DelawareScene: Twinklefest at Historic Odessa @ Historic Odessa Foundation

Twinklefest at Historic Odessa

The Historic Odessa Foundation introduces a dazzling new holiday celebration, Twinklefest, launching Saturday, Nov. 22, from 1 to 5:30 p.m. on the grounds of the Corbit-Sharp House (circa 1774). The event will transform Historic Odessa into a winter wonderland filled with lights, music, food, family-friendly activities, and festive cheer for all ages.

Twinklefest marks the newest addition to the Foundation’s beloved holiday offerings, beginning Nov. 11 through Dec. 31, promising to illuminate Odessa’s historic district with thousands of white lights and a day packed with entertainment, crafts, and seasonal treats.

All proceeds from this one-day event on Nov. 22 support the Historic Odessa Foundation’s mission of historic preservation, and its education programming.

A Day of Festive Fun

• A Jane Austen Christmas – Tours of the Wilson-Warner House – Step back in time with A Jane Austen Christmas at 250, a holiday exhibition inspired by scenes from Austen’s beloved novels, including Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma. Visitors will experience the customs and charm of a Georgian-era English Christmas through beautifully staged vignettes and authentic period décor.

• Storybook Trees Exhibit: Wander through the Corbit-Sharp House where more than 30 storybook trees will be on display, decorated by local families, schools and organizations, celebrating beloved children’s literature. The day also includes a children’s storybook reading.

• Santa’s Workshop & Sleigh Photo Op – Meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, and holiday princesses from Magic & Main, write letters with quill pens, and pose for photos in a 19th-century sleigh.

• Holiday Marketplace – Browse gifts and wares by local artisan and craft vendors.

• Holiday Greens Workshop – Guests may sign up for a holiday decorating workshop (limited to 10 participants) to create their own fresh wreaths, swags, and other holiday decorations. A fee of $75 includes admission to Twinklefest, personal instruction, fresh greens, and all materials. By reservation only, from 2-3:30 p.m.

• Dover English Country Dancers – Enjoy live performances evoking the spirit of Jane Austen’s era.

• Freedom Seekers: The Odessa Story – Explore the town’s Underground Railroad history at the Muskrat Skinning Shack and enjoy scenic hayrides along Appoquinimink Creek.

• Hands-on Children’s Crafts – Create ornaments, design dinnerware, and make holiday keepsakes to take home.

• Living History– Watch hearth cooks prepare 18th-century feasts

• Ugly Sweater Contest – Compete for prizes with your most festive knitwear.

• Cantwell’s Twinklefest Cantina – Gather around fire pits for hot drinks, S’mores, and live music by the Sheehan Brothers.

The celebration culminates in the Twinklefest Lighting Countdown, when Odessa’s historic homes and town center come alive in a brilliant glow of white holiday lights.