It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Here are our top picks for holiday happenings and more this weekend in Delaware and beyond.
Things to Do in Delaware,
December 2nd – 4th
For many, many more events in Delaware and beyond, take a look at our event calendar. You can filter by cost, venue and time of day.
Christmas Parades
- Laurel: 7pm Friday, begins on Evergreen Drive and proceeds north on Central Avenue to Maryland Avenue.
- Selbyville: 7pm Friday, Santa Claus will be at the Santa House from 5:30-7pm before the parade.
- Dover: 12pm Saturday starting at the Duncan Center, running down Loockerman Street to State Street.
- Seaford: 7pm Saturday
Breakfast with Santa
- Good Will Fire Company: 8 to 11am Saturday
- Brandywine Creek State Park: 8 to 10am Saturday
- Delaware Museum of Natural History: 9am to noon Saturday
- Tyler’s Neighborhood Kitchen: 9am Saturday
The Nutcracker
- Nutcracker Tea Party Saturday at the Schwartz Center for the Arts: An ornament and signed picture with your favorite Nutcracker character included.
- Ballet Theatre of Dover: 2pm and 7pm Saturday, 2pm Sunday at the Schwartz Center for the Arts
- Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance: 50th Annual Nutcracker, at The Playhouse on Rodney Square. 2pm and 7pm Saturday, 2 and 6pm Sunday.
Christmas Train Rides
- Christmas Tree Train at Strasburg Railroad: ride the Christmas Tree Train to Leaman Place Grove where you can choose a pre-cut Frasier or Douglas Fir tree and have it delivered by steam on a flatcar back to the station.
- Santa’s Paradise Express at Strasburg Railroad: kids ages 11 and under will receive a gift from Santa and his helper. Visitors of all ages can ride the Tinsel Trolley (a self-propelled motor car) and enjoy holiday storybook readings aboard the heated stationary Caboose.
- Wilmington & Western Railroad’s Santa Train: a special holiday train party!
Free and Discounted Museum Admissions
- Bank of America cardholders get free general admission to more than 150 museums nationwide the first full weekend (Sat and Sun) of the month with the Museums on Us program.
- The Seaford Museum is offering discounted admission from 1-5pm; as always, kids under 12 are free.
- Admission to the Brandywine River Museum of Art is free on the first Sunday of the month.
- Admission is free all day Sunday, and Thursdays from 4 – 8pm at the Delaware Art Museum.
- Access the Philadelphia Art Museum at any price (even a penny!) from 10am to 5pm on the first Sunday of the month.
- Admission to the Rockwood Museum is free on the first Sunday of the month.
- The Barnes in Philly offers free admission and programs on the first Sunday of every month. Tickets are limited and cannot be reserved in advance; they’re available on site starting at 9 am.
11th Annual Downtown Milford Holiday Stroll
Free on Friday from 5 to 8pm. Horse-drawn carriage rides, costumed strolling carolers, Delmarva Miniature Horse Club, local entertainment and a visit with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus at the Santa House. Refreshments and entertainment at most downtown businesses.
Winter WonderFEST
Friday, Saturday, Sunday starting at 5pm at Cape Henlopen State Park. 2 mile drive-thru light show at Cape Henlopen State Park featuring over 60 magical light displays, and a Christmas Village and Winter Carnival at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal featuring a giant ferris wheel, ice skating, indoor holiday workshops, live music, a strolling Santa, carnival games for all ages.
First Friday Ride and Winterfest
Festive jingle bell bike ride 5:30pm Friday, starting at the Newark Shopping Center. Winterfest runs from 6 to 8 on the Academy building lawn and will feature entertainment, roasting chestnuts, caroling, tree lighting, ice carving demonstrations, and much more.
Rockwood Park Open House and Tree Lighting
Tree lighting at 6:30pm Friday; free open house continues Saturday and Sunday. Entertainment, children’s activities, costumed characters, refreshments and free photos with Santa! Also includes a Secret Santa Shoppe, tours of the holiday display in the museum and a festive light display in the gardens surrounding the Mansion and Carriage House.
Dover December First Saturday
Hear scary ghost stories of Victorian Christmases, listen to holiday music on authentic Victor Talking Machines, learn about different historic holiday traditions of the Victorian Era and make a Christmas craft.
Snack with Santa + Santa’s Secret Shoppe
Join Santa for juice and a snack and then shop Santa’s Secret Shoppe Saturday morning at the George Wilson Center in Newark. $2 per person, no pre-registration required; gifts at Santa’s Secret Shoppe will be priced between $.75 and $5.00 and will be gift wrapped for free. Volunteers will be on hand to help kids with their shopping.
Old Fashioned Christmas at Bellevue Mansion
Visit with Father Christmas (not Santa) Saturday morning at Bellevue State Park, then listen to the storyteller and see the custom train display. Lots of unique holiday photo opps! Kids are admitted free but everybody needs their own ticket.
Bethany Weekend Wonderland
Santa Claus, Holiday Happenings (face painting, carriage rides, trolley rides, beach tractor rides), meet Elsa and Anna, caroling and Christmas on the Bethany Beach Bandstand (with cocoa).
Santa’s House on the Boardwalk
On the Rehoboth Boardwalk at the end of Rehoboth Avenue. Limited hours throughout the weekend. No charge to visit Santa; donations are appreciated.
Zoo Kids: Colorful Creatures
Interactive program for kids ages 18 months to three years old at the Brandywine Zoo. Animal presentation and simple craft. $4 per child with 1 free adult.
Marshall Steam Museum Old-Fashioned Holiday
Last chance to see the museum before it closes for the winter (at a discount too!). Readings of The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore & The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg begin promptly at 1 and 3pm; Victorian and train-inspired holiday crafts and activities; electric train demonstrations and more.
Letters from Santa
Kids’ letters are collected during the Wilmington Jaycees Christmas parade, and you can help compose Santa’s responses. Food and Drinks will be provided.
Learn to Curl
Try curling at The Pond Ice Arena and Performance Center!
Air Guitar Competition
Something tells me this is something worth seeing at Oddity Bar on Sunday. Over $500 in prizes; Grand Prize is a custom guitar.
What are you up to this weekend?
