Experience the Spirit of the Season in the Wildwoods, NJ

 Celebrate The Holidays in the Wildwoods With a Holiday Shopping Village

and Five Weekends of Fun Family Holiday Events

The Wildwoods, NJ – November 7, 2024 – With so many festive activities and holiday events planned in the Wildwoods, many of them FREE, there are plenty of ways to experience the spirit of the season and create new family holiday memories. With lower room rates available, book your stay in the Wildwoods and experience the many ways to make the holiday season special for you and your whole family.

The following is the 2024 line-up of holiday events taking place in the Wildwoods, NJ:

November 23 – Holiday Kickoff at MudHen Brewing Company

Gather at MudHen Brewing Company, 127 W. Rio Grande Ave, for a festive Holiday Kickoff party filled with music, crafts & community spirit! Bring the kids and partake in Thanksgiving fun with a Crafts Corner, get creative with fun crafts for all ages, a Gratitude Wall, share what you’re thankful for, and of course, FREE face painting from 12 – 4 p.m.! Live Music by Megan Knight Trio from 3 – 7 p.m. & Fuzzy Bunny Slippers from 7 – 11 p.m. Let’s give back to our community while celebrating the holiday spirit. Mark your calendars, invite your friends, and get ready for a day of gratitude and fun! Special Offer: Bring canned goods for MudHen’s Thanksgiving Can Drive & receive a FREE beer! For more information call 609-5220-0159 x125 or mudhenbrew.com/events.

November 28 – TJ Hunt Memorial 5K Turkey Trot

Join this fun-filled Thanksgiving morning run. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the race starts at 9 a.m. at Crest Pier, 5800 Atlantic Avenue, Wildwood Crest. The 5K route starts and finishes at Crest Pier on Ocean Ave. Registration fees are $30 for adults and $10 for kids under 18 years of age. All proceeds benefit the TJ Hunt Memorial Foundation. For more information 609-780-4223 or tjhuntmemorialfund.com 

November 29 – Family Holiday Beach Bonfire

Enjoy family fun including music and FREE photo ops with Santa and other winter wonderland characters at 2nd & Surf Ave. in North Wildwood from 5-9 p.m. A donation of $10 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under supports the North Wildwood Volunteer Fire Company #1. Rain date is November 30. For more information visit www.WildwoodHoliday.com.

November 29- December 1 – Christmas in North Wildwood

Celebrate the kick-off to the holiday season during Christmas in North Wildwood, taking place Friday, November 29 through Sunday, December 1. Festivities take place along Olde New Jersey Avenue & 200 block of West 10th Ave., 100 block of East 17th Ave., & more in North Wildwood, including outdoor firepits, hot chocolate, festive lights, decorations, and music. Christmas in North Wildwood takes place Friday and Saturday at 2 p.m., and Sunday at noon. For more information, visit www.WildwoodHoliday.com.

November 29-December 8 – Wildwoods December Restaurant Week – NEW!

The Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce presents Wildwoods Restaurant Week from November 29 through December 8! Dining in the Wildwoods has never been better! Enjoy a three-course meal from some of the island’s most delicious restaurants! Participating restaurants will offer a $40 three-course pre-fixe menu (plus tax & gratuity). For a list of establishments, days open during the week and menus visit www.WildwoodsRestaurantWeek.com or call the GWCOC at 609-729-4000.

November 30 – Wildwoods Outdoor Holiday Shopping Village/Small Business Saturday

Enjoy the most wonderful time of the year during the Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce’s 5th Annual Wildwoods Holiday Shopping Village, taking place at Byrne Plaza and Downtown Wildwood from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. The village features outdoor shopping for all to experience Small Business Saturday like never before. Local small business vendors and artisans will be on hand with the perfect holiday gifts including jewelry, specialty shops, handcrafted items, holiday decorations, baked goods, and boutique gifts. There will also be holiday entertainment and music, a raffle, and more. This event will also serve as a gift drop location for The Lynch Who Stole Christmas From The GrYnch Program. For more information, call 609-729-4000 or follow on Facebook at Wildwoods Holiday Shopping Village.

December 1, 8, 15, 22 – Holidays at HenVille: Shopping Village

Wrap up your holiday shopping with a bow on Sundays in December at the annual Shopping Village at MudHen Brewing Company, 127 W. Rio Grande Ave. in Wildwood, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Enjoy entertainment for the entire family including hot cocoa, s’mores stations, caricatures, face painting, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus and live music in the Biergarten! Santa and Mrs. Claus will be visiting on December 8, 15, and 22! Make sure to visit all our wonderful vendors in the parking lot and finish that shopping list! For more information, 609-522-0159 x110 or mudhenbrew.com.

December 3 – Wildwood Crest Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony

Kick off the Christmas season in the borough at the FREE Wildwood Crest Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at Sunset Lake at 5:30 p.m.! Join the holiday celebration with music, light refreshments, a visit from Santa Claus, and more! For more information 609-523-0202 or www.wildwoodcrest.org

December 6 – Greater Wildwood Jaycees Christmas Parade

This festive parade lines up along Central Avenue and steps off 16th Avenue at 6:30 p.m., proceeding along Central Avenue, then Pacific Avenue to Spicer Avenue, where the parade will turn and proceed to Byrne Plaza. Awards will be announced for floats and the decorated business lighting contest at approximately 7:30 p.m. in Byrne Plaza. Parade registration/check-in begins at 5 p.m. at the North Wildwood Recreation Center, 10th and Central Avenues, North Wildwood. For more information call 609-729-5501 or visit www.WildwoodHoliday.com. (Rain date December 8; line-up at 4 p.m. and step-off at 5 p.m.)

December 6-7 – Greater Wildwood Jaycees Downtown Wildwood Christmas in the Plaza/Tree Lighting Ceremony

Enjoy FREE carnival rides and shop vendors from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday at Byrne Plaza, Downtown Wildwood. Live music by the John Walter Band, and don’t miss story time with Mrs. Claus! A Tree Lighting Ceremony also takes place at 8 p.m. on Friday. For more information call 609-729-5501 or visit www.WildwoodHoliday.com.

December 6 – MudHen White Christmas Party

MudHen presents a White Christmas Party at The Station House on Friday, December 6th! Enjoy live music by Don’t Call Me Francis, captivating circus performances, and special adult face painting. Sip on exclusive White Christmas cocktails crafted just for the occasion. For more information call 609-522-0159 x125 or visit mudhenbrew.com.

December 7 – North Wildwood Tree Lighting

This festive ceremony will take place at the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse Courtyard, 1st & Central Avenues in North Wildwood at 5 p.m. The event includes music, refreshments, self-guided tours of the lighthouse and a visit from Santa & Mrs. Claus! FREE admission. Call 609-522-2955 or visit www.NorthWildwood.com.

December 7 – Wildwood Holiday Spectacular Concert

Get ready to rekindle the magic of the holiday season with the Wildwood Holiday Spectacular! Concert The Bobby Rydell Foundation is proud to bring back this beloved holiday tradition, where music and joy come together for a night to remember. Enjoy an unforgettable evening with a star-studded lineup featuring The Skyliners, famous for their hits, “Since I Don’t Have You” and “Pennies from Heaven.” The Tymes are set to transport you back to the golden age of music with their classics, “So Much In Love” and “Wonderful! Wonderful!” Rising Star Tommy Cono and Wildwood’s own Joey M will perform soulful renditions of classic hits and holiday favorites that will warm your heart and set the perfect festive mood. The event takes place at Wildwood High School, 4300 Pacific Avenue. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the Spectacular starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and available exclusively at www.thebobbyrydellfoundation.org.

December 7 – Santa Paws

The North Wildwood Business Owners Association presents Santa Paws! Come out to the North Wildwood Entertainment District at Olde New Jersey Avenue and the surrounding area with your dressed up, 4-legged friends for treats and photo ops at participating establishments along the planned doggie walk route. The walk begins at 1 p.m. and prizes will be awarded for best costumes! (The route and participating establishments will be announced closer to the day of the event.) For more information visit www.nw-boa.com.

December 13-14 and 20-21 – Wildwood’s Winter Wonderland at Holly Beach Park

Enjoy Wildwood’s very own FREE Winter Wonderland at Holly Beach Park. 123 E. Andrews Avenue, Wildwood. The light show will run every half-hour from 5 to 9 p.m. on December 13 14, 20, and 21. Bring the family and enjoy the light show with complimentary hot chocolate, popcorn, a ‘Letters to Santa’ station, and a visit from Mr.& Mrs. Claus. A light show and decorations will be on display nightly from 6:30-7 p.m. through mid-January. For more information call 609-522-5837 or visit www.wildwoodnj.org. 

December 14 – ‘Pinch the GrYnch’ Boardwalk 5K Run

This holiday Boardwalk 5K run and 1 mile walk is fun for all ages! The event starts at 10 a.m. rain or shine. Participants are encouraged to dress in festive holiday outfits. Registration is $30 per person or $20 if you donate a new, unwrapped toy for local children in need. (The race route will be announced closer to the event date. Registration link coming soon.) For more information call 609-849-8887 or visit www.LynchToyDrive.com.

December 14 – Family Holiday Celebration & Tree Lighting Ceremony

Enjoy a family-friendly event at the Wildwoods Convention Center from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. featuring FREE admission to holiday-themed crafters and movies, photos with Santa, performances by the Avalon String Band, a children’s craft making table, magician, face painting, entertainment, and much more! At 4:30 p.m. there will be a tree lighting ceremony. For more information call 609-729-9000 or visit www.WildwoodHoliday.com.

December 14 - 12 Pubs of Christmas

Celebrate the holidays and enjoy happy hour pricing & holiday sights from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. at participating establishments. A free jitney will transport you around the island from 12 p.m. – 10 p.m. with various stops at area Pubs along the way. For more information visit nw-boa.com.

December 16 – Holiday Lights Walk

Take an approximately 30-minute walk along Sunset Lake and the surrounding neighborhood to view the holiday and Christmas light displays. Walkers will meet at Sunset Lake at 5:30 p.m., at the corner of Rambler Road and New Jersey Avenue in Wildwood Crest. The Holiday Lights Walk is FREE, but registration is encouraged by emailing lfarrall@wildwoodcrest.org. Walkers should wear warm clothes and bring a flashlight. All participants will receive a small holiday gift. The rain/inclement weather date is Tuesday, December 17, at 5:30 p.m. For more information call 609-523-0202. Sponsored by the Wildwood Crest Mayor’s Wellness Campaign and the Wildwood Crest Recreation Department.

December 26-31 – The Boardwalk Basketball Classic

The largest holiday co-ed basketball tournament in the country is held in the Wildwoods Convention Center, featuring an impressive lineup of high school boys’ and girls’ basketball teams from the South Jersey and Delaware Valley areas – totaling approximately 1,000 competitors. Call 609-846-2720 for more information or visit www.BBClassic.com for team schedules, times, ticket prices, and past results.

For additional information about the Wildwoods, visit www.WildwoodsNJ.com or call 800-992-9732.