By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
LuminoCity
Editor’s Note: Due to the larger number of holiday events, we’ve broken our listings into two entries: one for the local Chester and Delaware County and a second, this one, for events around the greater Philadelphia region.
The Delaware Valley’s list of holiday events is overflowing with attractive events and activities in the City of Philadelphia and surrounding counties in eastern Pennsylvania.
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Ave., Oaks, 484-754-3976, http://www.phillyexpocenter.com) is presenting LuminoCity (www.luminocityfestival.com) now through January 15 in the parking lot of the Expo Center.
This holiday season, LuminoCity brings you a world of magical light installations that come to life in Pennsylvania.
This year’s theme, “Golden Holiday” will deliver state-of-the-art production featuring art, light, and color in remarkable displays.
Visitors will enjoy the entire 45-minute walk and narrative journey while seeing the towering and twinkling LED sculptures. This Christmas light show is a celebration of the world and cultures around us.
LuminoCity was imagined through a desire to create unforgettable experiences. Using light and imagination, it explores concepts of transforming creative thoughts, inspired by the world around us, into illuminating works of light and color.
One of the highlights is a giant 50-feet lighted Christmas tree.
Ticket prices start at $29.
A Twisted Christmas at Lincoln Mill Haunted House
A Twisted Christmas at Lincoln Mill Haunted House is scheduled for December 16 at Lincoln Mill Haunted House (4100 Main Street, Philadelphia, lincolnmillhaunt.com)
Have yourself a scary little Christmas at Philly’s first-ever holiday haunted house. Featuring more than 30 scare actors, this one-night-only walk-through experience follows the story of Viktor Kane, the fictional former owner of Lincoln Mill who punished naughty workers by trapping them in the mill’s dungeon-like basement.
Christmas has always been the season of joy, even during the darkest of times. While the town was distracted by the holiday festivities, Viktor Kane knew this was the best time to lure his naughty workers down to the mill’s basement.
After the basement was decorated for Christmas, the workers were lured into the chamber to see the display. One by one, they were trapped and then programmed into Viktor’s little helpers. Before they realized what was happening, it was already too late.
Viktor’s version of Christmas was more twisted than anyone could imagine.
The event will run from 6-10 p.m. Tickets are $32.
Now through January 6, the Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia) will host LumiNature, a gigantic holiday season light experience that turns the entire Zoo into a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises.
The giant-sized holiday extravaganza will transform the entire Zoo into a nighttime winter wonderland. Guests will experience a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises. LumiNature will expand to feature 16 illuminated experience zones that will feature lively themed displays, newly enhanced installations and thousands of twinkling lights on a breathtaking journey celebrating the wonder of wildlife and the beauty of our planet.
Highlights this year include two brand-new illuminated zones, Shimmer River and LumiNature Lane, along with the return of fan favorites like Penguin Prismatic featuring a 40 ft. tall penguin glimmering with 40,000 lights, our iconic 25 ft. tall tree made entirely of 1,500 lit flamingo lawn ornaments and so much more.
At Shimmer River, take a journey through the jungle and enter a 100 ft. long tunnel filled with 4,000 lights, creating dynamic scenes from growing vines, to blooming flowers, multicolored kaleidoscopes and more.
LumiNature will feature more than a million lights and 10+ miles of power cord, 20 ft. tall coral reef and under the sea-inspired holiday tree featuring a giant sea turtle, sparkling waterfall and vine wall featuring 20,000 lights, 150,000 sparkling pink and aquamarine lights, 200,000 lights shining above the Septa PZ Express Train, over 1,500 illuminated flamingos and 200 illuminated penguins, 22 ft. tall butterfly tree covered in 4,000 butterflies, 20 ft. tall snake shimmering with 5,000 lights, 15 ft. tall blue gorilla wearing a glowing lei and 20 giant, floating jellyfish.
Additionally, seasonal fare, strolling performers, hot chocolate and ever-warming adult beverages promise to additionally spark the holiday spirit.
Tickets start at $25 for adults and $20 for children.
Wild Lights at Elmwood Park Zoo
The Elmwood Park Zoo (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) has a variety of special activities coming up.
Elmwood Park Zoo’s favorite family tradition, Wild Lights, is back with more lights and decorative attractions than ever before. During this walk-through experience, guests will be surrounded by dazzling light displays, illuminated animals and live entertainment.
“Wild Lights” operates on select days from 5-9 p.m. now through December 30. Wild Lights tickets are valid beginning at 5 p.m. The Zoo and “Wild Lights” will be closed on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
“Wild Lights” is held rain or shine. Admission is $21.95 for adults and $18.95 for children (ages 3-12).
The Zoo’s “Dog Days” event will be held on December 13 and 15.
All guests visiting the zoo with a furry friend must complete an online waiver and submit required documents before visiting the zoo. You must upload a copy of your most recent veterinary visit, including proof of vaccine and heartworm test here. All items will be required for you to attend “Dog Days.”
The “Dog Days” event is slated to run from 1-5 p.m.
Pricing is $10.95 per dog with each additional dog at $9.95. Regular zoo admission is required for all humans.
The Lehigh Valley Zoo (5150 Game Preserve Rd, Schnecksville, https://www.lvzoo.org/) is hosting its “Winter Light Spectacular” now through December 31.
This season’s “Winter Light Spectacular,” which runs from 5:30-10 p.m. nightly, will feature more than 30 scheduled event nights.
Guests are invited to bundle up and enjoy the beauty of nature as they stroll through tree-lined paths illuminated by more than 1.2 million twinkling lights and themed animated displays.
They also can warm up next to the cozy outdoor fire pits while enjoying hot cocoa and s’mores.
Children will be delighted when they encounter Santa, Radley the Sea Turtle, The Grinch, Woody, Buzz, Elsa, Princess Belle, Olaf and friends.
Ticket prices start at $15.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Philadelphia (500 W Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, Https://philadelphia.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/) is presenting “Holiday Bricktacular!” now through January 1.
Participants can create their own LEGO ornament and display it in on the LEGO tree and check out all the holiday scenes in the Winter Wonderland in Miniland Philadelphia.
As an added attraction, LEGO Santa will be visiting from the LEGO North Pole.
Ticket prices start at $23.99.
An intriguing Lancaster County attraction is “Landis Valley Late Night with the Belsnickel” which will be held December 16 at Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum (2451 Kissel Hill Road, Lancaster, 717.569.0401, www.landisvalleymuseum.org).
The event, which is restricted to adults (21 and over), will start at 7 p.m.
This tour involves two hours of walking around the Museum grounds after dark – rain, snow or shine. Participants are advised to wear weather appropriate clothing, footwear and bring a flashlight.
Guests will be able to enjoy an adult beverage with light refreshments, shop the Museum Store, make a punched tin ornament, learn about Pennsylvania Dutch holiday and agricultural traditions — and meet the Belsnickle.
Belsnickel is a crotchety, fur-clad Christmas gift-bringer figure in German folklore. The figure is also preserved in the Pennsylvania Dutch community.
Tickets are $40 per person.
There will also be an all-ages version of the event – “Family Tour” — on December 16 at 1 p.m.
Tickets for adults and children (ages eight and older) are $30 and $20 for children (ages 3-7).
Two historic sites in Montgomery County have their own holiday celebrations.
Pennypacker Mills (3 Haldeman Road, Perkiomenville, 610- 287-9349, www.historicsites.montcopa.org) is hosting “Victorian Holiday Tours” now through January 7 while “Twelfth Night Tours” at Pottsgrove Manor” (100 West King Street, Pottstown, 610-326-4014, www.historicsites.montcopa.org) will be held now through January 7.
For the next five weeks, Pennypacker Mills will offer free tours of the 18-century mansion used by General George Washington as temporary headquarters during the Revolutionary War. The home will be decorated for an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas and will feature the warm glow of oil lamps, festive decorations, and a candy-making demonstration.
The event at Pottsgrove Manor features an event based on history.
Visitors can witness the transformation of Pottsgrove Manor for the yuletide season and the traditions of an 18th-century Twelfth Night party. Twelfth Night marked the end of the Christmastide season, celebrated on Epiphany.
Guided tours of the manor explore all aspects of the festivities, from the intense preparations to the differences between the way elite families like the Potts and their household staff experienced the season.
“Christmas Around The Farm” converts a summertime destination for home-grown produce into a sparkling winter wonderland. The popular annual event at Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com) is running now through December 23.
Visitors will be able to cut their own Christmas trees, or, if not so inspired, purchase them at the shop — which also features other decorations, including holiday wreaths. Christmasland features freshly cut trees, greens and holly, poinsettias, hand-made wreaths and a large variety of children’s toys and collectables.
Santa and his elves will be stopping by every Saturday and Sunday to visit his friends in Christmasland from 1-3 p.m. And there will be Caroling Hayrides on Saturday evenings in December that include the ancient tradition of Wassailing, singing Christmas Carols around a campfire and roasting marshmallows.
During the daylight-deprived month of December, Rose Tree Park (1671 North Providence Road, Media, delconew.azurewebsites.net) sparkles at night with its annual Festival of Lights display. Dozens of illuminated trees and lit displays draw visitors back every year to walk in the winter wonderland and linger in the festive atmosphere.
The annual Festival of Lights in Rose Tree Park opened on December 1 and runs through January 1 from 5-10 p.m. each night.
Delaware County’s annual Festival of Lights began more than four decades ago as part of the nation’s bicentennial celebration and became a popular local tradition for residents of all ages.
Over time, the outdoor displays have grown from 50 decorated trees (one for each municipality and one large one to represent the county) to more than 75 lighted trees and dozens of festive figures, including toy soldiers, a gingerbread family and Santa’s reindeer.
The 2023 Franklin Square Holiday Festival (200 North Sixth Street, Philadelphia, http://www.historicphiladelphia.org/franklin-square/holidays-in-franklin-square/) opens its season this weekend and it will run until December 31.
The Electrical Spectacle Holiday Light Show will be open from 4-8 p.m. daily and 4-9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and will be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Visitors are invited to experience the magic of the holidays and celebrate traditions new and old at the Franklin Square Holiday Festival.
Inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s electrifying genius, the free Electrical Spectacle Holiday Light Show presented by PECO is the key to holiday fun in Franklin Square.
Attendees can marvel at more than 50,000 lights as they shimmer, dance, and illuminate the Square to a soundtrack of holiday classics, some of which are performed by The Philly POPS in two alternating shows every 30 minutes. Every evening, one lucky audience member will be selected to “ignite’ the 4:30 p.m. show.
A popular annual Philly holiday tradition can be found at the Rothman Orthopaedics Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park (1 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, http://ccdparks.org/dilworth-park).
Beginning this November, some of Philadelphia’s favorite winter traditions return to Dilworth Park. Visitors of all ages can enjoy a dramatic seasonal transformation as fountains are replaced by the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Ice Rink and reindeer topiaries take up winter residence on the Greenfield Lawn.
In addition, a full lineup of free entertainment is planned, including the Deck the Hall Light Show, the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market and Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Cabin.
Dilworth Park’s winter season began in November with the opening of the Wintergarden on the Greenfield Lawn and the Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink and Cabin.
The Rothman Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park is an unparalleled entertainment experience on Philadelphia’s center stage in a wonderfully urban and unique setting. Open seven days a week, the rink offers wintery fun for all ages, with a full slate of programs.
Two popular attractions are the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market with more than 40 local vendors and Dilworth Park’s Deck the Hall Light Show which illuminates the west façade of Philadelphia’s historic City Hall.
When the Christmas season arrives in Europe, it is common to see Christmas villages erected in downtown locations of big cities. These villages are temporary sites that feature live music, a variety of holiday attractions and a large number of specialized vendors.
Philadelphia is keeping pace with the European cities with a Christmas village of its own — a special site that opened on November 23 and continues until December 24.
“Christmas Village in Philadelphia” (Love Park, 1400 JFJ Boulevard, Philadelphia, 215-391-3017, www.philachristmas.com) is a free outdoor holiday market event that captures the vibe of the traditional European Christmas markets.
Christmas Village in Philadelphia is modeled after traditional German Christmas Markets. The history of Christmas markets in Germany dates to the late Middle Ages. One of the oldest and most famous ones is held each year in Nuremberg in the state of Bavaria.
It has been passed down from generation-to-generation ever since the area’s farmers started selling their crops in a farmers’ market during the Advent time in the mid-16th century. The goods presented in wooden booths include a rich variety of holiday gifts including Christmas ornaments, arts and crafts, toys, sweets, as well as German food and drinks. People stroll around, meet friends, and enjoy live performances of Christmas music.
At the Village in Philadelphia, vendors selling traditional European food, sweets and drinks are set up in 80 wooden booths and timber houses that form a medieval village. They will also offer a unique shopping experience with international holiday gifts, ornaments, jewelry and high-quality arts and crafts.
The Village will feature the sights and sounds of the holidays with thousands of twinkling lights, giant glowing stars, festive decorations, a musical stage and children’s activities. All the event’s annual fan favorites will be back, including Photos with Santa, Käthe Wohlfahrt, Herrnhuter Stars, the German Grill and the event’s main stage.
At the center of the market, an ornate and grand old-time carousel will be operating to give children of all ages a new holiday tradition while visiting the authentic German Christmas Market. The carousel features 20 wood-carved horses that will twirl around for an unforgettable view of the new market inside City Hall’s courtyard.
The Comcast Holiday Spectacular (1701 John F Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia) is back for the 2022 season.
The Comcast Holiday Spectacular is a free, interactive experience that brings the spirit of the holiday season to life. The show runs in the lobby of the Comcast Center on The Comcast Experience, one of the world’s largest LED continuous video walls.
Through Comcast’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion, guests can access closed captioning and audio-description devices to delight in this Philadelphia holiday tradition.
A sensory-friendly version of The Comcast Holiday Spectacular will again be offered for the 2022 season. Guests who are blind or visually impaired may use their own personal mobile devices to access Audio Description (AD) of the show. AD devices will also be available upon request.
This Philly favorite tradition brings the magic of the holidays to life, featuring classic holiday songs and performances by the Pennsylvania Ballet.
The Comcast Holiday Spectacular is running now through New Year’s Day every hour, on the hour from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (excluding 5 p.m. on weekdays). The last show will run New Year’s Day at 4 p.m.
The Comcast Center Campus has another holiday activity at the Comcast Technology Center (1800 Arch Street), located a half block from the Comcast Center.
From Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Animation, Universal Parks & Resorts and Comcast Labs, The Universal Sphere is a free, cinematic experience exploring the power of ideas. Get inspired by stories of creative minds who shaped our world for the better.
The Universal Sphere — accessible for guests of all ages — is wheelchair- and service animal-friendly. Descriptive audio and closed-captioning devices are available in English and Spanish, and full audio translations are available in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.
One of Philly’s premier annual events, Macy’s Christmas Light Show (1300 Market Street, Philadelphia, www.macys.com) is running now through December 31
Set in The Grand Court, the show features a 100,000-light show of twinkling snowflakes, dancing snowmen and more, narrated by Julie Andrews and accompanied by the famed Wanamaker Organ.
Images of snowmen, reindeer, snowflakes and more dance across the atrium inside of the historic Wanamaker building (now Macy’s Center City) during the ever-popular Macy’s Christmas Light Show. The show, which has been on view since 1956, runs every two hours during store hours.
Visitors can also tour the second floor’s vintage Dickens Village, where more than 100 intricate animated dolls and sets retell A Christmas Carol. Each free walkthrough ends in a chance to meet and get photos with Santa.
Winter has arrived and the Blue Cross RiverRink (Delaware Avenue at Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-925-RINK, www.riverrink.com) has come back to life.
Unlike most of the suburban ice rinks, RiverRink features public skating. Ice skating is the only use of the ice. This winter, RiverRink takes the ice-skating experience on the Delaware River waterfront to another level by once again transforming the annual rink into a bona fide winter wonderland.
For 29 seasons, Winterfest has been Philadelphia’s favorite Winter tradition on the Delaware River Waterfront, inviting visitors for a chance to indulge in flights of fancy under thousands of sparkling lights in a winter wonderland with spectacular views of the Delaware River. Cozy up in comforting warming cabins, firepit stations, boardwalk rides and games for the young and young-at-heart, delicious food and hot beverages, the signature holiday tree, and, of course, ice skating on our NHL-sized rink. Winterfest is a top destination for anyone looking to rekindle family traditions.
The Winterfest site is free to enter and open to the public. Amenities such as ice skating and cabin and firepit experiences can be reserved in advance. Winterfest is open 7 days a week including holidays through March.
One of the most elaborate model train layouts in the Delaware Valley can be found at the Morris Arboretum (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, 215-247-5777, http://www.morrisarboretum.org). The popular Garden Railway Display that has become a summer fixture at The Gardens at Morris Arboretum returns again for a special holiday display.
The display, which is open to the public now through December 30 in the winter garden of the Morris Arboretum, has a quarter mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with 15 different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under) and bustling model trains.
The buildings and the display are all made of natural materials — bark, leaves, twigs, hollow logs, mosses, acorns, dried flowers, seeds and stones — to form a perfectly proportioned miniature landscape complete with miniature rivers. Philadelphia-area landmarks are all meticulously decorated for the holidays with lights that twinkle.
Admission to the Morris Arboretum is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors (65 and older) and $10 for students and military.
A popular Christmas activity every year is taking a train ride with Santa Claus. Fortunately, there are quite a few very good options in our area.
One of the best train rides with Santa Claus is the one presented by the West Chester Railroad (Market Street Station, West Chester, www.wcrailroad.com).
The special “Santa’s Express” trains (which feature heated cars decorated for the holidays) will run on December 16, 17 and 18 at 11 a.m., 1, 3 and 5 p.m.
The 75-minute journey on the trail line’s heated decorated train travels through the Chester Creek Valley. Santa Claus will be greeting everyone at Market Street Station and then going along for the ride to Glen Mills.
Adult fare for the West Chester Railroad trips is $35. Tickets for children (ages 2-12) are $25 while toddlers (ages 9-23 months) get to ride for $10.
The Wilmington & Western Railroad (2201 Newport Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-998-193, www.wwrr.com) will run its “Santa Claus Express” on Saturdays and Sundays between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Santa and Mrs. Claus will be riding along with passengers on the steam-powered 90-minute round trip to Ashland Station. They will be greeting everyone on board and offering chocolate treats to the youngsters. Santa will also be posing for pictures with his fans.
Steam locomotion will return to the Wilmington & Western for its annual Santa Claus Express. The rail line’s 0-6-0 switcher No. 58 has returned to service after a multi-year restoration and will power Santa’s train through the Red Clay Valley this season.
Tickets for these trains, which run now through December 23, are $19 for adults, $18 for senior citizens and $17 for children.
The tourist rail line will also be running special “Holiday Night Express Trains,” featuring a peaceful evening ride in the railroad’s 1929 Doodlebug rail car. Tickets for these trains, which are running now through December 30, are $15 for adults, $14 for senior citizens and $13 for children.
The Strasburg Rail Road (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running its “Santa’s Paradise Express” now through December 24. Santa will be the featured guest on each ride from Strasburg to Paradise and back.
The rotund guy in the red suit will be greeting passengers, shaking hands, posing for photos and giving a treat to each child. After the train ride, children are treated to storybook readings of holiday classics. Visitors of all ages can also enjoy a ride aboard the Tinsel Trolley, a self-propelled motor car.
Tickets are $33 for adults and $26 for children.
Other “Christmas Experiences” offered by the rail line are “Santa Claus Limited,” “Night Before Christmas,” “Christmas Tree Train” and “Breakfast or Dinner with Mrs. Claus.”
The New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Santa’s North Pole Express Train — The Magical Journey Begins Here” now through December 30.
Riders can join Santa and Mrs. Claus as they depart New Hope Station for a train ride through the historic Bucks County countryside on the way to the North Pole.
The journey begins when the Conductor calls “All Aboard!”
Passengers will experience the sounds and tastes of the holiday season as they sing along with roaming musicians playing Christmas carols, sip warm cocoa and enjoy a freshly baked cookie.
Each child will receive his or her own sleigh bell gift from Santa himself. Children and adults alike are encouraged to indulge in the season’s spirit by wearing pajamas and settling in for a relaxing ride with family and friends aboard the festive railway cars adorned with holiday decorations.
Ticket prices start at $66.
The Northern Central Railway (2 West Main Street, New Freedom, www.northerncentralrailway.com) is running its “Santa Express Train” excursions now through December 23.
On a 45-minute train ride to Glen Rock, passengers can listen to Christmas music while enjoying the scenery of southern York County and Heritage Rail Trail County Park. And Santa Claus to appear with a special gift for each child.
After the ride, passengers can visit the NCR Engine House for a mini-Winter Wonderland, for magic-filled family photo ops and complimentary hot chocolate and a cookie.
Tickets are $39.99 for adults and $26.99 for children.
The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (Reading Outer Station, Reading, www.rbmnrr-passenger.com) is running its 2023 “Santa Claus Special” Excursions from a variety of locations — Tunkhannock, Tamaqua, Minersville and Reading.
Santa Claus will be visiting with each of the children and there will be live holiday music performed throughout the ride.
Tickets start at $20.
The Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com) is running its “Santa’s Polar Bear Express” now through December 23.
Kids can join Santa on a magical adventure into “Christmas Past” on an exciting train journey. They will be able to sip complimentary hot cocoa or enjoy Christmas cookies and, on some trains, sing favorite carols as the Secret Valley passes by the window. Santa will bring a gift for every child, and every child has an opportunity to give their Christmas letter to him.
The rail line also is running “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” excursions now through December 23.
These special evening trains bring the storybook magic of the season to life. Kids are invited to wear pajamas and sip complimentary hot cocoa as the train crew reads “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
Ticket prices start at $40.
The Allentown and Auburn Railroad (35 Railroad Street, Kutztown, 570-778-7531, https://allentown-and-auburn-railroad.square.site/) is running special “Santa Claus Train Rides” on December 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 and 24.
Guests will be able to visit with Santa during the scenic train ride and have some pictures done.
The train will make a brief stop at the railroad’s picnic grove where riders will have the option to purchase “holiday evergreens with a sprinkle of Christmas magic.”
When they get back to the Kutztown Train Station, visitors can also do some holiday shopping in the Allentown & Auburn Gift Shop, which features handmade and antique items.
Trains depart at 10 a.m., noon and 2 and 4 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, $12 for children and $.01 for toddlers.
Woodstown Central Railroad (650 Woodstown-Alloway Road, Pilesgrove Township, New Jersey, woodstowncentral.com) is running its “Santa Claus Special” on December 15, 16, 17, 22 and 23.
Riders will climb aboard beautifully restored 1930s train cars. Once aboard, guests will be taken back in time to a more traditional Christmas experience with plush seats and holiday decorations throughout.
When the ride begins, Santa will make his way through the train for a memorable visit with each family. Passengers can take in the changing winter landscapes of the forests, farmland, and historic small towns of South Jersey as they listen to old-fashioned Christmas music from days gone by.
At the rail line’s station, guests will be able to enjoy toasty fire pits and take memorable photos around the beautifully decorated property. Children can even mail their letters to Santa Claus inside the station building.
Excursions run at 10:30 a.m., noon, and 1:30, 3 and 4:30 p.m.
The Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad (136 Brown Street, Middletown, 717-944-4435, www.mhrailroad.com) will be running its “Santa Surprise Trains” and “Polar Bear Express Trains” throughout December.
It is an 11-mile round-trip train ride along the Swatara Creek. Passengers board 1920’s vintage Delaware, Lackawanna & Western coaches at the 1891 Station in Middletown, which was originally built as a freight station and in more recent years converted for use as a passenger station. The Station contains a ticket window, gift shop and modern ADA restrooms.
Santa Claus will have a special present for all kid riders.
Founded more than 50 years ago, Choo Choo Barn — Traintown U.S.A. (Route 741 East, 226 Gap Rd, Strasburg, 717-687-7911, www.choochoobarn.com) presents a 1,700-square-foot train layout featuring over 150 hand-built animated figures and vehicles and 22 operating trains. The majority of trains that are running in the display are “O Gauge” trains but there are also some HO Gauge trains as well as one N Gauge train.
Several of the original pieces and animations are still on the display today, including the ski slope, ski lodge and ice skaters, Dutch Haven, the Willows, the two-lane moving highway (in front of Dutch Haven), the farm with the tobacco barn, the Strasburg Fire House, the church beside Dutch Haven and a few other houses.
The layout features a special Christmas display now through mid-January. The homes and businesses along the tracks have been decked out with holiday trim. And there are 55 hidden Santas — one for each year the site has been open — located around the display for visitors to find.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children (ages 3 and under) at Choo Choo Barn — Traintown U.S.A.
Berks County Parks and Recreation’s Holiday Lights at Gring’s Mill, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, is running now through December 30.
Visitors can stroll the grounds at Gring’s Mill (2083 Tulpehocken Road, Wyomissing, www.bctv.org) and view the light display featured in the park’s historic buildings and landscapes.
The display is open from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Fridays through Sundays until December 17 and then nightly from December 18-30.
New this year is a special opening ceremony called ‘First Night at Holiday Lights’ on December 1. One of the new displays will be turned on promptly at 5:30 p.m. with special music and Santa’s arrival to ring in the holiday season.
The other attractions include live music at the outdoor pavilion, a model train display, local food trucks and a Holiday Craft Market and Kids’ Craft Workshop (December 9 at the Heritage Center).
Santa will be welcoming visitors in his barn on Christmas Tree Lane.
Special programming includes the Winter Solstice Celebration on December 21, featuring the site’s very own King Winter and luminary lighting.
Admission and parking are free.
Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, www.peddlersvillage.com) will
Now that Christmas activities have begun, Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, http://peddlersvillage.com) is starting its celebration and that means there will be a lot of activity at the site over the next few weeks.
Visitors to the Village can join special guest Mrs. Claus for festive fun and mini-lightings in a different Village neighborhood each night leading up to the Village-wide Grand Illumination Celebration. Village shops will be open until 9 p.m. with a distinctive assortment of merchandise, special promotions and refreshments.
The 23rd Annual Grand Illumination will showcase thousands of tiny white lights outlining the Village’s buildings, colorful lights with less-than-common colors (teal, peach, and fuscia) adorning the trees and shrubs and a landscaped backdrop featuring a group of reindeer glowing in white light. Santa will arrive to turn on the lights and officially mark the beginning of the event. After the lights go on, visitors will be treated to free cider and toasted marshmallows.
Peddler’s Village “Gingerbread House Competition and Display” is slated to run through January 5. The “Gingerbread House Competition” features more than $2,000 in cash prizes in such categories as Traditional and Authentic Reproduction of a Significant Building.
A popular Bucks County attraction is the “Holiday Light Show” at Shady Brook Farm (931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley, www.shadybrookfarm.com)
The farm features a three–million-light Holiday Light Show with “Dashin’ Through the … Lights,” a family-friendly two-mile drive-through on Thursday and Friday nights.
The main display allows visitors to drive or (if weather permits) ride in wagons past post-sundown displays including illuminated tunnels.
The “Holiday Light Show” is open now through January 27.
Timed tickets, which start at $40, are required.
“Christmas Spirit Light Show” is running now through December 31 (except December 25) at Clipper Magazine Stadium (650 North Prince Street, Lancaster, christmasspiritlightshows.com).
“Christmas Spirit Light Show” is an exciting, one-of-a-kind Christmas light display that families can enjoy from the comfort of their vehicles.
As participants make the journey through the mile-long track, they get immersed and surrounded by hundreds of thousands of color-changing lights that are animated and dancing in harmony with favorite Christmas classics.
The drive-through event is billed as a “breathtaking holiday experience that you and your loved ones will never forget.”
Ticket prices start at $25 per car.
The American Music Theatre (2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, 800-648-4102, www.AMTshows.com) has its holiday show running now through December 30.
The AMT’s 2023 show, “The First Noel,” is an all-new presentation of favorite sacred and secular holiday songs performed by professional artists from across the country. The show will feature spectacular vocal harmonies, lively musical arrangements, impressive dancing and the music of the AMT Orchestra.
Also featured will be elaborate scenery, elegant costumes and a theater decked out with holiday decorations.
Patrons can witness the magic and splendor of the holiday celebration as AMT presents “The First Noel” featuring incredible singers, astonishing dancers, wondrous costumes, breathtaking sets, and all the endearment of a perfect fireside family moment.
Audience members will be able to bask in the beauty of the season and cherish the stories of spirit and love. Beautiful snowscapes, child-like joy, cherished stories, the spirit of love, and all your favorite things about the holiday season are cast onstage in this glorious celebration of timeless holiday classics.
The show will have both matinee and evening performances each week with the addition of 10:30 a.m. performances on Saturdays throughout December. Ticket prices start at $25.
Bethlehem, which is known as the “Christmas City,” presents Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem (PNC Plaza at SteelStacks, 645 East First Street, Bethlehem, 610-332-1300, http://www.christmascity.org) every Friday, Saturday and Sunday now through December 17.
Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem showcases aisles of exquisite handmade works by the nation’s finest artisans. The market also features live performances of Christmas music and vendors with an amazing variety of tasty food items.
Other special attractions include ice carving, glassblowing demonstrations, “Breakfast with St. Nicholas,” outdoor artisan huts, fire pits and igloos in the Outdoor Village, and Käthe Wohlfarht with handmade ornaments, nutcrackers and collectibles from Germany.
A guaranteed way to get into a Christmas mood is by visiting Koziar’s Christmas Village (782 Christmas Village Road, Bernville, 610-488-1110, www.koziarschristmasvillage.com) which began its 76th season on November 5.
Koziar’s Christmas Village is truly a holiday wonderland — a wintertime spectacle that delights young and old alike with a huge amount of holiday displays and special attractions. It will remain open every night through January 1 — including Christmas Eve, Christmas Night, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Night.
The tours of “Christmas Village” feature visits to a variety of displays and exhibits, including “Santa’s Post Office,” “Christmas in the Jungle,” “Manger Scene,” “Christmas Beneath the Sea,” “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” “Olde Fashioned Bakery Shop,” “Toy Maker and his Toy Shop,” “Christmas in Other Lands” and “The Olde Church”.
Other attractions at Koziar’s Christmas Village include a huge model train display, a toy shop, a country kitchen, indoor and outdoor Christmas displays and a place to visit with Santa and even get pictures taken with the old guy in the red suit. Admission to Christmas Village is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors (65 and older) and $10 for children (ages 4-10).
“Christmas Candylane,” which is the annual holiday event at Hersheypark (100 West Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, 800-HERSHEY, www.hersheypark.com), is running now through January 1.
Visitors to Hershey can also experience the winter wonderland called “Hershey Sweet Lights, A Holiday Drive-Thru Spectacular.” The attraction is a two-mile drive through wooded trails featuring approximately 600 illuminated, animated displays.
Admission prices for “Christmas Candylane” start at $39.99.
“A Very Furry Christmas at Sesame Place” (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) is a festive, family-friendly celebration with everyone’s favorite Sesame Street friends live and in-person at the amusement park in Langhorne.
The annual event, which runs through January 7, offers a wide array of family holiday activities.
Visitors to the park can sing along at three special Christmas shows and a spectacular music and light show at our giant 1-2-3 Christmas Tree, take a train ride tour through the Twiddlebugs’ Gingerbread Cookie Factory on the Sesame Place Furry Express, take part in the Neighborhood Street Party Christmas Parade, and have the opportunity to meet Lightning, the adorable reindeer from the movie “Elmo Saves Christmas.”
As an added attraction this year, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is spending the holiday season at Sesame Place. The lovable reindeer along with his friends Clarice and Bumble, will be available for photos with guests.
Tickets for “A Very Furry Christmas” start at $39.99.
Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park (2249 Route 30 East, Lancaster, 866-386-2389, www.dutchwonderland.com) is hosting its “Dutch Winter Wonderland” now through January 1 on Saturdays, Sundays and select weekdays.
Visitors are invited to celebrate the magic of the season at Dutch Winter Wonderland with rides, entertainment, and the Royal Light Show, a spectacular display of thousands of twinkling lights dancing to music.
Ticket prices start at $29.99 at the gate. Children ages two and under are admitted free.
Christmas Underwater at Adventure Aquarium (1 Riverside Drive, Camden, New Jersey, www.adventureaquarium.com) opens this weekend.
At Christmas Underwater, which is running now through December 24, visitors can discover an incredible world of seasonal under-the-sea fun.
Scuba Santa is back in Ocean Realm, sharing Christmas cheer with kids (and animals) of all ages. The event features more holiday decor than ever before, including underwater light displays, and festive new shows.
The World’s Tallest Underwater Christmas Tree returns — stretching 18 feet tall and decorated with colorful, custom-sculpted corals.
More than 15,000 incredible animals are getting in on the festive fun with eight underwater light displays spread throughout the exhibits.
Admission fees start at $27.99 for adults.
