Festive Fun For The Whole Family

Get in the spirit with these family-friendly events in Downtown Wilmington DE this holiday season!

As a reminder, free parking options are available all holiday season long in Downtown Wilmington! Click here to learn more.

Caroling on the Square | December 3 | HB Dupont Plaza

It's Time Wilmington for the annual Caroling on the Square & Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony! This event is FREE and fun for the whole family, with a special appearance from Santa & his elves. The festivities kick off at 6pm. In keeping with the holiday spirit, attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items, new or gently used children’s coats, new toys for the Mayor’s Holiday Toy Drive, and/or blankets and adult socks for the homeless.  All items will be donated to local charities.

Storytime & Fun with Perry the Superplum Fairy | December 5 & 14 | Wilmington Public Library

Head to the library for a sugary sweet time as Perry leads storytime, a festive craft, and more fun activities to get your little ones moving! There will also be a meet and greet with Perry and plenty opportunities for pictures. Costumes are encouraged!

The Nutcracker | December 7 - 8 | The Playhouse on Rodney Square

Join Wilmington Ballet for their 53rd Annual performance of The Nutcracker at The Playhouse on Rodney Square! The production will run for four magical performances Dec 7 & 8, in which Victorians party, mice and soldiers battle, snowflakes swirl, and sugarplums delight.

Gingerbread DECO-rating Party | December 8 | DECO Food Hall

You provide the imagination and Spark’d will take care of the rest! Spark’d Creative Pastry will provide the fully assembled gingerbread house, tons of frosting, and all the candy you will need to create the sweet house of your dreams.

The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays | December 13-15 | The Playhouse on Rodney Square

The mind-blowing spectacular of THE ILLUSIONISTS – MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS showcases the jaw dropping talents of the most incredible Illusionists on earth, alongside special guests Light Balance. THE ILLUSIONISTS has shattered box office records across the globe and dazzles audiences of all ages with a powerful mix of the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever seen on stage. This non-stop show is packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions.

Willingtown Square Lights Display | 505 N Market St

Stroll through Willingtown Square for a merry & bright holiday lights display this season! Open to the public 7 days a week, Willingtown Square’s holiday lights are lit up for all to enjoy from dusk until dark, but gates to the square are locked at 9pm. Willingtown Square’s holiday lights are on display until February 2020!

Riverfront Rink Ice Skating | Constitution Yards

The Riverfront Development Corporation of Delaware is pleased to reopen The Horizon Services Riverfront Rink for its 6th season. This family-oriented, outdoor ice skating rink provides fun for all ages! The 2019/2020 season will operate through March 1, 2020 with a number of special events throughout the season.

FREE Holiday Parking in Downtown Wilmington DE

Enjoy the holidays in Downtown Wilmington without the added hassle of city parking with FREE PARKING this season!

Beginning Friday, November 29, through Thursday, January 2, 2020, metered parking downtown is FREE in the Downtown Business District as well as the Riverfront Business District. From noon until 6:00 p.m. each weekday and all day on weekends and holidays, the City will not require payment at any of the parking meters. All other parking regulations will also remain in effect during this time, so be sure to pay attention to time-limits, posted restrictions, and tow-away zones.

Colonial Parking also offers free parking in their surface lots on nights, after 5pm, and weekends all year round. Click here for a map of all Colonial Lots in Downtown Wilmington.

With plenty of free parking in Downtown Wilmington DE, we hope to see you out and about at one the many festive, family-friendly activities this holiday season!

Brand New Pop-Up Holiday Village Coming To Market Street!

A brand new pop-up Holiday Village is coming to Market Street to help us kick off the Christmas Season in Downtown Wilmington DE!

When: Saturday | November 30th | 11am-5pm

Where: Willingtown Square | 505 N Market Street

Head to Willingtown Square following the Wilmington Jaycees Christmas Parade on Saturday, November 30th, to check out Wilmington’s first Holiday Village. The market, open from 11AM to 5PM, will feature local vendors, live carolers, delicious treats, and so much more! We hear that Santa will even be making a special appearance while in town for children to share their Christmas wishes.

The Holiday Village festivities include:

• Unique handmade gifts from local vendors

• Live holiday classics performed by Hotsy Totsy Gals

• FREE book giveaway from Wilmington Public Library

  • While supplies last for children under 10 years old

• K9 demonstration from the Wilmington Police Department at 12:30PM

• “Touch A Truck” with the Wilmington Fire Department at 1PM

• Showings of The Snowman inside the Delaware Historical Society

• Appearance from Santa

• Face painting & sand art activities

• Small Business Saturday “Shop Small” giveaways

The pop-up Holiday Village will conclude with the lighting of Willingtown Square in an incredible holiday display at 5PM! Following the lighting, the Holiday Light Display will be open to the public 7 days a week from dusk until 9 pm starting through February 2020.

As a reminder, street parking is FREE on weekends in Downtown Wilmington DE as well as in Colonial Surface Lots. View a map of all parking options here.

Special thanks to the Holiday Village sponsors The Delaware Historical Society, Downtown Visions, Wilmington Alliance, and IN Wilmington!

Downtown Wilmington Continues to Grow with 7 New Businesses

Downtown Wilmington DE is bursting at the seams with new bars, restaurants, and businesses! After a busy summer with 7 brand new establishments opening in our neighborhood, we are pleased to welcome 7 more new businesses that opened this fall. Check out our newest neighbors below and be sure to give them a warm welcome to Downtown Wilmington!

Blitzen | 220 W 9th St

Blitzen is a brand new, pop-up holiday themed bar coming to 220 W 9th Street, run by the team behind Stitch House Brewery & Faire Market & Cafe. The bar, tastefully decked out in tinsel and string lights, will be open Wednesday-Saturday through the end of the year.

El Diablo Burritos | 837 N Market St

Image Credit: Town Square Delaware

The popular northern Delaware fast-casual eatery debuted their highly-anticipated Downtown location at 837 Market St on October 29! You can enjoy all of your favorite burrito and taco options here with the addition of a brand new breakfast menu, available exclusively on Market Street. If it’s anything like their other locations, you can expect to see lines out the door during the lunch rush…

The Chicken Spot | 204 W 10th St

The Chicken Spot is a brand new eatery taking over the location formerly occupied by Benjamin’s On 10th. The menu will feature different varieties of - you guessed it - chicken. The owner, Venu Gaddamidi, also manages Veritas Wine & Craft Beer and Ciro Food & Drink down on the Riverfront. The Chicken Spot officially opens its doors on Monday, November 11, at 11AM!

Makers Alley | 804 N Orange St

Image Credit: Moonloop Photo

Makers Alley is a brand new bar tucked away off Shipley Street in a transformed 19th-century carpenter’s shop - complete with a classic Airstream travel trailer turned food truck. Self-proclaimed as a joint for bites, sips, and outdoor vibes, discovered off the beaten path, Makers Alley is perfect addition to our Downtown bar scene allowing for a casual drink and bite to eat.

Green Box Kitchen | 400 N Market St

Brought to you by the founders and friends of Wilmington Green Box, Green Box Kitchen is a fast-casual vegan restaurant and juice bar that serves hand-crafted salads, smoothies, açaí bowls, cold pressed juices, grain bowls, and other fresh foods that are incredibly delicious and always 100% plant based. Their mission is to nourish the community by serving a healthy, approachable, and tasteful plant-based menu, all while rooting their efforts in local philanthropy and social change.  

Wilmington Land Bank | 404 N Market St

The mission of the Wilmington Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank (WNCLB) is to return vacant, dilapidated, abandoned, and delinquent properties to productive use, while strengthening and revitalizing our neighborhoods and inspiring economic development.

Jet Phynx Flims | 408 N Market St

Image Credit: WITN22

Jet Phynx Films is an independent film company that proudly specializes in entertainment and lifestyle branding, offering digital content such as video production, photography, motion graphics, graphic and sound design, and music production, and boasts a client list that includes Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Coca-Cola, Under Armour, Roc Nation, RCA Records, Atlantic Records, Skechers, Zelle, and Soundcloud among others. Jet Phynx Films strives to offer a space that will help “creatives and executives bring their imagination to life.

Holiday Marketing Opportunities Through Downtown Visions

Downtown Visions is committed to the success of each and every business in Downtown Wilmington DE, especially during the holiday season! As an organization, our mission is to preserve, promote and enhance the Business Improvement District, and we do so in a number of ways, including business marketing and promotion. Please consider taking advantage of the following marketing opportunities for a thriving holiday season in Downtown Wilmington!

Market Made: 12 Days of Christmas

Downtown Visions and New Market Wilm are partnering to offer the FREE opportunity to promote unique holiday specials from December 12-23, 2019, similar to last summer’s Made on Market campaign. The deadline to submit an offer is November 4th, so please email Lani Schweiger LSchweiger@downtownvisions.org or Jennifer Lawson Jennifer@bigideaswilmington.com to participate!

Wilmington Jaycee’s Christmas Parade

The Wilmington Jaycee’s are hosting the 56th annual Wilmington Christmas Parade this year on Saturday, November 30th at 11am!  This parade is volunteer based and is a Downtown tradition that cannot continue without help from our local businesses. Please consider sponsoring the small business float for $100 and supporting the parade this year. Sponsors are also welcome to ride on the float during the parade! For more detailed sponsorship information, click here.

Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday also takes place on Saturday, November 30, coinciding with the Christmas Parade! Take advantage of the nearly 10,000 parade-goers in town and stay open on Small Business Saturday. Offer a special #ShopSmall promotion that day to capture the foot traffic in Downtown Wilmington. Be sure to share these promotions and coupons with us as we will help promote them! You can even create custom marketing materials for your business through the American Express Shop Small Studio.

For more information on any of these holiday marketing opportunities, please email Lani Schweiger at LSchweiger@downtownvisions.org.