Wonderfest attractions and afternoon ice skating continue
With Christmas and New Year’s Eve quickly approaching, so are the final days of Delaware’s biggest holiday festival. Wonderfest has welcomed record numbers of attendees at its new venue, Hudson Fields, and organizers hope visitors will continue to attend as the fest wraps up.
President John Snow of Festival of Cheer, the nonprofit organization which produces the event, said, “Our nonprofit is so thankful for the overwhelming support we have received to date at our new location. With the additional one-time expenses associated with moving the event, we had a steep hill to climb. But the record crowds we are seeing this year have confirmed our reasoning for taking the risk. And with the community’s enthusiastic support during our final days, we can head into next year with a healthy institutional holiday fundraiser that will last for generations to come.”
Organizers have revamped the family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration to include a fireworks grand finale. With the exception of the Light Spectacular, all attractions will be open from 1 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 31. In addition to Schellville, VisitDelaware.com Ice Rink, the Christmas carnival, and the lodge being open all afternoon, a variety of complimentary entertainment will include princess character appearances, magic shows, and face painting. The festival’s season will culminate with a fireworks show sponsored by Artesian Water at 7 p.m., Dec. 31.
Peter Briccotto, event director, said, “We have partnered with Artesian Water to finish our event with a bang! We know so many families have established traditions to bring in the new year at midnight. We felt spending a few early-evening hours at our event, including a fireworks show, would be an exciting way to start their New Year’s Eve celebration and send this beloved community event off in style!”
The festival and all attractions will be open daily from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday to Monday, Dec. 20 to 23, and Thursday to Monday, Dec. 26 to 30. On those dates, extra afternoon ice skating sessions will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m., before other attractions open. Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 24 and 25, only the Light Spectacular drive-through will be open.
Coastal Christmas Tree Farm and Santa’s Craft Workshop and Picture Area will be closed after Monday, Dec 23.
Each visitor helps the organization achieve its dual mission to create cultural events with impact and award capital equipment grants to Sussex County charities. Since 2016, admission to Wonderfest has enabled Festival of Cheer to generate $140,000 in grant awards to 23 local charities, and raised more than $400,000 to purchase the ice rink and expand the event.
The Wonderfest team is also looking for volunteers to support nightly operations and help create holiday memories for visitors. From cashiers to skate rental to parking lot attendants, volunteers are the heartbeat of the festival.
For information about volunteering or to purchase Wonderfest tickets, go to www.wonderfestde.org.
