The upcoming choices for holiday fairs and musical entertainment are dizzying. The Sussex Consortium Winter Craft and Vendor Fair kicks off the month of December on Sunday, December 1 at the Cape Henlopen High School on King’s Highway. Admission is free, and the hours are 9 am – 2 pm. Two huge rooms are filled with wide array of quality holiday and non-holiday gifts – a great way to get in some holiday shopping!
The first week in December is a busy one since, right on its heels, the Merchants’ Hospitality Night on Thursday, December 5 kicks off Christmas Weekend in Historic Lewes. Local merchants host evening shopping with musical entertainment.
The Lewes Historical Society’s Holiday Village & Market will also be open to the public to purchase one-of-a-kind gifts on the First Friday, December 6, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The Holiday Village & Market is located on the Lewes Town Campus at 110 Shipcarpenter Street on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will feature seasonal greenery, and holiday gifts from local farms and artists, and an opportunity to “hang out” with the alpacas from Four Acres Living.
Every First Friday of the month, the Sussex Tavern is open for beverages from yesteryear and music which, in December, features a band called Forbes Road Frolic. Historical tours and talks round out the festivities.
The weekend festivities in Lewes continue with the annual the annual Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting/Caroling Ceremony at Zwaanendael Museum. Also on the 7th, to wrap-up the weekend’s festivities, the Lewes Historical Society’s Holiday House Tour opens at 9:30 a.m. The last visitor will be admitted at 3 p.m. Tickets are $40 per person, are limited, and can be purchased from the Lewes Historical Society starting November 18.
This same first weekend in December, you won’t want to miss the Milton Art Guild’s Winter Market open from Friday, December 6 through Sunday, December 8. Hours are Friday from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Hours on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. And this year, the Winter Market coincides with Milton’s Holly Festival.
The next weekend, Milton hosts its own House Tours, with the Milton Women’s Club Holiday House Tour – Saturday, December 14 from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Milton’s 107 Federal Street Gallery will have extended hours that day to welcome tour-goers.
Music lovers are in for a treat as well. On Saturday, December 14, the SODELO Orchestra performs at the Sussex Academy in Georgetown. The Winter Harmony Holiday Concert starts at 3 pm. The next day, SODELO’s holiday concert will take place at the Cape Henlopen High School again starting at 3 pm. SODELO is a full orchestra that debuted in 2022. It includes professional musicians, teachers, high school students and retirees. The cost for the concerts is $25 for adults and $10 for students.
The Rehoboth Concert Band Holiday Peace Concert is set for Sunday, December 22 at the Cape Henlopen High School. The school’s large auditorium/theater has excellent acoustics and lends itself well to the band performances. The concert runs from 3-4:30 pm and the cost is $20. The Rehoboth Concert Band make up is similar to SODELO but the 60-member band does not include stringed instruments. The band was started by Sharon Still and Kay Creech in 2012. Both have since retired.
And that’s only some of what’s happening the first two weeks in December, so strap in, and plan your fun to make the most of this festive holiday season!
By Mary Jo Tarallo, Resident Journalist
Mary Jo Tarallo spent much of her career in public relations with various non-profits and spent 40 years involved with the ski industry as a journalist, public relations director for a national trade association and as executive director of the Learn to Ski and Snowboard initiative. Prior to her ski industry involvement she worked for the Maryland International Center in Baltimore and United Way of Central Maryland. She won a Gold Award for TV programming for a United Way simulcast that starred Oprah Winfrey. She has been cited for her work by numerous organizations. Mary Jo grew up in Baltimore, attended the University of Maryland and Towson University, lived in Washington, DC for 21 years and has been a full time resident of Rehoboth Beach and Milton since May 2019.
