Local Black Friday

I can't believe that it is time for Black Friday deals again! Check out these local deals this year! 

• Jump Trampoline Park: Two options for Black Friday. A Silver Savings Card, 5 one hour jumps for $40 rather than $75 or a Gold Savings Card for ten one hour jumps for $75 rather than $150. 
• Virginia Zoo: CyBEAR Monday: 20% off Zoodoption packages. 
• Nauticus: Free WinterFest tickets with the purchase of a membership AND $25 off first sails.
• Jungle Golf: Buy one get one free gift cards or season pass $125 good for two players 
• Family Fun Xperience: Every Friday in November there are specials being offered. 
• My Gym VB: Buy 12 weeks and receive 4 weeks FREE!  Class card packages are 15% off. Use code cybercard21. Cookie and Cocoa with Mymo, $5 off with code Mymo5. 
• H2Obx: promises a deal but it hasn't been announced yet! Check back on their website on Friday. 
• iFly: 10 flights, 5 photos, 5 videos, and 5 High Flights Valid Sun-Fri, save 50%
• Cinema Cafe: Buy $50 get 2 week unlimited movie pass.
• RockBox Gym: Unlimited membership $199, Personal training packages, purchase a $100 giftcard get $25 free or $50 get $10 free 
• Regal: Buy $50 giftcard get $10 in concession dollars 
• Polkadot Play- $5 off $75 with code SBSATURDAY
• Haygood Skating Center-  Groupon for family four pack 
• Glow Golf- Groupon! 

Restaurants

• Redwood Smoke Shack: $10 voucher for every $50 gift card
• Oceans 14: Free $50 gift card for every $100 gift card
• Blue Pete's: Free $50 gift card for every $100 gift card
• Clayton's Counter: Spend $25 but get a gift card worth $50 or $50 and get a $100 card 
• Waterman's Surfside Grille/Chix/The Shack: When you buy a gift card, you'll receive a 100% match 
• Sandfiddler: 20% off gift certificates 
• The Rustic Spoon: Buy one gift card, get one for half of that value
• Aberdeen Barn: Bogo $100
• Calypso: Buy a $50 card, get a $50 gift card.
• Amicis Pizza Cafe: Buy $75 in gift certificates get $25 free.
• ihop: Free $10 giftcard when you buy $30
• Cheesecake Factory: Buy a $50 get a $15

WinterFest On the Wisconsin 2021

Nauticus opened WinterFest last year as a Covid safe alternative to Charles Dickens' Christmas Towne,  but it was so successful that they brought it back this year! Last year's post has the details of the original WinterFest, but they have added even more this year! New this year are differently themed light zones, a new restaurant located inside the battleship, additional lights, and a talking gingerbread man. We almost missed it, but be aware that there are two below deck areas to view this year! The entrance to the first is located by the Spring section of lights, and the other at the back of the ship near the large Christmas Tree. Be at this tree when they light it for a surprise visit by the Grinch, which includes selfie time! 

Also new, families can have a Santa Experience, where kids can meet and talk to Santa. For a $5 donation per person, families will be individually greeted and children can tell Santa their Christmas wishes. Pictures are encouraged. 

Live music returns Friday and Saturday nights. Returning from last year is the ever popular talking Christmas tree, elves inside Santa's workshop, and the train display. A tip: buy your tickets online to save $5.00! Online prices Wednesday-Thursday are $9.50 for adults and $7 for children for members and $12.50 adult, $10 for children for nonmembers. Friday-Sunday is $12.50 for adults and $10 for children for members and $14.50 for adults and $12 for children for nonmembers. Timed tickets are required. When you're headed in or out, be sure to hit the snowfall, which happens every twenty minutes in the Nauticus lobby. Also, don't miss the multiple photo opportunities inside the building and the gift shop for holiday offerings. 

Reminder that strollers are not allowed on the ship, and that you'll be helping your littles down the ladder inside the ship, so you may want to bring a carrier. Our two year old navigated the ship fine, but keep this in mind if you've got babies! 

Zoolumination

This winter, 29 new types of animals are at the zoo. These inflatable, light up animals are larger than life. At night visitors can drive through the zoo and listen to their stories. During the day, visitors can walk through the zoo (at no additional cost) and check out the animals. They are beautiful, but at night they are GRAND.

Nightime hours are Sunday through Thursday 5-9, with a cost of members $35 and nonmembers $45 for the whole car. Fridays and Saturdays the hours are 5-11, members $40 and nonmembers $50.  

We really enjoyed this, although we are zoo members and we go often. I thought that the zoo did a really good job of turning it into a drive through and using some parts of the zoo that I wouldn't have thought to drive on. I would suggest going at night, as the lights transform the animals into art! 

Winter Holiday Events

There are so many events happening in Hampton Roads! Here's a round up of a few. I'll edit as more are announced! 

November:

• 5th Holiday Open House at McDonald Garden Center 
• 6th- Tidewater Big Train Operators- Train Show White's Nursery & Garden Center 10-4
• 11th- Jan 2 Winterfest on the Wisconsin 
• 12th- The Bodacious Bazaar- Hampton Roads Convention Center, tickets $6-$13, vendors 
• 12th- Grand Illumination- Lynnhaven Mall, live entertainment, magic show, stilt walkers, and more! 
• 12th-Jan 2- Million Bulb Walk Botanical Gardens 
• 13th- Bayside Artisan Shoppes, 49 vendors! 10 am, Independence Blvd
• 13th-Dec. 31- KOA Campground Lights of Christmas 5 pm-12 am. 
• 13th- Sittin' With Santa Lagomar Holiday Market and Photos 1-4 pm 
• 19th- Jan 9- Zoolumination 10am-9pm (walking during the day, drive through at night.)
• 19th- Suffolk Grand Illumination, starting at the Seaboard Station Railroad Museum 
• 20th- 757 Maker Market, 11 am, at 757 Makerspace 
• 20th- Oyster and Sough Festival at Greenbrier Farms
• 20th- Mistletow Market, Main Street, Smithfield
• 21st- Farmer John's Holiday Market- Back Bay Farmhouse 11-3 local vendors 
• 21st- Kinda Kosher Chanukkah Cooking- 3 pm Contact Ohef Sholom Temple
• 23rd- Holiday Light Stroll- Woodside High School, 2 mile walk with holiday lights in Newport News City Park 
• 26th, 27th, and 28th- Planes, Trains, and Santa- Military Aviation Museum 
• 27th- The Farmhouse Grand Illumination, Christmas Tree lot, live music, food trucks, selfies with Santa 
• 27th- 757 Small Business Expo, 2 pm Small Business Saturday, 722 Newtown Road
• 27th Farmer John's Holiday Market- Back Bay Farmhouse 11-3 local vendors 
• 27th- The Grand Illumination Ceremony- KOA Campground lights kickoff, picture with Santa, Christmas village, and carriage rides 
• 28th- Hanukkah Extravaganza, contact Chabbad of Norfolk for details, 4:30

December: 

• 2nd- Grand Menorah Parade 5:45 Contact Chabbad of Norfolk for details 
• 3rd- Annual Poquoson Holiday Parade, 7 pm
• 4th- Santa's Workshop VB Farmer's Market 11-3 p.m., craft show, children's activities, music, and more. 
• 4th- Yorktown Lighted Boat Parade 6-8
• 4th- Chesapeake Rotary Christmas Parade, Mt. Pleasant to City Hall, 6 pm.
• 4th- Annual Chick-Fil-A Christmas Parade at Chesapeake Square 8:30 am.
• 4th- Holiday Parade at the Beach, 15th-25th streets, 5:30 pm.
• 4th Harambe for the Holidays: Birds of a Feather 11-2 Zeiders American Dream Theater 
• 4th- Annual Wacky Whimsical Winterland Markets, Jack Brown's 11-3
• 5th- Haygood Vendor Village- Holiday Market 
• 5th- Ghent's Annual Holiday Market 11-4, Blair Middle School
• 5th- Chanukkah on Ice Chabbad VB
• 5th -Six13 Concert with Temple Beth El, Hanukkah Celebration 
• 5th- Christmas Craft Market Photos with Santa- Blue Pete's Restaurant, lunch photos, vendors, hot coco, cookie decorating, 1-4 pm
• 10th-18th Christmas in the Country- Drive Thru lights, meals for purchase, Triple R Ranch  
• 11th- Neon Holiday Market 12-4, live music, food trucks, vendors 
• 11th- Children's Christmas Parade, Olde Towne 
• 11th- Christmas in Smithfield Holiday Parade, downtown Smithfield 
• 11th- Virginia Beach Holiday Boat Parade of Lights 5 p.m. 
• 11th- Toyland Parade, Yorktown, Riverwalk Landing 
• 11th- Downtown Christmas Parade, downtown Suffolk 2:30-4:00
• 11th- Olde Towne Holiday Music Festival 11-5
• 17th- Santa is coming to Riverwalk!- Food trucks and Santa 6 p.m.
• 18th- My Gym Parents Night Out, Polar Express Event 6-9 pm
• 19th- Farmer John's Holiday Market- Back Bay Farmhouse 11-3 local vendors 
• 19th- Cookies and Cocoa with My Gym 1:00-2:30 or 3:00-4:00 
• 31st- NOON Years Eve Celebration at My Gym 11:30-1:00 pm
• 31st Parents' Night Out New Years Eve at My Gym 7pm-7am