Experience the heartwarming magic of the holiday season in Allentown, PA, where the festive spirit comes alive with a variety of enchanting events. From the nostalgic charm of Pip the Mouse: The Mouse Before Christmas, delighting audiences with its beloved puppet show, to the twinkling wonderland of Allentown Lights in the Parkway, featuring over 400 animated displays, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Don't miss the chance to explore the traditional German holiday bazaar at Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem, showcasing handcrafted gifts and holiday treats. Whether you're a local or a visitor, Allentown’s holiday events offer a perfect blend of joy, tradition, and community spirit.
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The Top Christmas Events in Allentown
See these and even more events listed below!Allentown Holiday Light Displays
Allentown Lights in the Parkway
What to Expect:
Drive-through light display along Lehigh Parkway
Description:
Allentown Lights in the Parkway transforms the Lehigh Parkway into a twinkling wonderland. The mile-long drive features over 400 animated displays, creating a mesmerizing journey through light and color. Visitors can tune their car radios to a special station, synchronizing holiday music with the visual spectacle. The event showcases Allentown's natural beauty, incorporating the parkway's trees and landscape into the designs. This annual tradition has brightened winter nights for Lehigh Valley residents since 1996.
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Allentown Lights in the Parkway
Allentown Holiday Giving Opportunities
Lights of Hope Festival
What to Expect:
Community-driven light display supporting local charities
Description:
The Lights of Hope Festival illuminates the holiday season with a powerful message of community support. Local businesses and residents create light displays, each representing a donation to a chosen charity. Visitors can stroll through the glowing exhibits, learning about the causes they support. The festival originated as a grassroots effort to combat holiday blues and has grown into a cherished tradition. Lights of Hope demonstrates the power of collective action, turning holiday decorations into beacons of positive change.
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Allentown Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Pip the Mouse: The Mouse Before Christmas
What to Expect:
Beloved local puppet show tradition
Description:
Pip the Mouse delights audiences with its charming puppet performance. This Allentown tradition, dating back to 1962, follows the adventures of a plucky mouse helping Santa deliver presents. The show's nostalgic appeal captivates both children and adults, with its retro set design and classic storyline. Visitors can watch Pip scurry across the stage, bringing smiles to faces young and old. The performance preserves a piece of local history, originally created for a department store display and now cherished by generations.
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Pip the Mouse: The Mouse Before Christmas
Nearby Events
Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem (Bethlehem)
What to Expect:
Authentic German-style Christmas market
Description:
Bethlehem's Christkindlmarkt transports visitors to a traditional German holiday bazaar. Artisans showcase handcrafted ornaments and gifts, while the aroma of freshly baked strudel wafts through the air. You can participate in glassblowing demonstrations, learning about this centuries-old craft. The market pays homage to Bethlehem's Moravian heritage, which dates back to 1741. Vendors display their wares in charming wooden huts, creating an old-world atmosphere that captures the essence of European holiday traditions.
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Christmas City Stroll (Bethlehem)
What to Expect:
Guided walking tour of historic Bethlehem
Description:
The Christmas City Stroll illuminates Bethlehem's rich holiday heritage. Costumed guides lead visitors through cobblestone streets, revealing hidden gems and lesser-known historical facts. Strollers can admire the city's iconic star atop South Mountain, a beacon of hope since 1937. The tour explores Bethlehem's unique blend of Colonial and Victorian architecture, showcasing beautifully preserved buildings adorned with holiday decorations. Participants gain insight into the city's Moravian roots and its evolution into "Christmas City, USA."
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PeepFest (Bethlehem)
What to Expect:
New Year's Eve celebration featuring Peeps candy
Description:
PeepsFest transforms Bethlehem into a colorful celebration of the iconic marshmallow treat. The event culminates with the dropping of a giant illuminated Peeps chick at midnight. Attendees can participate in Peeps-themed contests and activities, including diorama competitions and s'mores-making stations. The festival honors Bethlehem's connection to Just Born Quality Confections, the company behind Peeps, which has called the city home since 1932. PeepsFest blends whimsical fun with local pride, creating a unique New Year's experience.
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Koziar's Christmas Village (Bernville)
What to Expect:
Family-run holiday light display since 1948
Description:
Koziar's Christmas Village illuminates the countryside with over one million lights. This dazzling display began as one family's home decoration and grew into a beloved regional attraction. Visitors can explore themed buildings, each telling a different holiday story through intricate light arrangements. The village features a model train display that delights rail enthusiasts of all ages. Koziar's preserves a slice of mid-20th century Americana, offering a nostalgic glimpse into holiday celebrations of yesteryear.
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Olde Time Christmas (Jim Thorpe)
What to Expect:
Victorian-era holiday celebration in Jim Thorpe
Description:
Olde Time Christmas transports visitors to a 19th-century holiday celebration in Jim Thorpe. The town's Victorian architecture provides a picturesque backdrop for carolers in period costumes. Guests can ride in horse-drawn carriages, experiencing travel as it was in the 1800s. The event pays tribute to Jim Thorpe's coal mining heritage, with displays showcasing the town's industrial past. Olde Time Christmas captures the essence of holidays past, allowing visitors to step back in time and experience the warmth of a simpler era.
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Annual Live Bethlehem Christmas Pageant (Bethlehem)
What to Expect:
Outdoor reenactment of the Nativity story
Description:
The Annual Live Bethlehem Christmas Pageant brings the Nativity story to life in a powerful outdoor performance. Actors and live animals recreate the first Christmas against the backdrop of historic Bethlehem. The pageant incorporates traditional carols sung by a community choir, filling the air with melodious harmonies. This event has been a Bethlehem tradition since 1978, drawing inspiration from the city's namesake. The pageant offers a poignant reminder of the religious significance of the holiday season.
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Annual Live Bethlehem Christmas Pageant
Holiday Putz Trail (Bethlehem)
What to Expect:
Self-guided tour of traditional Moravian nativity scenes
Description:
The Holiday Putz Trail showcases intricate Moravian nativity scenes throughout Bethlehem. These miniature displays, known as "putzes," feature handcrafted figurines and elaborate landscapes. Visitors can follow the trail to discover these hidden gems in various locations around the city. The putz tradition dates back to the early Moravian settlers of Bethlehem in the 18th century. This unique cultural experience offers insight into the religious and artistic heritage of the Moravian community.
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Christmas Magic - A Festival of Lights (York)
What to Expect:
Walking trail through illuminated forest and themed areas
Description:
Christmas Magic: A Festival of Lights transforms Rocky Ridge County Park into a luminous winter spectacle. The half-mile walking trail winds through the forest, revealing whimsical light displays and animated scenes. Visitors can warm up with hot cocoa while enjoying the sounds of local choirs performing in the heated pavilion. The event began in 1984 as a small community project and has grown into a beloved regional tradition. Christmas Magic captures the spirit of the season while showcasing the natural beauty of York County.
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Christmas Magic - A Festival of Lights
Easton Peace Candle Lighting (Easton)
What to Expect:
Lighting of the world's largest non-wax candle
Description:
The Easton Peace Candle Lighting ceremony illuminates the city's iconic symbol of hope. Standing at 106 feet tall, this structure is recognized as the world's largest non-wax candle. Visitors gather in Centre Square to witness the moment when the candle bursts into light, accompanied by a chorus of cheers. The tradition began in 1951 as a way to promote peace during the Korean War. Today, the Peace Candle continues to serve as a beacon of unity and goodwill for the Easton community.
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Emmaus Old-Fashioned Christmas (Emmaus)
What to Expect:
Small-town holiday celebration with community performances
Description:
Emmaus Old Fashioned Christmas revives the spirit of holidays past in this charming Pennsylvania town. Local choirs and bands perform on street corners, filling the air with joyful melodies. Visitors can participate in horse-drawn wagon rides, experiencing transportation from a bygone era. The event highlights Emmaus's rich history, which dates back to its founding by Moravian settlers in 1759. Old Fashioned Christmas captures the essence of small-town America, fostering a sense of community and shared tradition.
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Emmaus Old-Fashioned Christmas
Holiday Tree Lighting & Trolley Tour (Macungie)
What to Expect:
Guided trolley tour of Bethlehem's holiday lights
Description:
The Holiday Tree Lighting Trolley Tour offers a unique perspective on Bethlehem's festive decorations. Passengers ride in a vintage trolley, guided by knowledgeable locals who share stories of the city's holiday traditions. The tour stops at key locations to witness tree lighting ceremonies, each with its own distinct character. You'll learn about Bethlehem's evolution from a Moravian settlement to the "Christmas City." This mobile celebration combines sightseeing, history, and holiday cheer in one unforgettable journey.
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Holiday Tree Lighting & Trolley Tour
Christkindlmarkt Mifflinburg (Mifflinburg)
What to Expect:
Authentic German Christmas market in America's oldest Christkindl Market
Description:
Christkindlmarkt Mifflinburg recreates the atmosphere of a traditional German holiday market in the heart of Pennsylvania. Wooden huts line the streets, offering handcrafted gifts and traditional German foods. Visitors can try their hand at making lebkuchen, a classic German Christmas cookie. The market, established in 1989, holds the distinction of being the oldest authentic Christkindl Market in America. Christkindlmarkt Mifflinburg preserves German holiday traditions, connecting visitors to the cultural heritage of the region's early settlers.
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Belsnickel's Christmas Market (Boyertown)
What to Expect:
Pennsylvania German folk character-themed holiday market
Description:
Belsnickel's Christmas Market brings the quirky Pennsylvania German folklore character to life. Named after the fur-clad gift-bringer of German legend, this market offers a unique twist on holiday shopping. Artisans showcase traditional crafts like hex sign painting and redware pottery. Visitors can sample Pennsylvania Dutch treats while learning about this distinctive regional culture. The market pays homage to the area's German roots, which date back to the 18th century. Belsnickel's presence adds a touch of mischievous fun to the holiday season.
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Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides (Bethlehem)
What to Expect:
Romantic tours through historic Bethlehem by horse-drawn carriage
Description:
Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides offer a romantic journey through Bethlehem's historic districts. The clip-clop of hooves on cobblestone streets transports riders to a bygone era. Passengers can snuggle under warm blankets while taking in the sights of beautifully decorated homes and storefronts. The tour route passes by significant landmarks, including the 1741 Gemeinhaus, Bethlehem's oldest building. These carriage rides provide a unique perspective on the city's architectural heritage and holiday traditions.
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Santa Train Ride (New Hope)
What to Expect:
Scenic rail journey with Santa Claus
Description:
The Santa Train Ride whisks passengers away on a nostalgic journey through the Lehigh Gorge. Children's eyes light up as Santa makes his way through the vintage rail cars, greeting each family. The train winds through snow-dusted landscapes, offering breathtaking views of the winter scenery. This excursion celebrates the region's rich railroad history, which played a crucial role in its industrial development. The Santa Train Ride combines the excitement of meeting St. Nick with the romance of rail travel, creating lasting holiday memories.