Holiday Arts Night Returns To Berlin

BERLIN -- Mayor Gee Williams will officially light the Berlin Christmas Tree at 5:30 tonight, Friday, Nov. 25, in front of the Atlantic Hotel.

The Delmarva Chorus will be leading the crowd in traditional Christmas carols, while the merchants of town put their best efforts into dressing up their stores with holiday lights and festive spirits.

Main Street will be closed to traffic allowing the town to take on the charm of a 19th Century village. 

Then at 6 p.m. the Berlin Victorian Christmas celebration will kick off with its annual Holiday Arts Night, one of the most popular evenings in the historical town.

Shops will be open until 9 p.m. and each will feature the works of local artists selling their works, as well as serving up holiday treats and beverages. Here’s a look at some of the planned activities:

Jeffery Auxer of Auxer Designs, Glass Studio, will be demonstrating the fine art of blowing glass into artistic functional pieces. You may want to pick up a hand-blown tree ornament from his studio. 

Just up the street, across from the Berlin Coffee House, the Worcester County Arts Council will present a display of Holiday Wreaths submitted by the community for their 3rd Annual Holiday Wreath Decorating Contest. All decorated wreaths will be on display and the winners of the contest will be announced at 6 p.m.  A silent auction will begin in the council's gallery and will end on Dec. 9. Proceeds will benefit the council's Scholarship Program. 

Located next to the Worcester County Art Council, the Water's Edge Gallery will have the works of Kevin Fitzgerald, Raoul Middleman and Tinsel Hughes on display and for sale.

Up on Main Street you'll find lots of shops open with various artists including Tim Trout's art made out of old artillery shells found when dredging for shellfish.

Victorian Charm will feature the award-winning photographer and author Kevin Fleming. He will be signing copies of his Wild Delmarva book.  Also at Victorian Charm you will be treated to the festive sounds of the season performed by local musicians Earl Beardsley on keyboards and Dave Delfonso on sax and clarinet.

Across the street from Victorian Charm you will find the Church Mouse selling a small collection of "Ducks Unlimited" prints from 1994 to 1999.

At The Globe, artist Patrick Henry’s new “Amusement” exhibit will be available for viewing.

Art 4 Clean Bays will be displaying the works of over 20 artists at the Atlantic Hotel. After Holiday Arts Night, the exhibit will be moved to the Berlin Visitors Center and Chamber of Commerce office and will be on display throughout the month of December. 

On Arts Night, you can find artist Jim Adcock, photographer Kathy Sadler and graphic artist Amy Wood in their studios at the Visitors Center.