The Town of Bethany Beach’s holiday tree is officially lit up for the season in 2024.
Coastal Point • Susan Canfora
Santa will be a busy jolly elf this year, visiting several local holiday events, including those in Selbyville, Ocean View, Bethany Beach and South Bethany.
Ocean View
The Belle Tones entertain at Ocean View’s Old Town Holiday Market, Tree Lighting & Trail of Lights on Nov. 30, 2024.
Ocean View’s annual Old Town Holiday Market & Tree Lighting is planned for 1 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29, at John West Park and will feature items on display and for sale by vendors; roasted chestnuts, hotdogs, cheeseburgers, hamburgers, chili, potato chips, soda and water sold by Scout Troop 281; coffee and sweets sold by Three Blond Bakers; a gingerbread maze; mechanical reindeer; train rides; children’s crafts; and live music.
The tree in the park will be lit at dusk.
The Trail of Lights display will first be lit on the evening of the Old Town Holiday Market and will remain illuminated through New Year’s.
This year, Ocean View’s holiday event will include a Snowball Fight Zone and mechanical reindeer.
Santa will arrive around 4:30 p.m., but little ones eager to see him should arrive earlier, because there will be a crowd. Children will receive candy canes and coloring books.
Frankford
The Town of Frankford holds its annual Christmas Tree Lighting event on Friday, Dec. 1, 2021. The Indian River High School Band and Choir provided entertainment before Santa arrived on a firetruck. The evening ended with the tree lighting event.
Frankford will kick off its 11th annual Christmas in the Park celebration with a Park & Tree Lighting Ceremony, set for Saturday, Nov. 29, from 6 to 8 p.m. Park gates will open at 5:45 p.m.
The festivities will include music by the Indian River High School Tri-M Music Honor Society Choir and the Selbyville Middle School Band. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand to visit with children in the Santa House. (Families should bring their own cameras for photos.) Free cookies and hot cocoa will be available.
The park will be open for visitors to enjoy the light displays on three Wednesday evenings: Dec. 3, Dec. 10 and Dec. 17, from 6 to 8 p.m. Free cookies and hot cocoa will be available on those nights, and Santa and Mrs. Claus pose for photos in the Santa House as well.
Envision Frankford, the community organization that provides the holiday display and activities, noted that due to the lighting displays, the park itself will be closed until Jan. 1, except for the Wednesday evenings leading up to Christmas, for the safety of visitors.
Frankford Town Park is located at the intersection of Hickory Street and Clayton Avenue in Frankford.
Millsboro
A festive reindeer and tree light up the night during the 2018 Millsboro Christmas Parade.
Millsboro will host a tree-lighting, parade and visits with Santa — all on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
The tree-lighting starts at the Millsboro Town Hall municipal parking lot, 322 Wilson Highway, just prior to the parade kickoff at 7 p.m.
Next, the Millsboro Christmas Parade immediately steps off from M&T Bank on Mitchell Street, turning right onto Wilson Highway, left onto Railroad Avenue and right onto Main Street, where the judges’ station will be located. (The parade will disband at State Street.)
Jolly Old Saint Nicolas will go to the town hall parking lot immediately after the parade, where he’ll meet families at the Santa House.
Also that day, the Greater Millsboro Chamber of Commerce will have a shopping event and open house from 3 to 9 p.m. Visitors can discover more about the Chamber and its members; do some holiday shopping with local vendors and crafters; and enjoy festive cheer and refreshments. The event is free and open to the public.
(Note: The Millsboro Christmas Parade on Dec. 2 is a separate event from Gumboro Christmas Parade Winter Wonderland, which is on Dec. 19 and also has a Millsboro address.)
Millville
Jack Dorazewski, 2, of Millville has a front-row seat to the tree-lighting in Evans Park in Millville on Dec. 2, 2023.
Special to the Coastal Point | Carla Varisco
Millville’s Holiday Tree Lighting will be held Thursday, Dec. 4, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Evans Park.
Local food trucks will be open for business at the park starting at 5:30 p.m., and rides aboard a festive holiday train will begin at that time.
At 6 p.m., Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive at the park and, shortly thereafter, around 6:05 p.m., the Town’s holiday tree will be lighted for the first time this season.
Following the tree-lighting, the Indian River High School Music Department’s Choir and Band will perform. Santa and Mrs. Claus will pose for photos and sharing of wish lists. Food trucks, including Taco Reho and Coastal Lemonades, will be open, and train rides will continue until 7 p.m.
Evans Park is located at 32517 Dukes Drive, Millville.
Fenwick Island
The Town of Fenwick Island held its tree-lighting event on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at the town park. The festivities were highlighted by music from the Phillip C. Showell Elementary School Choir and a visit from Santa himself. The Rev. Jake Macklin and members of the St. Matthews By-the-Sea United Methodist Church Choir also contributed prayers and musical talents.
Coastal Point • Kerin Magill
Fenwick Island will hold its annual Winter Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, Dec. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at Fenwick Island Town Park. The Phillip C. Showell Elementary School Choirs and Band will perform holiday favorites, and community members will be invited to join their voices together for a singalong.
Hot chocolate and cookies will be provided. There will be a chance for families to create their own ornaments, and a “very special visitor” will be on hand to greet everyone.
Fenwick Island Town Park is located at 800 Coastal Highway, Fenwick Island, next to Fenwick Island Town Hall.
Selbyville
The Trimper Rides ‘Polar Express’ float carried a familiar face at the helm during the Selbyville Christmas Parade on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024.
Coastal Point • Susan Lyons
Selbyville’s 64th annual Christmas Parade will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5, on Church Street, to be highlighted by floats, marching bands, firetrucks, antique cars and, of course, a visit from Santa Claus.
Proceeds from the parade’s 50/50 raffle will benefit the Selbyville Historical Society. Tickets are available at Selbyville Town Hall and cost $1 each or $5 for six. The drawing will be on Dec. 5. Ticketholders do not have to be present to win. The parade will be sponsored by the Town and Mountaire Farms.
Bethany Beach
Santa pets a puppy during the annual holiday event hosted by the Town of Bethany Beach and the Bethany-Fenwick Chamber of Commerce in 2024.
Several events are planned in Bethany Beach on Saturday, Dec. 6, including pony rides at the town park off Garfield Parkway from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., relocated from the beach due to conditions caused by recent storms.
A gingerman sighting is planned for 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Bethany Beach Nature Center, party with Santa and face painting at Bethany Beach Town Hall from 1 to 3 p.m., and trolley, train and tractor rides downtown from 1 to 4 p.m.
The Town’s holiday tree will be lit at 5 p.m.
Bethany Beach’s Christmas at the Cottages is planned for Saturday, Dec. 13, with an Alpaca Christmas Adventure at the Nature Center from 10:30 to noon, and Meet Mrs. Dinker, carolers, crafts and tours of decorated cottages centered at the Dinker-Irvin Museum from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Reservations for trolley tours to see holiday displays entered in the Coastal Christmas Showdown 2025 had already filled up as of Nov. 19, but would-be tourgoers can check for cancelations on the night of each tour, on Nov. 29 and Dec. 6, 13 and 20, at the trolley stop. An online map will also be available prior to the tours for a self-guided adventure.
“Grab some hot chocolate, blast the Christmas music and hit the trail to check out the lights from the comfort of your own car!” officials suggested.
Showdown prizes will be awarded in five categories: best coastal theme, most elegant use of white lights, most festive use of colored lights, the Griswold Award and business grand prize. Prizes for the category winners include a “Winner” lawn sign.
Souvenir ornaments and mugs are for sale all year at Bethany Beach Town Hall and will continue to be available during the holidays. Visit www.townofbethany.com/367/Holiday-Happening for more information.
South Bethany
The Town of South Bethany holds its tree-lighting event on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023.
Coastal Point file photo
In South Bethany, the fourth annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony is planned for 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, at Town Hall Fitness Park on Evergreen Road. Call (302) 539-3653 for more information.
“There will be hot cocoa and cookies, and it is open to the public,” Mayor Edie Dondero said.
“We don’t have many Town-sponsored events in South Bethany, so the tree-lighting is really special. It is a fun and festive way to celebrate both the joy of the season and a sense of community with friends and neighbors,” she said.
Dagsboro
Nick Oneschuk and the Indian River High School band march down Clayton Street at Dagsboro’s 10th Annual Christmas Parade on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2023.
Special to the Coastal Point • Carla Varisco
The Dagsboro Christmas Parade will kick off on Tuesday, Dec. 9. The parade lineup will be on Main Street near the back entrance of Indian River High School. The parade will start at 7 p.m., heading north on Main Street towards town. It will turn left onto Clayton Street and end at the new Dagsboro Fire Hall (28331 Clayton Street).
Spectators can line the streets to see parade floats, antique cars, marching units, music and much more — ending, of course, with Santa Claus himself.
(Note: This season, Dagsboro will not be hosting weekly visits with Santa at Katie Helm Park.)