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Events | Light Displays
Events
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Hershey's Chocolate World: During the holiday season, Experience HERSHEY'S Holiday Happiness with their festive decorations, attractions, sweets and baked items. Don't miss the 2011 Hershey's Holiday Chocolate House, photos with Santa, holiday dessert decorating and much more!
www.hersheys.com
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Dutch Winter Wonderland: Weekends, November 19 through December 30 at Dutch Wonderland. Rides, games, and holiday entertainment under thousands of twinkling lights! Indoor activities include cookie decorating, voting for your favorite gingerbread house and sharing holiday wishes with Santa. 866-FUNatDW or www.dutchwonderland.com
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Christmas Candylane: November 18 - December 31 at Hersheypark. A family holiday tradition, Hersheypark Christmas Candylane delights all your senses with more than 2,000,000 twinkling lights, holiday-themed rides, festive entertainment, steaming mugs of signature hot chocolate, and quaint shopping experiences. 800-HERSHEY or www.hersheypark.com
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Old Fashioned Christmas: Fridays & Saturdays, November 25 – December 23 at Kitchen Kettle Village. Marshmallow roasting, s’more making, holiday entertaining demonstrations, dinner with Mrs. Claus and Yummie, music, carolers, and village shopping. 800-732-3538 or www.kitchenkettle.com
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A Brandywine Christmas: November 28 through January 8 at the Brandywine River Museum. Extensive O-gauge model train layout, elaborate Victorian dollhouse, and thousands of whimsical “critter” ornaments on holiday trees! 610-388-2700 or www.brandywinemuseum.org
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Santa’s Paradise Express: Weekends, November 25-December 18 at the Strasburg Rail Road. Enjoy a 45-minute journey with Santa on an authentic steam train, featuring a pot-bellied stove and strolling musicians. 717-687-7522 or www.strasburgrailroad.com
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Home for the Holidays & Polar Express Parties: December 3 & December 10 at the Railroad Museum of PA. Holiday rail travel of the past century with costumed characters, music, plus Jack Frost Station and Polar Express Party for kids. 717-687-8628 or www.rrmuseumpa.org
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Outdoor Ice Skating in a Ballpark Setting: December – February at Clipper Magazine Stadium. The Barnstormers are trading their spikes for blades! Enjoy ice skating under the open sky at Clipper Magazine Stadium’s Ice Rink. 717-509-4487 or www.lancasterbarnstormers.com/icepark.cfm
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National Christmas Center: Open daily (see website for hours & exceptions) Experience the whimsy and fantasy, magic and memories, and history and traditions of Christmas. Walk through 15 main galleries and numerous, ever-changing smaller exhibits. 717-442-7950 or www.nationalchristmascenter.com
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Country Christmas Village: December 3-4; 10-11 at Landis Valley Museum. Come warm your spirit and experience Pennsylvania German contributions to the celebration of the season as you tour decorated buildings, see traditional holiday foods prepared in the tavern, and meet "der Belsnickel." Children can make seasonal crafts to take home. After touring the village, warm up with a complimentary hot chocolate and gingersnaps at the tavern! 717-569-0401 or www.landisvalleymuseum.org
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Holidays at Landis Valley: December 16 at Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum. Tour several of our decorated historic buildings, huddle around a large bonfire and sing carols accompanied by the Lititz Moravian Trombone Choir. Afterwards, join friends and family in our Yellow Barn for cookies and hot cider. 717-569-0401 or www.landisvalleymuseum.org
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Yuletide 2011: Walk on Through A Whimsical Wheatland: This year President James Buchanan’s Wheatland offers a very special glimpse into the mysterious and magical world of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s haunting Christmas tale, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Visitors will find the Wheatland mansion transformed into the old Stahlbaum home on Christmas Eve, 1860! www.lancasterhistory.org
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Canned Food Fridays: December 2, 9, 16 from 10am-8pm at the Choo Choo Barn. A donation of at least one non-perishable food item per person is your admission to our gigantic model train layout!
717-687-7911 or www.choochoobarn.com
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Sounds of the Season: December 16-18 at the Barshinger Center, Franklin & Marshall College. Treat you and your entire family to an unforgettable holiday experience. They'll celebrate the wonder of Babes in Toyland, the joy of Hanukkah, and the warmth of traditional Chriatmas music, all performed for your holiday enjoyment! 717-291-4420 or www.lancastersymphony.org
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Christkindlesmarkt: Sundays, November 27 – December 18 at Stoudt's. Every Sunday, celebrate the season with a traditional Christmas theme. Seasonal dealers display a lovely variety of antiques, Christmas crafts and toys at the Bier Garten and Antique Mall. An array of music, festive food and holiday cheer provided for the whole family. 717-484-4386 or www.stoudts.com
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Downtown Lancaster for the Holidays: November 26-27; December 2-4; 9-11; 16-18. Don’t miss out on Caroling Bells, the arrival of Santa Claus, the lighting of the Christmas Tree, horse drawn carriage rides, strolling musical entertainment, a model train display, and SO much more in Downtown Lancaster! 717-291-4758 or www.lancastercityevents.com/holidays.html
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Reindeer Round-Up: December 11, 13-17, and 20-21 at the Hands-on House. Meet Rudolph and his reindeer buddies! Young visitors, 2-10, are invited to visit and learn about reindeer and enjoy some holiday fun. Children will pretend that they are one of the team that takes care of Santa’s pretend reindeer! 717-569-KIDS or www.handsonhouse.org
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Christmas at Central Market: 2011 dates TBD at Central Market in Downtown Lancaster. America’s oldest farmers market – continuously operated since the 1730s – adds holiday spirit to its unique ambience with live Christmas music.
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Christmas at the Doubletree at Willow Valley: Through December 25. The grounds of the Doubletree at Willow Valley are decorated with over 3500 sets of twinkling lights and you'll find 16 uniquely decorated Christmas trees throughout the two hotels, and you can take your annual family photo at the sleigh display in the Palm Court! www.willowvalley.com
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Holiday Trains & Trees: 2011 dates TBD at the Whitaker Center. Explore this popular holiday exhibit presented by Strasburg Rail Road, featuring beautifully decorated trees surrounded by toy train sets, a hands-on activity for children and our own pint-sized KidSteam railroad. 717-214-ARTS or www.whitakercenter.org
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Christmas at the Choo Choo Barn: November 25 - December 31, 2011. Don't miss seeing the barn layout decorated for Christmas in celebration of the Choo Choo Barn's 50th birthday! 717-687-7911 or www.choochoobarn.com
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Breakfast with Santa: December 3 at the
Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square. Includes breakfast, entertainment, gifts and a visit from Santa!
www.lancastercityevents.com
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Christmas at Cornwall House Tour: December 3. Now in its 16th year, will once again offer you the opportunity to see some historic homes.
www.cornwallironfurnace.org
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Days of Wine and Chocolates: November 12, 19, 26 and December 3. This wine appreciation experience at Nissley winery features chocolates from local chocolatiers paired with suggested Nissley wines.
www.nissleywine.com
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American Family Christmas Concert: December 11 at Elizabethtown College. The College's three choirs perform a program of holiday music.
www.etown.edu
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Winter Walk: Weekends November 18- December 30 at the Hershey Gardens. The annual display will feature festive "kissing balls" and guests can enjoy seeing specially decorated Christmas trees.
www.hersheygardens.org
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Holiday Guided Farmland Tours:Tour runs daily in November and weekends in December. The 90-minute tour on backroads includes an overview of the Amish, Christmas customs, and the quiet beauty of winter.
www.amishexperience.com
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Christmas Candlelight Tours: December 1-3 at Hans Herr House and Museum. Add a dash of old-world charm to your holiday season. Learn the origins of beloved Christmas traditions. House tours end with hot cider and caroling around a bonfire.
www.hansherr.org
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Christkindlemarkt Holiday Market and Festival: December 3-4 at The Hershey Story. Twenty-one exhibitors will be featured at the festival,including artisans with unique handmade items that exeplify Pennsylvania Dutch craft techniques.
www.HersheyStory.org
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A Dickens of a Christmas: December 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, and 23. Victorian Mount Hope Mansion and the Dickensian characters will lift your Holiday spirits with joyous caroling, parlor games and intimate theater shows. Celebrate the Yuletide season with timeless classics that still pull on our heartstrings.
www.parenfaire.com
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Ice Cream with Santa Claus: December 10-11, and 17-18 at the Turkey Hill Experience. Chat with Santa, and receive a special gift bag, ice cream sundae, special crafts and a personal photo!
www.turkeyhillexperience.com
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Ephrata Cloister's Christmas at the Cloister: Decemeber 12-13.Spend a few moments in quiet reflection with seasonal readings and holiday music in our historic meetinghouse.
www.ephratacloister.org
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Santa Brunch: December 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18 at Bogey Macaws American Grille at Springwood Golf Course from 10:30 am-2pm.
Springwood Golf Course
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Holiday Open House Weekend: December 3-4 at Twin Brook Winery. Tis the season to Spice things up. Mulled Spice Wine, holiday treats and all your other favorite Twin Brook wines will be yours to sample. Complimentary wine tasting this weekend, our treat.
www.twinbrookwinery.com
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Winterfest: December 3-4 in Downtown Mount Joy. Winterfest is Mount Joy’s official Holiday Kickoff with live music, family-fun activities, & over 25 local community groups, civic organizations, churches and businesses lining Main Street.
www.mainstreetmountjoy.com
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Santa Arrives in Ephrata: November 25 in Downtown Ephrata. Enjoy carolers, free cookies, and cider in front of Ephrata National Bank. There will also be numerous performances, the lighting of the Christmas tree, and Santa will arrive from top of The Royer Building.
www.downtownephrata.org
Celebrate with Lights
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Gift of Lights at Elizabeth Farms
Lancaster County's new Christmas light experience. Elizabeth Farms has been the area’s largest Christmas tree farm since 1758, and this holiday season, hundreds of thousands of lights will set the farm aglow. This drive-thru experience will become a beloved tradition for family and friends to enjoy together.
Come out this holiday season to drive through approximately 1 mile of LED lights.The light park opens November 18.
www.elizabethfarms.com/gift-of-lights
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A Longwood Gardens Christmas: 2011 dates TBD at Longwood Gardens. Thousands of poinsettias and Christmas trees, concerts, fountains and 400,000 glittering lights. 610-388-1000 or www.longwoodgardens.org
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Mayor’s Tree Lighting and Tuba Christmas: November 25. See the arrival of Santa Claus, carolers, and the famous “Tuba Christmas.” Tree lighting at 7:15pm www.lancastercityevents.com
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Hershey Sweet Lights: November 18 - December 31, 2011 at Hershey Park. A winter wonderland awaits at Hershey Sweet Lights, a Holiday Drive-Thru Spectacular. Enjoy nearly 600 illuminated animated displays from the comfort of your car as you drive through 2 miles of wooded trails. Families return year after year for this holiday tradition. 800-HERSHEY or www.hersheypark.com
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Rocky Ridge Christmas Magic, a Festival of Lights: 2011 dates TBD (closed December 24 and 25) A half-mile walking trail (accessible to anyone) that meanders through 400,000 lights, holiday scenes, and five enclosed, heated pavilions. Enjoy crafts, food and a G-gauge train display! www.yorkcountyparks.org/chmagic.html
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A Lancaster County Christmas
Holiday Events Related Blog Posts
Lancaster County Originals
Holiday Edition - Videos
 'Tis the season as we uncover our hidden seasonal gems on Lancaster County Originals. PA Dutch Country is rich with Christmas tradition, so check out our video series and find out what makes the holidays so special in Amish Country!
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