Small Business Saturday kicks off holiday fun

Support Small Businesses This Holiday Season

As we enter this “Season of Thankfulness” and holiday gift-giving, let us remember to support small businesses and “Shop Local”. 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!

The fun begins with a Fall & Christmas Bazaar on Saturday, November 13, 2021 hosted by Christ United Methodist Church in the Scout House, and a Holiday Market hosted by the Chincoteague Island VA KOA. Visit ChincoteagueChamber.com/Events to learn more about both events to jump start your holiday spirit.

Spend a few days in our quaint seaside island during Thanksgiving where wild ponies and wintering waterfowl are the main attractions–after shopping that is! Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge hosts Waterfowl Weekend November 25-28 with special opportunities to explore the refuge. The 19th Annual Eastern Shore of Virginia Artisans Guild Tour is live once again this year on November 26 & 27. Meet Eastern Shore artisans in their workshops from Cape Charles to Onancock. On Chincoteague Island, enjoy a Christmas Bazaar at Island Community House and a Market for the Holidays at 6309 Church Street sponsored by Chincoteague Cultural Alliance while supporting Small Business Saturday on November 27. After a fabulous day of birding, pony watching, and lots of shopping, stroll to Robert Reed Waterfront Park to watch the Holiday Tree Lighting at 5 p.m. sponsored by Historic Main Street Merchants Association. A special appearance 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 local holiday shopping by visiting favorite merchants online for Cyber Monday sales.

Holiday festivities really come alive in December as the Chincoteague Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade steps off at 6 p.m. on December 4th. Hosted by the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Taylor Bank, the parade is truly a glimpse of small-town Americana 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. Visit the Artist Studio Tour and Sale at The Annex before the parade where donations to local charity Manna Cafe are encouraged. Purchase tickets today for A Blue Dog Christmas musical comedy revue to be held at Island Theatre on December 10 & 11. Support the Chincoteague Cultural Alliance Cookie Sale on December 11 to munch on while shopping. Join us every Friday night this winter for movie classics at Island Theatre. On December 18 & 19, enjoy a staged reading of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at Island Community House in collaboration with Chincoteague Island Theater Company and Chincoteague Island Arts Organization. The Museum of Chincoteague Island revives the Christmas Tree Village and Gathering of Island Gnomes on December 2-3, 9-10, 16-17. Bring the family for a treat for all ages.

Ring in the New Year on December 31 with the Pony Island Horseshoe Drop and Costume Promenade in Robert Reed Downtown Waterfront Park at midnight. Welcome 2022 the Chincoteague way with a dip in the Atlantic Ocean at 1:22 p.m. on January 1 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!”

Please remember that as we enjoy this season of thankfulness and holiday fun, we must still keep everyone’s safety in mind. Please wear masks if you feel more comfortable doing so and if businesses require. Practice social distancing as you are able and continue to wash hands frequently or use hand sanitizer.

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.

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