Santa was so delighted with the success of the inauguaral Hometown Holidazzle that he gave his Wimington-based elves the go-ahead for a second Hometown HoliDazzle festival and parade, scheduled for 4 to 9 p.m. Nov. 29.

Last November, thousands of people were delighted downtownby the thousands of lights, hundreds of entertainers and more than 60 entries in 2007's parade. "The (first) event exceeded our expectations beyond our wildest imagination," said committee chairman Trevor Shoemaker.

The committee has been hard at work since the last event to create 2008's Hometown HoliDazzle, a downtown festival featuring local retailers and delicious food, with holiday entertainment for all ages.

There will be even more entertainment this year, including favorites such as Merry Tuba Christmas, the Community Band and roving musicians. Entertainment venues include the Murphy Theatre, Friends Church and the streets of Wilmington.

In coordination with the parade, downtown Wilmington merchants will once keep their doors open late on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, kicking off the holiday shopping season.

Santa Claus, in a repeat appearance, will end the parade and be available afterward to hear the wishes of good little girls and boys. Applications for parade participation are now available by clicking the link below.

For more information, call committee chairman Trevor Shoemaker at (937) 383-0038. Or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Click Here to download Parade Application, Rules and Regulations and Vendor Application.