Schellville attendance tops 104,000
The numbers are in, and they are amazing. More than 104,000 people attended the 2021 Schellville Enchanted Winter Celebration.
Schellville moved away from the site of the Winter Wonderfest at Hudson Fields and expanded to a 5-acre parcel behind Tanger Outlets Seaside near Rehoboth Beach. Schellville opened Nov. 20, and was open four nights a week and all Christmas week with an average nightly attendance of about 5,000 people.
“We intend to continue our partnership with Tanger, and have some new surprises in store,” said Alyssa Titus, Schell Brothers director of marketing.
The other numbers:
• $741,000 spent at local businesses *
• $84,600 donation to Harry K Foundation to provide food for children in need
• 15,259 skate rentals
• 2,496 train rides
• 439 volunteer elves.
The holiday event was so much in demand, the organizers had to change the free ticket policy to online advance reservations by time blocks of 5-7 and 7-9 p.m. Ticket holders were admitted first followed by those waiting in line without tickets.
The demand for tickets also created a flurry of activity on social media as people sought out tickets.
The attraction, sponsored by builder Schell Brothers, featured a 100-by-200-foot roller-skating rink, and an expanded cobblestone Enchanted Christmas Village featuring 18 miniature houses, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, an expanded outdoor lounge area with fire pits, 16 snow machines providing snow for 15 minutes every hour, a snowball-throwing area, and two trains passing through a tunnel of lights with views of holiday characters, Christmas decorations and trees. Other features included an artisans’ market, food trucks, beer garden, hospitality tent and holiday maze.
Schellville began in 2017 with nine miniature houses in a Christmas Village at Winter Wonderfest.
*Includes money spent at the 20 artisans, La Vida hospitality tent, seven food trucks and Revelation Beer Garden.
