Gloucester and Mathews are heading into the weekend with another long list of holiday happenings, the most anticipated being the Mathews Christmas Parade, “Fishing You a Merry Christmas.”
The parade will step off from Thomas Hunter Middle School Saturday at 1 p.m. and end at the new Chesapeake Bank location (old Bank of America). After the parade, visit with Santa at the Mathews Visitor and Information Center (Sibley’s Store building) on Main Street from 2-4 p.m.
Leading the parade will be Mathews native Sgt. Kevin Pope, carrying the American flag. Pope, a Signal Systems Support Specialist in the U.S. Army, is assigned to the 82ned Airborne Division, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, The White House Communications Agency. He is currently stationed at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. with the Joint Task Force, National Capitol Region.
Other special attractions, weather permitting, include a scaled replica of the battleship USS Alabama from the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and a flyby by several local pilots in general aviation planes.
There are 42 units registered for the parade, including the Pet Parade, in its second appearance.
In addition to the parade, Mathews has several other holiday events this weekend. The Mathews Historical Museum, 200 Main Street, will hold its Christmas Bazaar Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. both days. Vendors will sell a variety of arts, crafts and food items each day. The museum will sell quarts of freshly-made seafood chowder.
The Mathews County Department of Social Services will have its Christmas Store tomorrow and Saturday at the YMCA/Boys & Girls Club gymnasium for community members in need. Volunteers are needed to help out with setting up, running and clean-up for the store.
Before Saturday’s parade, there will be A Very Merry Christmas Mathews Farmers’ Market from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on the historic Court Green.
Starting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, the Bay School Community Arts Center, Mathews, will hold a pine needle ornament class. The cost is $40 and registration is taken through the center’s website. The Bay School will also be holding its Creative Open House Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Stop in, meet instructors and preview samples from classes in the new catalog.
The Tompkins Cottage Museum Christmas Open House will be held from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday. Author Martha McCartney will be there to autograph her comprehensive history, “Mathews County, Virginia: Lost Landscapes, Untold Stories.” The Thomas James Store Museum, Mathews, will also be open from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. for self-guided tours.
Roane’s Antiques at the Cottage, Mathews Main Street, will host a “Whoville in Mathews” event Saturday. Photos with the Grinch will be offered. The Grinch is scheduled to arrive around 1 p.m.
The CA&J Farm, Foster, will be holding its Christmas Drums event from 3-5 p.m. Saturday at the farm.
The Mathews Rotary Rockfish Tournament is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Morningstar Marinas at Hudgins.
Also on Sunday, the Bay School will hold its Empty Bowls event from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The center will offer homemade soup in a pottery bowl with bread and cookies in the gallery (or take out) for $15. Proceeds will support Hands Across Mathews.
In Gloucester
There are several holiday events this weekend in Gloucester to take part in as well.
Meet Santa and Mrs. Claus at Gloucester Library, Main Street Center, Saturday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Registration for this free, family-friendly event is now open. After visiting with the guests from the North Pole, stick around the library for its open house from 1-3:30 p.m. There will be light refreshments and performances by Bayside Youth Ballet (1 p.m. and 3 p.m.) and Clan MacCool Band (2 p.m.). This is also a family event. Registration is not required to attend the open house.
The Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society will have its Holiday Open House Saturday from 1-3 p.m. There will be live acoustic music from Megan B., visits with Santa Claus, children’s holiday crafts, adoption specials, and a bake sale for humans and pets, all at the shelter.
The Gloucester Moose Lodge will hold a Bluegrass Christmas Concert, featuring Rappahannock Crossing and The Between Band, from 7-11 p.m. on Saturday at the Gloucester Moose Family Center. There is a $5 entry fee. Children under 16 can enter free with a parent present. Proceeds from this event go towards the lodge’s Community Christmas Day Dinner.