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Updated: December 7, 11:33p

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ere’s the lineup of events for the 2011 Spirit of Christmas:

Friday, December 9

Neuse River Winery opens its doors from 11a-6p and offers warm mead, spiced cranberry punch and other treats at the winery which just opened off of Silverbrook Road.

Get an early taste of Spirit of Christmas at the Village Food Emporium. From 1-3p, Bama will have samples of organic chai and coffee, peppermint brownies and butternut squash/chai/chocolate chip muffins. It’s out on the side deck of the VFE, at the corner of Church and Broad.

Oriental Village Veterinary Hospital holds an Open House from 3-4p. Dr Sherri Hicks offers a spread of treats for humans. (And you don’t have to fetch or offer your paw first.) On Broad Street next to the bank.

Then move right next door for the Open House at First Citizens Bank for entertainment and refreshments. From 4-5p. 409 Broad Street

Artist Gary Gresko opens his studio from 4-7p and displays his drawings, sculpture, indoor and outdoor works, and his latest pieces in aluminum. Snacks and spirits of the season served. The Open Studio is at 119 Osprey Drive. (other side of the bridge, just past the Sail Loft subdivision)

Christmas Flotilla 5:30p The parade of lighted boats comes out of Whittaker Creek and passes by the South Avenue waterfront. Lou Mac and all along the waterfront are the best places to see the procession. Parking is permitted, this one night, all along South Avenue.

(The almost-full-moonrise should be putting on a pretty good show just before the flotilla. South Ave makes a great vantage point for that, too.)

Lighting of the Oriental Star and Carolingcirca 6:30p at the Town Dock on Hodges Street. The Pamlico Presbyterian Church brings a keyboard and leads the caroling. You supply the chorus and the oohs and ahs when the switch is flipped.

The Pamlico Chorale sings at the Methodist Church starting at 7p. Fifty voices singing carols, holiday tunes, and ending with the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s “Messiah.” (They’ll be there again on Saturday night at 8p) It’s a popular event, so get there early for a seat.

River Neuse Suites serves up chowder, cider and coffee from 5:30-7:30p. It’s at the corner of Mildred and South Avenue.

Saturday December 10

Oriental Farmers’ Market will be out in force from 8-11a on both sides of Hodges Street — near the Wits End and across the street at the Garland Fulcher Seafood Plant. In addition to fresh produce, there will be jams, baked goods, jarred herbs and an array of artisans’ work for your holiday shopping. All of it locally made, locally grown.

Candace Young of Bay River Pottery is holding her 30th Annual Cracked Pot Sale at the Oriental Farmers’ Market. (Her Bayboro studio got hit hard by Irene, so this year she’s bringing her exquisite work — and some seconds at a markdown — to the market.) 8-11a

Village Food Emporium has treats on the side deck from 8a-3p. Samples of organic coffee and organic chai. Bama’s also whipping up samples of peppermint brownies and muffins made of butternut squash, chai and chocolate chips. VFE is at the corner of Broad and Church across from Town Hall. Look for the dragon.

Jingle Bell Run will be starting from Village Health & Fitness at 9a. It’s a social walk around town. Pre-burn those calories you’ll be absorbing everywhere else. Open House at Village Health and Fitness starts at 10a. Hot chocolate. Raffles for holiday gift treats.

West Marine holds an Open House from 9-11a with cookies and coffee. They also have a surprise raffle you can enter.

Marine Consignment of Oriental serves a pancake breakfast at 9a with cider and music. On Broad Street near North.

Mariner Realty holds an Open House from 9a-5p. Stop by for light refreshments.

The Screen Door, in the bottom floor of the Old Hotel at Broad and Hodges holds an all-day Open House. (And they welcome folks to stand on the porch to watch the parade at 4p) Children from St. Thomas Episcopal will serve up cookies and hot cider. Proceeds go to purchase presents for children whose families were hit hard by Hurricane Irene.

Nautical Wheelers‘ Open House runs all day from 10a-5p. They’ll have door prizes to register for and refreshments on the porch. Sandy Pugh will be there signing copies of her children’s books. Betty Brown will be signing her calendars. 411 Broad Street.

Inland Waterway Provision Company Open House throughout the day. Cider and homemade holiday treats along with sales underway inside the store. 305 Hodges Street.

The Ambulance Fund will be in front of The Bean from 10a-4p. They’ll be offering popcorn and taking orders for the reflective address number signs that make it easier for an ambulance to find your house in the dark.

Down East Canvas and Gallery holds an Open House from 10a-5p. Homemade cookies and hot Christmas punch. 301 Broad Street at the foot of the Oriental Bridge.

Artist Gary Gresko continues his Open Studio from 10a-5p. Visitors are welcome to come by and see the drawings, sculpture, indoor and outdoor works, and his latest pieces in aluminum. Snacks and holiday spirits served. The Open Studio is at 119 Osprey Drive — first right after the Sail Loft subdivision on the Other Side Of The Bridge.

The Pamlico News opens its doors at Main and Broad for an Open House from 11a-1p. There are treats of the season and a chance to win a Christmas basket.

Kathy Bennett Accounting and Tax Service is holding an Open House from 11a-1p. If you haven’t sipped a bit of Kathy’s Russian tea yet, here’s your chance. Also, sweets to go with the tea. At the Pamlico News building at Main and Broad.

Village Hardware holds an Open House from 11a-1p and will have holiday treats.

PAWS serves up chili from 11a-1p outside Town Hall. They’ll also let you know how you can help them with the help they give to homeless animals in the county.

There’s clam chowder and Christmas sweets at the Red Rickshaw‘s Open House from 11a-4p. The address is 518 South Water – at the entrance to the Oriental Harbor Marina just off of New Street.

Neuse River Winery, off of Silverbrook Road is offering spiced cranberry punch, sweetbreads and warm mead which was made at the new winery. From 11a-6p

From noon-4p, The Pamlico County Arts Council will be outside the Pamlico News Building at Broad and Main with cider and cookies and another chance to buy the PCAC’s 2012 calendar — with the artwork of more than 40 county school students. Great holiday gifts. $10. Proceeds go to the Arts Council’s work of supporting, promoting and financing the arts in Pamlico County.

Kids can come by The Bean from Noon to 2p and decorate sand dollars (real ones) that they can put on their tree at home. Right across from the Town Dock on Hodges Street.

M&M’s Cafe holds an Open House from Noon to 3:30p with samples of its soup and crackers. 205 South Water Street.

Marsha’s Cottage has an Open house with entertainment and refreshments all afternoon. Stop by for the Secret Santa — pull a discount out of the stocking and enjoy the savings that day. The store is at 204 Wall Street.

St Peter The Fisherman Catholic Church holds an Open House from 1-3p at 504 Broad Street. Hot cider, cocoa and cookies are served.

Croakertown holds an Open House from 1-3p. They’ll be serving their chili. Next to the Post Office.

Open house at Denton Pharmacy from 1-3p. Cookies and drinks. 807-D Broad Street, next to the Post Office.

At The Masters, LLC Open House Gary Mastrodonato offers up plates of gnocchi. (Italian for “a must-taste.”) That’s from 1-3p at the Croakertown Shops, next to the Post Office.

Oriental History Museum holds an Open House from 1-5p. Stop by and see the Santa Suit that Larry Walker made famous. The museum’s at 802 Broad Street, sort of across from the Post Office.

Open house at The Silos / from 1-3p . Meatballs and garlic bread, as supplies last.

Habitat For Humanity clam chowder from 1:30-4p at the Coldwell-Banker building on Hodges Street.

Habitat For Humanity Chili at Village Hardware on Broad Street from 2-4p.

The Live Nativity is presented at 2p on the lawn of the Oriental United Methodist Church. The Children’s Theater Workshop puts it together. It’s all there, complete with wee restless shepherds, young Magi, gloriously-voiced angels.

From 2-4:30p, HOPE Clinic and Fishes & Loaves will be outside Fulcher’s Seafood on Hodges Street. They’re serving chicken and loaves: HOPE’s Spirit of Christmas traditional chicken soup along with bread donated by Little Italy.

Village Gallery on the harbor hosts a reception for watercolor artist Holly Cook from 2-5p. Along with the cider, there’ll be real Wisconsin cheese and crackers. At 3p, the Pamlico Flutes will be playing.

An open house from 2-4 at Coldwell Banker Willis-Smith Company “under the office” on Hodges Street. A mini-meal, hot spiced cider and desserts.

Oysters on the grill when Oriental Free Will Baptist Church holds an Open House from 2-5p next to Georgie’s Hair Salon at 801 Broad Street. Other refreshments are served as well.

Oriental Marina will be serving cider and cookies from 2-6p. Pauline Smith sings Christmas carols from 2-4p.

Got a match? You can pitch in and help with Lighting the Luminaries starting at 3:30p. The bagged candles will have been laid out along the parade route earlier in the day. (Just may want to keep those semi-open flames in mind while watching the parade.)

Warm your hands during the parade. From 3:30-6p, the Oriental Rotary Club will be roasting chestnuts in front of the Inland Waterway Provision Company.

The Spirit of Christmas Parade starts at 4p on upper Broad Street and Ragan Road and works its way toward Hodges and South Avenue and Lou Mac Park. Theme this year is “Christmas Around The World.” Santa’s sleigh for the day is a Coast Guard inflatable.

Post-parade, the River Neuse Suites serves homemade chicken soup, cider and coffee. 5-7p at 201 Mildred (at the corner of South Avenue.)

At 5:30p, Oriental First Baptist Church presents its annual Christmas Cantata, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”. The church is across from Town Hall and next to the Old Theater.

Harbor Sounds performs at Brantley’s Village Restaurant from 6-8p. Gospel, bluegrass, country, folk. The band carries the spirit of the season year round, with its many benefit concerts.

The Pamlico Chorale performs at Oriental United Methodist Church starting at 8p. Carols, holiday tunes, and Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus from ‘Messiah’. Arrive early to get a seat.

Posted Wednesday December 7, 2011 by Melinda Penkava