As we enter this season of gratitude and holiday gift-giving, let us remember to support small local businesses. Chincoteague Island offers artisan galleries, specialty boutiques, and unique food and gift shops to please even the hardest to shop for person on your gift list. Holiday bazaars, markets, and artisan tours offer other opportunities to indulge in one-of-a-kind treasures for the perfect gift. Don't forget family photo ops in the LOVE Chairs for those holiday cards!
Spend some time in our quaint seaside island where wild ponies and wintering waterfowl are the main attractions--after shopping that is! Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge hosts Waterfowl Weekend November 24th-27th with special opportunities to explore the refuge. The 20th Annual Eastern Shore of Virginia Artisans Guild Tour on November 25th & 26th offers opportunities to meet Eastern Shore artisans in their workshops in this unique driving tour. Enjoy the Holly Day Market at 6309 Church Street sponsored by Chincoteague Cultural Alliance while supporting Small Business Saturday on November 26th. Christmas Bazaars will be held on November 12th at the Scout House sponsored by Christ United Methodist Church and at Island Community House on November 25th and 26th.
Kick the Holiday season into high gear after family time around Thanksgiving tables at the Holiday Tree Lighting in Robert N. Reed Downtown Waterfront Park at 5 p.m. on November 26th sponsored by Historic Main Street Merchants Association. Special appearances by the Chincoteague Pony Drill Team and Santa top the lineup! End your day with a fabulous meal at one of our casual dining restaurants. Continue holiday shopping by visiting local merchants online for Cyber Monday sales. To truly get in the Holiday spirit, wander over to Island Theatre after the Tree Lighting for "It's a Wonderful Life" beginning at 7 p.m. Enjoy Friday and Saturday night movies through November in this beautiful Art Deco movie house built in 1947!
Holiday festivities really come alive in December as the Chincoteague Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade steps off at 6 p.m. on December 3rd. "Christmas in Toyland", hosted by the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce, is truly a glimpse of small-town America at its best! Few events convey the sense of local pride as well as this annual parade on the first Saturday in December. Fire trucks, floats, bands, classic cars, and marching units parade down Main Street spreading holiday cheer. It coincides with the Chincoteague Police Department's Annual Toy Drive for Children. Bring a toy to be added to the police car in the parade to be distributed to needy children in the community this holiday season.
Prior to the parade, visit local homes in all their holiday finest on the Homes for the Holidays Tour. This year there will be several exciting new additions to the tour, along with a few homes from previous tours that have undergone further renovations. Popular artist studios will again be included offering unique gifts for the holiday season. Visit with the owners to learn the history of their homes and inns and enjoy their holiday decorations and hospitality as they welcome you in this holiday season. The Chincoteague Island Homes for the Holidays Tour will be held Saturday, December 3, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Museum of Chincoteague Island will host their annual Christmas Tree Village in the Legacy Pavilion on the following dates & times:
Friday, December 2nd from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. with kids wreath making
Saturday, December 3rd from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Also a stop on the Homes for the Holiday Tour!
Friday, December 9th & Saturday, December 10th from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. with kid crafts
Friday, December 16th & Saturday December 17th from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. with Gingerbread House crafts
Ring in the New Year on December 31st with the Pony Island Horseshoe Drop and Costume Promenade in Robert Reed Downtown Waterfront Park at midnight. Welcome 2023 the Chincoteague way with a dip in the Atlantic Ocean at 1:23 p.m. on January 1st at the Polar Pony Plunge on Assateague Island National Seashore. Be a participant or just a spectator for lots of fun. Both "cool" events are sponsored by Christmas By the Sea....... because "Even a cool day at the beach beats a day at work!"
Visit www.chincoteaguechamber.com for a complete list, details and updates of all events happening this holiday season or contact the host organization directly. Spend a few days relaxing, shopping, dining on delectable coastal cuisine fresh from local waters, and recharge your batteries as you experience a seaside holiday season with our Chincoteague is for Small Town Lovers Itinerary.
Original source can be found here.
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