, November 25, 2026, and if last year’s packed house was any indication, the dance floor is going to be moving all night long.
The show starts at 8:00 PM, with doors opening at 7:00 PM, in The Crown at The Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801. The night is all ages and general admission, with advance tickets at $22.70. Personal cameras are welcome, but leave the flash and video cameras at home.
Frontman Reid Kelley has led Universal Funk Order, better known as UFO, for 15 years, and Funksgiving has become the band’s signature night of the year. Joining Kelley on stage will be Jason Brown on guitar, Larry Scotton on drums, Chuck Finney on bass, Donte Johnson on keyboards, Kristin Monroe on trombone, and Blayne Salerni on trumpet. The set leans into the funk songs everybody knows, from Michael Jackson, James Brown, Prince, and Stevie Wonder, mixed in with UFO’s own originals, so whether you know the band’s catalog or not, you will know every song.
A Delaware Funk Tradition
Universal Funk Order is a seven-piece band from Newark, Delaware, built on what they call 100 percent, straight no chaser, all-original funk. Guitarist Jason Brown is the band’s other original member alongside Kelley, and the group has been a fixture of the Delaware live music scene for well over a decade. Their album “This Is We Do” marked ten years in 2026, and the band says new songs that reflect the current lineup are on the way. Kelley also released a solo project this year, the Landhoppa album “I Do This with Love,” which arrived in June.
The idea for Funksgiving itself comes from Delaware music history. It is inspired by the former “Pangsgiving” shows of Mad-Sweet Pangs, and UFO has carried the Thanksgiving Eve tradition forward as its own annual homecoming at The Queen.
Want a taste of what the night sounds like? Watch the band’s full Funksgiving performance from last year below.
Tickets are on sale now, and with a six-ticket limit per order, groups planning to come together should grab theirs early. Thanksgiving Eve at The Queen is one of the biggest going-out nights of the year, and Funksgiving is the funkiest way to spend it.
Event Details: Funksgiving: Universal Funk Order — Wednesday, November 25, 2026, 8:00 PM (doors 7:00 PM), The Crown at The Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801. All ages. General admission, advance tickets $22.70. Tickets: Ticketmaster. Venue info: (302) 400-7020 or thequeenwilmington.com.
Source: Delaware Online — https://www.delawareonline.com/story/entertainment/2026/11/02/delaware-things-to-do-in-november-2026-renaissance-faire-antiques-show-robert-cray/92457757007/ and Out & About Magazine — https://outandaboutnow.com/5-questions-with-reid-kelley/ and The Queen — https://thequeenwilmington.com/events/funksgiving-universal-funk-order/
