Winter WonderFest: Light Spectacular Holiday Display opens to vehicle tours

Delaware's biggest, brightest and coolest holiday event is up and running – literally. Last weekend over 1,200 5K runners, plus walkers, some with their four-legged canine companions, turned out for Dashing Through the Show on foot. It was their chance to see the festive new Light Spectacular show at Cape Henlopen State Park up close.

This Thanksgiving weekend will mark Winter WonderFest's second Grand Opening as it welcomes vehicle traffic to tour the Light Spectacular, which is 30 percent larger, and has a new route nestled in the picturesque campground of the park. For the first weekend, Dashing Through the Show hosted over 2,500 visitors for the kickoff event.

"Judging from the energy and spirit of our participants, our grand opening weekend was quite a success!" says Peter Briccotto, event director. Winter WonderFest is now in its second year to raise funds and awareness for deserving nonprofits serving Sussex County. The six-week holiday spectacle also includes an expanded Christmas Village offering more carnival rides, games, live music and The Lodge, an enclosed, heated community gathering spot serving drinks.

"It's incredible!" said grand opening visitor Chef Hari Cameron. The chef-owner of a(MUSE.) and Grandpa Mac restaurants in Rehoboth took the night off to enjoy Winter WonderFest with with his 2-year old son Max. "The light show is so much better this year, and the Christmas Village offers a lot more to do," he adds. "I want to come back and take a spin on the new ice rink!"

With its first year's success raising over $150,000, organizers knew the time and place was right for Winter WonderFest. "We used our resources wisely, including sponsorships and scores of dedicated volunteers," says John Snow, president of Festival of Cheer Inc., the nonprofit organization of local business and community leaders who are responsible for the event, and its planning, oversight and execution. "Last year proved we could do it, but we know it has to grow and expand. Our leadership group quickly concluded that Winter WonderFest has to be bigger, brighter, and cooler in order to sustain its growth and momentum."

"To achieve the goals, we need three things: money, much more than last year," says Josh Grapski, Festival of Cheer treasurer. "Plus community involvement and patience. Everything takes longer and costs more than you think it will. This year, we welcomed three important Presenting Sponsors, one more than last year. These groups embody everything you could ask for, noting that their generosity directly benefits our visitors in so many ways," says Grapski.

Preston Automotive Group is a perfect example. Vice President David Wilson says his company was happy to have had a first-year sponsorship: "This year we knew we wanted a bigger role." To bolster the fundraising efforts, Wilson's company has donated an automobile for an exclusive Winter WonderFest Car Raffle, sponsored by Preston's many dealerships throughout Sussex County. The lucky winner will be announced at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 23, at the Christmas Village, and will have a choice of a new Ford Mustang or a Jeep Wrangler. Raffle tickets are $10, or three for $25, available online at wonderfestde.org.

Also returning for their second year as a Presenting Sponsor, Schell Brothers extends the company's passion for all things Christmas with Schellville Christmas Lane at the entrance to Christmas Village. The jaw-dropping attraction features a dozen kid-size vintage buildings to explore, each showcasing extra attention to detail. Schellville even boasts a movie house that's showing "Elf." Lewes history buffs will also want to see the Zwaanendael Museum among the adorable structures. "It's definitely an interactive adventure for the kids," says President Chris Schell. "And a way for families and friends to build lasting holiday memories together."

The new Visit Delaware Ice Rink is three times larger than the rink at last year's festival and uses real ice, helping to make Winter WonderFest cooler than ever before. "While this event is a wonderful opportunity for Delawareans to have fun, it is also a draw for out-of-state visitors. That visitation is an important part of Delaware's $3.1 billion tourism industry, especially during the off-season at the beaches," said Liz Keller, Delaware Tourism director. "And the rink is a great addition to an already strong festival." In addition to public skating, the rink can be rented for private bookings, including birthday and holiday parties, and other special events. Skating lessons and private sessions are also available.

These three improvements expand options for children, young adults and grown-ups who appreciate creating holiday memories with their loved ones. In its first year, Winter WonderFest welcomed 4,700 visitors from 26 states. Briccotto says, "We're confident our improvements will make Winter WonderFest a must for more people this year, for both locals and visitors."

For 2017, Winter WonderFest has the support of 99 local businesses that are contributing financial support at several levels. That's up from 61 in 2016. "Every single sponsor is critical to our success. Without these 99 generous donors, and our dedicated community volunteers, none of this would be possible," says Briccotto. He points out that the expanded Christmas Village is much more appealing to a wide age group thanks to the generosity of Gold Level Sponsors.

There are five carnival rides on the midway, including the giant Ferris wheel, all made possible by Baker Petroleum. Two new ones this year include the SuperShot and the dramatic Rainbow. Classic midway games, courtesy of Hudson Fields, also add a bright, new dimension to the midway.

There are nightly free performances by professional musicians on the Highway One main stage. Visitors can listen to great music while warming up and roasting s'mores at the fire pit. Performance details are at wonderfestde.com.

To really chase away the chill, The Lodge is the family-friendly place to hang out and warm up. Hosted by Crooked Hammock Brewery, the large enclosed space is heated and serves a choice of craft brews, cocktails, hot cider and coffee, and Grotto's iconic pizza truck is located next door. The Lewes ferry terminal’s On The Rocks restaurant and bar is also open inside the terminal during event times.

The spirit of giving is evident at the Christmas Village. Santa's Workshops are fun for kids and help support Cape Henlopen Educational Foundation. The beautiful Giving Tree returns for a second year thanks to support from La Vida Hospitality Group. The Giving Tree allows community groups to raise funds for their own nonprofit organizations by offering a luminary in memory of loved ones.

"Keeping Winter WonderFest on top of everyone's mind is something we achieve each day now through the end of the year," says Steve McLerran, who oversees marketing and media relations. Every medium is included; generous ad schedules in print, television, radio, movie screens and social media are provided by media partners. By the first week, there were over 8,000 likes and shares. Gold Level media sponsors include Cape Gazette, local NBC station WRDE-TV, and nine local radio stations from iHeart Radio and Delmarva Broadcasting. "We also work with our marketing partners to support them in return," McLerran says, noting a collaboration with the Cape Gazette team to bring a "Front Page News" photo contest booth to the Christmas Village. Visitors can submit their fun selfies for some great prizes.

McLerran has assembled some of the area's best marketing people who routinely volunteer their time and talent to share news and updates about Winter WonderFest with their personal, business and professional contacts. "It's a diverse, fun group. But they take this task seriously for us," he says.

Hours of operation and ticket information are online, along with details for those who want to volunteer for the event, at wonderfestde.org.

Winter WonderFest Box Office phone is 302-727-0221. Box office hours are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Proceeds support Winter WonderFest through the Festival of Cheer Community Grant Program. Grants awards are designated exclusively for Sussex County nonprofit groups. Briccotto reminds supporters, "The money we raise here, stays right here in Sussex County."