One ticket includes holiday house tours, access to HOF’s Christmas Marketplace, live entertainment, children’s activities, hay wagon and pony rides, and much more.
ODESSA, Del. — Oct. 12, 2026 — The nonprofit Historic Odessa Foundation will kick off the holiday season with its second annual Twinklefest on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 1 to 5 p.m., bringing families and friends together for an old-fashioned festive yuletide celebration.
Set amid Historic Odessa’s museum houses and grounds, Twinklefest will feature a Christmas Marketplace with more than 45 vendors, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a special performance by the Odessa High School Marching Band, and a full schedule of activities included with admission. The celebration culminates at dusk with the lighting of the Historic Odessa buildings. All proceeds from this one-day holiday fundraising event support the Historic Odessa Foundation’s preservation and education mission and programs.
This year’s 40th anniversary Holiday House tours and literature-inspired exhibit will feature An American Colonial Revival Christmas,* an exhibition in the National Historic Landmark Corbit-Sharp House.
Inspired by author Valerie Tripp’s stories about the American Girl* character Felicity, whose story takes place in 1774, the exhibition explores Christmas customs in colonial America and the later decorating traditions they inspired.
Period rooms pair doll-sized objects on loan from the Changnon Family Museum of Toys and Collectibles with corresponding full-sized artifacts and antiques from the foundation’s collections. Visitors will also discover how Williamsburg’s familiar Colonial Revival Christmas decorations developed in the early 20th century and differed from those used in 18th-century America.
The exhibition runs Nov. 10 through Dec. 31. Twinklefest admission includes tours of the holiday museum houses, including An American Colonial Revival Christmas in the Corbit-Sharp House (c. 1774) and the Storybook Trees exhibition in the Wilson-Warner House (c. 1769), where community-decorated trees celebrate children’s literature.
All activities included with admission
A Twinklefest ticket includes:
- Tours of the museum holiday houses and their seasonal exhibitions.
- Access to the Christmas Marketplace featuring more than 45 vendors.
- Visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
- A performance by the Odessa High School marching band.
- Holiday music throughout the day with DJ and master of ceremonies Dana McDonald.
- Live performances and dance instruction by the Dover English Country Dancers.
- Photo opportunities in an antique sleigh.
- Children’s crafts.
- A children’s Christmas store activity and package-wrapping station.
- Letter writing to Santa using real feather pens and India ink.
- Santa’s post office, with a response from the North Pole for every child who submits a letter.
- Wreath-making demonstrations.
- Hay wagon rides.
- Pony rides.
- A petting zoo.
- Face painting.
- Appearances by costumed holiday characters.
- An Odessa Fire Company antique fire truck display and children’s fire prevention program.
- An antique car display.
- The lighting of the historic buildings at dusk.
Visitors can also browse the Christmas Marketplace for gifts and seasonal finds. Merchandise purchases are separate from admission.
Vendors and artisans are encouraged to apply to participate in the Twinklefest Marketplace.
Tickets and family packages
Admission includes the holiday house tours, entertainment, rides and activities listed above. Family packages offer a discount compared with purchasing four individual tickets:
- Non-member family package: $60 for two adults and two children.
- Member family package: $50 for two adults and two children.
- Individual adult admission: $20.
- Individual child admission: $15.
For Twinklefest tickets and information about Historic Odessa’s 40th annual Holiday Tours and Exhibit, and special events, visit www.historicodessa.org.
Historic Odessa is a member of the North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM), and is open to the public March through December, Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday 1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday by reservation. General Admission: Adults, $10; Groups, Seniors, Students, $8; and Children under six are free. Member discounts are available.
About the Historic Odessa Foundation
Established in 2005, the Historic Odessa Foundation owns and operates Historic Odessa, a 72-acre enclave of 18th and 19th century structures located in the town of Odessa, just two miles from DE 1 and just off U.S. Route 13 in southern New Castle County, Delaware. The historic buildings and gardens along with a well-documented collection of more than 7000 objects and furnishings offer a unique picture of Delaware’s colonial period in a rural village that played a vital part in America’s commercial history. The town of Odessa, originally known as Cantwell’s Bridge, has retained much of its 18th century charm and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and home to a National Historic Landmark, and two National Park Service Network to Freedom sites. www.historicodessa.org
*“An American Colonial Revival Christmas” is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by American Girl or Mattel. American Girl is a registered trademark of American Girl LLC. References are for educational and descriptive purposes.
