Party kicks off inaugural Winter Wonderfest
This holiday season is sure to be brighter than any other in eastern Sussex County, as the inaugural Winter Wonderfest is set to light up the Lewes area.
The Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal and Cape Henlopen State Park will be ground zero for a winter wonderland unprecedented in the Cape Region. Serving as the Christmas Village, the ferry terminal will play host to carnival rides and amusements, an ice skating rink, crafts and activities at Santa’s Workshop and other special events and concerts. The Christmas Village will open Friday and Saturday, Nov. 25 and 26 and will run Fridays and Saturdays, Dec. 9-10 and Dec. 16-17, and then every day from Friday, Dec. 23, through Sunday, Jan. 1.
Cape Henlopen State Park will feature a light spectacular with a 2-mile drive through a holiday light show highlighted by more than 60 light displays. An in-car scavenger hunt will enhance the experience. The light show will open Saturday, Nov. 19. It will then run Thursday through Sunday beginning Nov. 24 through Dec. 18. The show will be open every day from Dec. 22 through Jan. 1.
Admission to the Light Spectacular is $15 for cars, $30 for vans and $50 for busses. Single-vehicle tickets will be available online beginning in October. For more information, go to www.wonderfestde.org.
The only opportunity to see the Light Spectacular on foot will at the Dashing Through the Show Fun Walk and 5K at Cape Henlopen State Park Friday, Nov. 18, at 5 p.m.
Money raised from the event will benefit Sussex County charities. Peter Briccotto of marketing firm Barefoot Ventures said the goal is to raise $50,000 for the community in the first year. He said funds raised will go into a caring fund and local nonprofits may apply for grants.
“The more people who come through the gates, the more generosity everyone can share, the brighter we can make the future for Sussex County,” he said at the event’s kickoff event Sept. 22 at the Crooked Hammock in Lewes.
In addition to ticket sales, he said, he is asking the community to donate whatever they can. Donations are being accepted at www.youcaring.com/festival-of-cheer-inc-653208.
“It’s not going to happen without the community embracing these events,” said Josh Grapski, managing partner at presenting co-sponsor La Vida Hospitality Group, operator of Fork + Flask at Nage, Crooked Hammock, Taco Reho and Big Chill Surf Cantina.
For more information on volunteer opportunities, sponsorships or to signup for the 5K, go to www.wonderfestde.org.
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and handling page layout, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
