Fire & Ice Festival, Birding Event Highlight Final Weekend of January in the Coastal Region
The calendar may still be turned to January, but there are some great things going on in Delaware’s coastal region this weekend that we think you’re going to love hearing about.
Headlined by two popular multi-day events, this final weekend of January offers great opportunities for braving the winter weather and having some family-friendly fun at the beaches.
And it really is all about the coastal areas this weekend, with all five of our featured events scheduled for Delaware’s beach communities, from a fun culinary event in Lewes all the way south to a relatively new yet hugely popular wintertime gathering in the “quiet resort” of Bethany Beach.
And just a quick glimpse into the future – start thinking now about the biggest party of the summer, the annual Polar Bear Plunge in Rehoboth Beach on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 3).
We’ll have a great feature on this crazy fun event coming up in next week’s Weekender blog, so be on the lookout for that.
But now on with the week at hand. Here are the Oldfather Group’s featured events for the weekend of January 25-27 in coastal Delaware:
Fire & Ice Festival (January 25-27). Due to the success of last year’s inaugural event, this gathering in Bethany Beach returns this weekend for year number two. The festival is again expected to draw good-sized crowds during it’s three days, with the weekend providing great opportunities for enjoying the resort during a less crowded time of the year.
There’s definitely a lot going on during this now annual festival, which is scheduled for Friday, January 25 through Sunday, January 27 in the resort.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Ice Skating Rink. Sponsored by Southern Delaware Tourism, the skating rink will be located on Garfield Parkway and Pennsylvania Avenue and will be open on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $5 and includes 30 minutes on the ice, with all proceeds benefitting the Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation.
- Festival Treasure Hunt. Participants can pick up a treasure map at the Bethany Beach Ocean Suites tent, located at the bandstand, and then begin collecting stamps throughout the resort. Prizes include free hotel stays during the 2020 event, as well as other cool stuff.
- Beach Bonfire. The “fire” portion of the event, this will take place on Friday, beginning at 5 p.m. The first 250 guests will receive complimentary s’mores. The location is on the beach at Hollywood Street.
- The Funsters. Now it’s not a true Sussex County party until the Funsters arrive on the scene! The popular musical group will be performing as part of the “live demo viewing party,” on Saturday evening from 7 to 11. Light hors d’oeuvres and desserts will be provided and a cash bar will also be available, with prizes given out throughout the evening. This event will be held on Mango’s on the Boardwalk and the cost is $35 per person.
- Live Ice Carving. This will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, at the Bethany Beach Bandstand, and features a number of sculptors turning huge blocks of ice into works of art.
- Smash Party. Finish this wild and crazy winter event by attending the “smash party,” which includes sculptors from Ice Lab smashing all of the sculptures into tiny pieces. This is scheduled for Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the Bandstand.
For more information on the 2019 Fire & Ice Festival in Bethany Beach, visit www.fireandicede.com.
Delmarva Winter Birding Weekend (January 25-27). Birding enthusiasts from throughout the mid-Atlantic will be descending on Delmarva over the next few days for this annual wintertime event, one of two held during the course of the year.
Now in its fourth year, the winter event is not as widely attended as the popular spring event in April, but that’s not to say there won’t be scores of bird lovers in the area this weekend.
Species that are highlighted during the winter include waterfowl, seabirds, shorebirds, snowy owls and many more.
Much more information on the Delmarva Winter Birding weekend can be found at www.delmarvabirding.com.
Best Wings on the Shore Contest (January 27). If you love chicken wings, then the Crooked Hammock in Lewes is where you’re going to want to be this Sunday from 12 to 3 p.m., as 20 of the area’s best restaurants and breweries will be vying for your vote.
Categories for this delicious event include “best overall,” “most creative” and “hottest.”
If you want to be a judge, that will cost you $20, with all proceeds benefitting the Ocean 98 Cash for College Fund.
Learn much more at the event page online.
