Early look at CHRISTMAS
From Easton’s Winter Village to holiday events in Bethlehem, here are some details
Christmas is right around the corner. Sure, we’re still waiting for the Valley’s autumnal show of foliage. But there are already plenty of events planned for the holiday season and you’ll want to get them on your calendar before things get too busy.
We picked a trio of holiday cheer to tell you about:
Shop in a European village Easton’s Winter Village
— an opportunity to shop local, have some fun and pretend you’re in a European holiday village — is set to return after last year’s successful debut. Here’s what we know:
It will run five weekends: Friday, Nov. 19 to Sunday, Dec. 19. The running time of the festival has been shifted up a weekend to allow for more pre-holidays shopping and end the weekend before Christmas.
Times: 4 to 8 p.m. Friday; noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays; and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays Admission: Still free
One of the most popular attractions last year was the ice-skating rink and that will be back and bigger than ever. This year’s rink (made with synthetic ice) will be 50 percent larger than last year, allowing more people to skate at a time. Tickets will be sold online in advance to specific time slots and a limited number of tickets will be available for sale at the door. How much: Free for Easton residents (proof of residency required); $5 per person to skate for 30 minutes; $5 to rent skates (for everyone).
Vendor huts will once again be set up in Centre Square and two of the quadrants. The rink, information hut and skating hut (skate rentals) will be moved from the 300 block of Northampton Street to the 200 block (in front of
The Bayou and Sogo, between Centre Square/3rd Street and Sitgreaves Street). That portion of Northampton Street will be closed to traffic once setup for the rink begins. (Note: Centre Square will remain completely open to traffic throughout the event.
Speaking of vendors, here’s a sample of the vendors who will be taking part: Sweet Girlz: pre-packaged cupcakes and other sweets; Easton Baking: baked goods staples and tomato pies; Porters Pub — seasonal food/ beer and cocktails and apparel; Knecht: laser-cut ornaments; Boser Geist Brewing: craft beer and food; SmARTivities Showcase: variety of art and clothing options; 2nd Base Vintage: vintage clothing and retro apparel; Easton Outdoor: Winter clothing and cold weather equipment; 3rd and Ferry: seasonal food/ beer and cocktails and apparel; Skeggys Axe House: seasonal food/ beer and cocktails and apparel; Isasuma: handmade Indigenous Colombian bags and accessories; Tierra de Fuego: seasonal Colombian food and beverage; Panache: hair and skin care products; Bloom Beauty Bar and Boutique: hair and skin care
products; Token 249: eclectic gifts and jewelry; Five Rivers Fabrication: custom-made metal signage and gifts; Sarah Nicole Designs: hand-painted and vinyl home decor and gifts; Easton Candle: handmade soy candles; Anastasia Smith Art Glass: homemade glass ornaments, gifts and decorations; The Cottage: rustic gifts and decor; Daria’s Accent: Ukrainian gifts and accessories; and Christine’s Bath & Gift Boutique: bath and body products, home decor, jewelry.
More details to come.
Step back into history
Of course, the Christmas City is home to a host of special events for the Christmas season and this year will be no exception.
Steeped in Moravian history, culture and traditions, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites has a number of special events in the works that you’ll want to mark on your calendar.
Think of it as a chance to step back in time to Christmases past.
Here are some of the highlights of what you can do:
Take a horse-drawn carriage ride through downtown Bethlehem. Carriage rides will run Fridays through Sundays, Nov. 19 to Dec. 1; Thursdays through Sundays, Dec. 2 through Dec.
19; Wednesday and Thursday Dec. 22 and 23; Sunday through Friday, Dec. 26 through Dec. 31 every 20 minutes between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. Each carriage is $75 to reserve for your group of up to 4 adults and 2 children on laps and can be reserved online.
New this year, you can also take a horse-drawn trolley ride through Bethlehem. This program will run Dec. 11, 18, and 19. Trolleys run between 5 and 9 p.m. on the half-hour and leave from Payrow Plaza at 10 E. Church St. Tickets are $25 per person and can be reserved online.
Christmas City Stroll Walking
Tour: A certified guide in period attire will take you through the history of Bethlehem, why there are candles in every window and the background on Bethlehem’s famous star. The tour includes a walk-through of the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem.
Tours run Fridays through Sundays Nov. 19 through Dec. 1; Thursdays through Sundays, Dec. 2 through 19; Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, Dec. 22, 23, and 26 at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 6 p.m. Tours leave from the Historic Bethlehem Visitor Center at 505 Main St. How much: $15 adults, $6 children, $10 members.
Take the Bethlehem By Night Bus Tour, which explores the history and traditions of Bethlehem. Sit back and experience the Christmas City on a trip back in time with a certified costumed guide. Visit the famous star atop South Mountain, get a look at early and current local holiday traditions, and access to historic highlights in north and south Bethlehem. Tours run Fridays through Sundays, Nov. 19 through Nov. 30; Thursdays through Sundays in December; Monday through Thursday Dec. 20-23; Sunday Dec. 26; Friday, Dec. 31 at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 7 p.m. Tours leave from the Historic Bethlehem
Visitor Center. How much: $15 for adults and $9 for children.
See the Trees of Historic Bethlehem, a time-honored tradition. More than 25 trees will be on display across five historic sites, each decorated by the Bethlehem Garden
Club on the theme of a classic holiday movie. The exhibit will run Thursdays through Sundays, Nov. 19 through Jan. 9 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Trees will be at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts, Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, Single Sisters House, Luckenbach Mill, and 1810 Goundie House. A multisite pass can be purchased for $25 and a single site pass for $12. Children are $9.
Gather to watch the Live Advent Calendar, 5:30 p.m. Dec. 1 through Dec. 23 outside the 1810 Goundie House. A designated audience member will knock on the door and a different local business will be behind the door to provide a treat to all.
Tickets, info and more: historicbethlehem.org/
Take part in a Christmas City tradition
Christlkindlmarkt, the popular annual holiday market at ArtsQuest’s SteelStacks campus, will open on Nov. 19 for its 29th year.
Last year’s holiday market started a full six weeks early. This year’s Christkindlmarkt is closer to its usual start time and will run five weeks, through Dec. 19.
The market is known for its unique holiday shopping experience featuring artisans offering thousands of unique, handmade gifts and holiday items, including the premier German ornament manufacturer Käthe Wohlfahrt.
While visitors shop, they can also feast from an array of food and dining options, visit with St. Nicholas and enjoy live entertainment from Lehigh Valley performers.
The market will run
Friday through Sunday the first two weeks (Nov. 19 — 21, 26-28) and then Thursday through Sunday the last three weeks (Dec. 2-5, 9-12 and 16-19).
Hours of operation will be: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Sunday; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
More details to come.
Info: christmascity.org