Chincoteague - January's Snowy Exit

Greetings from the possibly snowed -in Chincoteague Island, Virginia.

January may be exiting in a flurry of white stuff,but Chincoteague Island is a great place to weather a storm, so come on down! Make sure you stock up at Wine, Cheese and more before you dig in and of course pick up some books and tunes at Sundial Books.

Let's see what Evelyn Shotwell at the Chamber has for us if we decide to venture out.



Good morning all,
Are you ready for the snowy weekend? Been to the grocery store? Got plenty of snack food and movies? Sounds like a good weekend to snuggle up with a good book or movie! If you do happen to get “out & about”, here are a few things to enjoy. Listen to local radio and TV stations for cancellations or postponements or call the sponsors before you head out the door just in case plans have changed.
I plan to have my first snow cream of the season!!! Can’t wait….


OUT & ABOUT

January 30: 2nd Annual Chincoteague Pancake Eating Contest at Mr. Baldy’s Restaurant at 10:00 a.m.—Call 757-336-1198 for details to enter. Lots of winter fun! See how you “stack up”!!

January 31: Eastern Shore Wedding Expo at the Eastern Shore Community College Workforce Development Center—12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Call 757-789-5927 for details. An opportunity for you to make wedding dreams come true. Meet local caterers, florists, reception vendors, hair & makeup consultants, photographers, gown and tux retailers, and other wedding service providers.

February 2: Caregiver Connection at Hospice Resource Center 6309 Church St—2:30-4:00 p.m.

February 3, 2010—Chincoteague Chamber’s Annual General Membership Meeting at the Chincoteague Center – 7:45 a.m. – Light breakfast, networking time, guest speaker Steve Potts of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Tourism Commission, and sponsor Waste Management of Delmarva. Come and enjoy!!

February 6-7: Special savings at Delmarva Discovery Center—50% off all admissions, one child FREE with paid adult, total admission for a family of four=$10—show driver’s license to receive discounts if you live in Worcester County MD, Somerset County MD, Wicomico County MD, Sussex County DE, or
Accomack County, VA.

February 10: History of Deal Island MD by regional historic researcher Dan Parsons—7:00 p.m.—Free and open to the public.

February 13: 4th Annual Death By Chocolate—come join us in our sweet celebration from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Pick up a playing card from any merchant displaying the Death By Chocolate poster, complete your card while enjoying treats and shopping, and enter your completed card at Waterside Inn for a chance to win fun prizes donated by local merchants—drawing at 6:15 p.m. Call the Waterside Inn at 757-336-3434 for more information.

NASA Visitor’s Center: Open Monday-Friday through February. Call 757-824-2298.



2010 CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND VISITOR’S GUIDES ARE at the Chincoteague Chamber
STOP BY SOON TO PICK UP A CASE OR A FEW FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Call Evelyn Shotwell at the Chincoteague Chamber for more info.
757-336-6161

Chincoteague Daffodil Festival - set to Bloom

*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

The Annual Chincoteague Daffodil Festival – Set to bloom April 10th & 11th, 2010

The annual Chincoteague Daffodil Festival celebrates the coming of Spring with a Flower, Home, and Garden Event now in it’s third year with the long- running Spring Fine Art and Craft Marketplace that has been held at the Chincoteague Center for 9 years.

Thousands of daffodil bulbs have been planted in the past two years to enhance the mood of rebirth that signals the arrival of spring on the beautiful Chincoteague Island. Springtime is the ideal time of the year for a Chincoteague Island Vacation.

The Chincoteague Daffodil Festival is an event for all of the Eastern Shore of Virginia residents and guests alike and features a stunning array of plants, flowers, garden art, unique products for the home and hearth, garden equipment, pools and spas, expert gardeners and landscapers to offer their advice and demonstrations. The Chincoteague Daffodil Festival combines fun with education and entertainment.

The Chincoteague Daffodil Festival is held at the beautiful Chincoteague Community Center, 6155 Community Drive, Chincoteague Island, 23336. The event is held both indoors and outdoors on the spacious grounds bursting in springtime bloom.

The Fine Art and Craft Marketplace is held indoors and outdoors and features a fabulous presentation by some of the finest Artists and Crafters both local and regional.

Back by Popular demand will be Pepper Jack Grille who will be preparing their wonderful Breakfast and Lunch offerings under the guidance of Chef Annie. Come Hungry! Leave Happy! Pepper Jack Grille’s menu is available for viewing at www.ChincoteagueDaffodilFestival.com

Additionally, there will be fun activities for the kids, and non-stop Live Music by Local and Regional musicians.

The Chincoteague Daffodil Festival is still seeking quality exhibitors in all categories. Interested parties should visit www.ChincoteagueDaffodilFestival.com for an application. It is here that you can also view the music video of the 2009 Chincoteague Festival and pick up discount coupons.

The Chincoteague Island Daffodil Festival is proud to announce our Top Sponsors for 2010; Maplewood Gardens and Prism Pools & Spas. Both will be presenting impressive displays and offering professional consultations. Additionally, Maplewood Gardens will be giving away a Shopping Spree and Prism Pools & Spas will be giving away a Green Egg barbeque grill.

The Chincoteague Daffodil Festival will be held on April 10th and 11th , 2010 from 9am-4:30 on Sat. and 10am to 3pm on Sun. Admission is $5.00 for adults and is Free for children under 12.

The Annual Chincoteague Daffodil Festival has become increasingly popular in recent years attracting both locals and tourists alike to a truly unique, family –friendly Eastern Shore Event.

For more information, contact Sam Serio 757-894-2334, samserio@esva.net or
Visit www.ChincoteagueDaffodilFestival.com

Chincoteague Insider - Back to the Land of the Living

The Chincoteague Insider - Back to the Land of the Living

Well, I'm happy to report that reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated to paraphrase the great writer Mark Twain. It was rough going for nearly a month, as I had pneumonia with a few complications. It was a bit rough psychologically as well, you see I(perhaps overly) prided myself as being fit and healthy. I exercise, eat right etc. But this thing blindsided me and I was knocked for the proverbial loop. Besides feeling really bad, it robbed a control freak like me of any control. You just plain and simple don't get a vote! You can't pull yourself up by the bootstraps, you are incapacitated. In fact, any attempt to do that can cause further problems... I learned that the hard way.

There came a point where I was so down that couldn't think a positive thought for several days and I had a glimpse of what true madness is like. I have a new appreciation and respect for folks who overcome serious illness. The mental hurdle looms much larger than the physical.

As time wore on,I began to notice that fleeting, simple thoughts of pleasant moments would pop up now and again and I began to dwell on them. Little things like crabbing with my son off the pier at our Chincoteague Vacation rental this past summer, or having an ice cold vodka cocktail on the deck with my friend and partner Larry Warwick during Pony Penning Week. I began to think about how great my wife is and of all my friends from The Chincotegue Blueberry Festival and the Chincoteague Daffodil Festival. In general I began to feel grateful to be alive and living on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. I also got some positive encouragment from friends like Jon and Jane Richstein of Sundial Books, Donna Bozza and others. Luckily, my assistant Cindy was there for me as always and kept things under control. Thank God for email because talking on the phone was just too hard.

I started to believe that I would get well because I had been experiencing serious doubts about that. As this process built up steam, I began to heal very slowly but I could feel the subtle change from sickness to health with the accompanying positive mental attitude. I also had a great physician in Tom Hollandsworth of Onley Medical. I can't say enough good things about him...one in a million that Doctor Tom is.

An important person in my life used to muse that the reason certain concepts get to be known as "trite" is very often because they are so spot-on that they get "beat to death," so to speak. We then tend to disregard their inherent truth because the wisdom almost seems trivial. But it's not... So here's a trite and true nugget for you...notice and enjoy every moment of your life. And here's another one, "Shower the people you love with Love." It could all be over in a instant, be grateful for every precious part and don't miss a thing.

It's good to be back in the Land of the Living! I look forward to another great year presenting my take on the wonderful Chincoteague Island and hope to provide some insight for planning your Chincoteague Island Vacation.

Until the next time...

P.S. Here is Evelyn Shotwells Out & About for the coming week. Of course, Evelyn is the Office manager at the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce and she never misses a thing that's happening on Chincoteague. For more information you can contact the Chiincoteague Chamber at 757-336-6161



Weekend’s almost here!! At least temps are above freezing. Looks like it might be a wet start to the weekend. Hopefully it won’t be a total washout. Enjoy the ducks, swans, snow geese, herons and other wildlife “out & about” on the refuge. Not too cold to bundle up and go for a walk.
Here are some indoor things coming up in the next week or so to enjoy as well.


OUT & ABOUT


January 23: Bowen McCauley Dance at Nandua High School at 8:00 p.m. Witty and powerful, this eclectic dance group performs an exciting repertoire relished by dance lovers all over the country. Call 757-302-0366 or visit www.acesva.org for ticket information.

January 26: Hospice Grief Support Program at Hospice Resource Center at 6309 Church St—1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

January 26: Broadband Information Meeting at Waterside Inn, 3rd Floor Conference Room, 7:00 p.m.

January 28: Eastern Shore of Virginia Continuum of Care will be conducting its annual Point in Time Homeless Count between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. Participating agencies are the Foodbank, Department of Social Services, Telemon, Regional Housing Authority, Public School Board Offices, Eastern Shore Rural Health, Sheriff’s Department, ESAAA/CAA. For more information, contact the Foodbank at 757-787-2557.

January 30: 2nd Annual Chincoteague Pancake Eating Contest at Mr. Baldy’s Restaurant at 10:00 a.m.—Call 757-336-1198 for details. Lots of winter fun! See how you “stack up”!!

January 31: Eastern Shore Wedding Expo at the Eastern Shore Community College Workforce Development Center—12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Call 757-789-5927 for details. An opportunity for you to make wedding dreams come true. Meet local caterers, florists, reception vendors, hair & makeup consultants, photographers, gown and tux retailers, and other wedding service providers.

February 3, 2010—Annual General Membership Meeting at the Chincoteague Center – 7:45 a.m. – Light breakfast, networking time, guest speaker Steve Potts of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Tourism Commission, and sponsor Waste Management of Delmarva. Come and enjoy!!

2010 CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND VISITOR’S GUIDES ARE at the Chamber.
STOP BY SOON TO PICK UP A CASE OR A FEW FOR YOUR BUSINESS
757-336-6161

Chincoteague Island Heats it up in January

The Atlantic Flyway is literally a super highway for birds, offering a fast lane from its northern extremes in Canada to its southern ones in the Mexican Gulf. The feathered travelers need not navigate over mountain or even hills, but they still need rest stops in their trips north and south along the way, and they find an excellent one at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island just off Virginia's Eastern Shore.

The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1943 to provide a habitat for migrating snow geese, but has become one of the best hiking, biking, and bird watching spots on the entire Mid-Atlantic coast. You can begin your exploration of the Wildlife Refuge with a trek along its nearly eleven miles of unspoiled sand beaches, starting at Toms Cove Hook on the southern tip of Assateague and ending at the State Line where the Maryland section of the Assateague Island National Seashore begins.

This long weekend, offers an excellent opportunity to experience the wildlife offerings of Chincoteague Island and Assateague Island at one of it’s most pristine times of the year.

The Chincoteague Insider encourages everyone to visit Chincoteague Island in one of it’s most glorious poses.

There’s plenty more happening on Chincoteague as well, so says Evelyn Shotwell of the Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce. Let the Good Times Roll!

Evelyn Shotwell





Good afternoon all,
For the first time this year our temperatures are up to normal. Yeah!!
Hopefully the long weekend (Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday) will bring some folks our way. Enjoy the warmer temperatures…take a walk on the beach and trails. Enjoy the ducks and other migrating waterfowl that are calling the wildlife refuge home for the winter. There are a couple of free concerts to keep you entertained after your walk. Have fun……out & about!!!


OUT & ABOUT

January 15: Tom McHugh “The Banjo Man” to perform FREE at the Delmarva Discovery Center at 7:00 p.m. Music and stories about the Chesapeake Bay. Tom is the Executive Director for “The Mainstay”, a performing arts center in Rock Hall MD.

January 16: Chincoteague Pony Drill Team marches in Governor-elect Bob McDonnell’s Inaugural Parade in Richmond at 1:00 p.m. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Go Drill Team!!!

January 16: Hemlock Hollow FREE In-store Concert at Sundial Books, 4065 Main St—3:00 p.m.
Call 757-336-5835 for more details.

January 18: Lou Hinds, Manager of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, will be the guest speaker at Accomack County Supervisor Ron Wolff’s constituency meeting at 7:00 p.m. at Wolff’s Sandwich Shoppe in Atlantic.

January 23: Bowen McCauley Dance at Nandua High School at 8:00 p.m. Witty and powerful, this eclectic dance group performs an exciting repertoire relished by dance lovers all over the country. Call 757-302-0366 or visit www.acesva.org for ticket information.

**SAVE THE DATE: February 3, 2010—Annual General Membership Meeting at the Chincoteague Center—Look for details in the mail.



2010 CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND VISITOR’S GUIDES ARE HERE!!!
STOP BY SOON TO PICK UP A CASE OR A FEW FOR YOUR BUSINESS



***WE HAVE A FEW 2009 OYSTER FESTIVAL SHORT SLEEVE T-SHIRTS IN LIGHT BLUE AND PINK FOR SALE IN THE CHAMBER OFFICE ($17.00 EACH). WE ALSO HAVE A FEW HATS & POSTERS. WE ACCEPT Visa and Mastercard



Evelyn
Evelyn Shotwell
Office Manager
Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce
757-336-61616

Chincoteague Main Street Merchants Association

Chincoteague Main Street Merchants Association

Well, 2010 is well under way and along with the many changes that will be coming to Main St. on Chincoteague Island, so come a fresh new crop of leaders to the Chincoteague Main Street Association.

The following officers have been elected to serve for the next two years: the newly elected president is Karen Murphy from the Blue Crab Boutique, for vice-president we have Ruth Ann Mason from the Waterside Inn; Ann Warnick from Ann’s Hairport is the new secretary, and Mercer Domino form the Sea Star Café Gourmet Carry Out is the new treasurer. The Chincoteague Insider would like to congratulate them all. They face many challenges in the upcoming years. The change in traffic patterns created by the new entry point of the Chincoteague Bridge will be a big one, but the charm of the Historic Section and it’s planned revitalization and visual upgrades will keep this area of Chincoteague a “must see.” and “must shop” location.

The Historic Main Street Merchants Association is open to all businesses on Main Street, Chincoteague Island. Be on the look out for their ever-popular “Death by Chocolate” event coming on February 13. Also, coming is the Search for the Shamrock on March 20, 2010. The Farmers Market reopens in April and runs through September and with a little luck better weather will grace the wonderful Chili Chowder Cook-Off on Oct. 16. this year.

One thing is for certain, no Chincoteague Island Vacation is complete without a thorough exploration of Chincoteague’s Historic Main St. For more information about The Chincoteague Historic Main Street Merchants and their special events please contact Cathy at 757-336-2610 or visit their web site at http://www.ChincoteagueMerchants.org

See you on Main St. in beautiful Downtown Chincoteague Island, Va.