The holiday season has arrived on the Eastern Shore. This weekend kicks of several events that are tell-tale signs of many upcoming celebrations. There are holiday events running all week long. Don’t get overwhelmed… Socially Speaking, there are even more holiday events to come. Once you’ve finished shopping on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, swing by any of these magical events to enjoy the winter season.
Holiday Arts Night: Friday, November 25th, is Holiday Arts Night in Berlin. Downtown Berlin will come to life as guests, visitors, and locals take to the streets to check out artwork in the little shops and galleries. Local artists and artisans will be displaying their work all around town from 6 – 9 pm. Enjoy refreshments at select shops and live music performed on the streets. Holiday Arts Night includes the big Christmas Tree Lighting at the town’s center, too.
Arts 4 Clean Bays: Arts 4 Clean Bays is a fundraiser sponsored by the Maryland Coastal Bays Program to provide a venue for artists and crafters to display and sell their work during Berlin’s Holiday Art Stroll on November 25th and throughout the month of December. In return, 30% of proceeds will go toward the Coastal Bays Program’s efforts to protect the estuaries and habitats of our bays. An opening reception will be held on Friday, November 25th from 4 – 9 pm at the Atlantic Hotel and the Berlin Chamber of Commerce Art Studio. Pieces will be on sale from November 26th through December 31st at the Berlin Chamber’s Art Studio. The event will feature a variety of locally-created artwork and includes acrylic paintings, prints, jewelry, wearable fiber art, fresh greenery, dog treats, and stocking stuffers.
Christmas Tree Lighting: Mayor Williams will lead the lighting of the holiday tree in downtown historic Berlin, MD on Friday, November 25th. The tree lighting ceremony starts at 5:30 pm and marks the official beginning of the holiday season. The tree is located directly in front of the Atlantic Hotel. Carolers will be singing seasonal music as the tree is plugged in. The tree adds some sparkle to downtown and will be on display until January.
Holiday Shopper’s Fair: The whole family will enjoy a visit to the Roland E. Powell Convention Center, 40th Street and the Bay in Ocean City, this weekend. The 29th annual Holiday Shopper’s Fair features unique gifts for everyone on your holiday shopping list. Items for sale at the event include hand-painted furniture, quilted handbags, Christmas ornaments, candles, hand-made jewelry, floral arrangements, and more. Shopping for someone else? There will be toys, pet items, sports memorabilia, nautical accessories, country woodcrafts and ceramic work, too. Children’s entertainment will be provided. Door prize drawings will occur every hour. Shoppers must be present to win. A television room will be open so you can swing by and check the score of the big game. Admission is $3 for the whole weekend. Children 13 years and under are free. The shoppers fair opens at 10 am on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Christmas Boat Parade: A line of boats donning holiday lights will add some sparkle to downtown Salisbury and the Wicomico River on Saturday, November 26th. The fleet of boats will depart shortly after 5 pm from the Wicomico Yacht Club headed towards downtown Salisbury. Around 7 pm, the boats will be near Salisbury after leaving the lower ferry area. The yacht club recently held a Toys for Tots toy drive and will be unloading the toys from their boats during the event. The gifts will be presented to representatives of the Marine Corps League.
Berlin Christmas Parade: The 41st Annual Christmas Parade will take place on Thursday, December 1st. The parade is scheduled to start at 7 pm. The parade will commence at the Berlin Fire Company on North Main Street and conclude at the corner of Tripoli Street and South Main Street. Local businesses, school programs, organizations, sports teams, and bands will march down Main Street as a group on their home-made floats. The Berlin Lion’s Club in cooperation with the Berlin Volunteer Fire Company and the gracious merchants of Berlin, sponsor the parade. If it rains on the 1st, the parade will be rescheduled for Thursday, December 8th.
K-Coast Girl Holiday Party: From 7 – 10 pm on Thursday, December 1st, K-Coast Girl will be hosting a holiday party on 78th Street and Coastal Highway in Ocean City, MD. Seize the opportunity to shop late and get 20% off of everything. Some favorite brands at K-Coast girl include Billabong, Ugg, Free People, BB Dakota, Roxy Girl, Nixon, Vans, Sanuk, Volcom, and so many more. The K-Coast team will be holding giveaways, raffles, and distributing prizes throughout the night. Shop the unique gifts at the little beach bungalow and take a sneak peek at the Billabong 2012 line.
Winterfest of Lights: Winterfest of Lights officially kicked off the Christmas season last week and will remain open through the season. Hop aboard the Winterfest Express train and cruise through Northside Park, 127th Street, Bayside, to check out the colorful animated holiday displays made of little, glistening lights. Join the Winterfest helpers while they sing and enjoy Christmas carols and drink hot cocoa. A refreshment stand offers steamy hot chocolate–perfect for warming up after the chilly November train ride. Santa will be stationed in his workshop so children can drop off their Christmas lists early and parents can prepare for photos will the jolly old soul. The Winterfest of Lights tour costs $5 per person and children under the age of 11 are free.
