WonderFest plans unveiled at celebratory kickoff
Winter WonderFest will return to Hudson Fields for its sixth season this year with new, locally themed light displays and a goal of raising $75,000 to support Sussex County nonprofits.
At the kickoff held Oct. 13 at the Rusty Rudder, WonderFest Executive Director Peter Briccotto said the drive-thru-only light display experience includes hayrides, drive-thru concessions and a grand finale with Santa Claus.
Produced by charitable organization Festival of Cheer Inc., the holiday event will run from Friday, Nov. 19 through Sunday, Jan. 2, and has raised more than $557,000 to support Sussex County charities since 2016.
“We are so much more than just a light show,” Briccotto said, noting that $50,000 in grants were awarded from 2020 proceeds. Grant cycles are announced each spring and any Sussex County nonprofit can apply, he said.
This year’s theme is Under the Sea, Briccotto said, and new features include a permanent Small Wonder exhibit featuring light displays of prominent Cape Region landmarks as well as a brand-new main entrance arch.
Festival of Cheer President John Snow said the event began in 2016 when Briccotto approached him with the idea of a light show held at Cape Henlopen State Park; Snow suggested an accompanying carnival at the Lewes ferry terminal. Even without drive-by traffic, Snow said, the event was wildly successful.
In 2017, Snow said event organizers rented an ice rink, which turned out to be very costly and labor-intensive. The ice must stay frozen 24 hours a day in a region where temperatures rarely dip that low consistently, he said. Renting the ice rink cost $300,000, Snow said, and the event lost $156,000 that year.
Organizers purchased a rink in 2018 in hopes of raising more funds, Snow said, but still lost $16,000. A move to Hudson Fields was decided in 2019 to attract people driving by and make more money, he said.
“It was a Hallmark card event in 2019,” Snow said.
The 2019 event included Schellville, carnival rides, hayrides and the ice rink, Snow said. It became so popular that they ran out of parking spots, and traffic issues needed to be sorted out. The event made $135,000 in 2019 but most funds went to paying off the ice rink, he said.
In 2020, Festival of Cheer leaders decided a drive-thru light show was one event that was COVID-proof, Snow said, and it raised $201,000 that year. Festival of Cheer members fully support organizers of Schellville and its new location, Snow said. He said he hoped to have WonderFest’s carnival, ice rink and light show in one location in 2022.
Festival of Cheer awarded grants to 13 Sussex County nonprofits from 2020 proceeds, Briccotto said, allowing organizations to purchase needed equipment from tubas to laptops for their operations.
2021 grant winners include Developing Artists Collaboration, $5,000; Primeros Pasos Early Learning Center, $2,500; Rehoboth Concert Band, $3,500; Beebe Medical Foundation, $5,000; Possum Point Players, $1,200; Milton Theatre, $5,000; Make-a-Wish Foundation, $5,000; Lewes Community Garden, $1,400; Lewes Rehoboth Association of Churches, $3,700; Children’s Beach House, $5,000; Harry K Foundation, $3,000; Ronald McDonald House, $5,000; and Community Resource Center, $5,000.
Volunteer and light display sponsor opportunities are available. Go to wonderfestde.org or facebook.com/wonderfestde for more information.
