Happy Holidays from Discover Lehigh Valley!

Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem

November 17  -  December 26 (Thurs–Sat 11am-8pm | Sun 11am-6pm Closed Thanksgiving Day)

SteelStacks Campus, First & Founders Way, Bethlehem

ArtsQuest’s popular holiday marketplace returns for its 20th year in 2012! Recognized by Travel and Leisure Magazine as one of the top holiday markets in the world, Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem showcases aisles of exquisite handmade works by the nation’s finest artisans, the heart-warming sounds of live Christmas music, delicious food and more.
*Christkindlmarkt is in a new location this year, on the SteelStacks campus. For directions, click here.

Lights in the Parkway

November 23 – January 1 (5:30 – 10pm | Closed Christmas Day)

Lehigh Parkway, Lehigh Parkway East & Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Allentown

Allentown’s 16th annual Lights in the Parkway celebration will be brighter than ever before. Hundreds of city-owned pieces will be on display illuminating the Parkway with hundreds of thousands of lights. Not only are holiday scenes featured, but the popular Wizard of Oz, Cinderella and other collections will all be part of this season of Lights. While commemorating our past, the City is continuing to think of our future. This year, we will further the effort to green the display and shine even brighter, as we upgraded even more of our displays. Tree lights will all be LED and while journeying through Lights, visitors will notice several major pieces that now glow with LED.

2012 Holiday Train Exhibit at America On Wheels Museum

November 23 – December 30. Check for dates and times.

America On Wheels Museum, 5 North Front St., Allentown

Enjoy the sounds and action of many model trains around the museum’s galleries. Fun for adults and kids of all ages.

A Christmas City Stroll

November 23 – December 23. Check for dates and times.

505 Main St., Bethlehem

Enjoy “Christmas City, USA” on this tour through beautiful downtown Historic Bethlehem. Our certified guide in period dress will share the story of Bethlehem’s unique beginnings in 1741, explain the famous candles-in-every-window, and shed new light on the renowned Bethlehem Star. Historic highlights include Bethlehem’s exquisite Victorian and colonial architecture, including two National Historic Landmarks, the 1741 Gemeinhaus and the Bethlehem Waterworks.

Christmas 1944

November 23 – December 30. Check for dates and times.

ArtsQuest Center, 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem

Travel back in time with this heart-warming musical written and directed by Deena Linn. Christmas 1944, which debuted at SteelStacks in 2011, tells the story of three women and their journey for hope, love and Christmas spirit during World War II. With timeless Christmas classics such as “White Christmas” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” tied into Bethlehem’s rich history, this special lunch/show is a “must-see” for the holiday season.

Christmas City Village

November 23 – December 23. Check for dates and times.

Sun Inn Courtyard, Bethlehem

Christmas City Village is an open-air Christmas market, nestled in the heart of the Historic Shopping District in Bethlehem. Fashioned after the traditional German Weihnachtsmarkt (pronounced vy-naukts-markt), the Christmas City Village will feature 20 wooden huts, where vendors will sell a variety of holiday crafts and gifts. Enjoy traditional German fare, or hot mulled wine, as you meander through a market that boasts no admission fee!

A Christmas Carol

November 30 – December 15. Check for dates and times.

Civic Theatre of Allentown, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown

Civic’s A Christmas Carol has become a Lehigh Valley tradition. Celebrate the holiday season with us as everyone’s favorite holiday show returns to Civic Theatre for its 23rd annual production! Tens of thousands of people from the Lehigh Valley and beyond have come to catch the spirit of the season as Charles Dickens’ legendary characters come to life on Civic’s stage. This timeless show warms your heart as it engages you with such sentiments as compassion, gratitude, selflessness, and acceptance.

Fruitcakes

November 30 – December 16. Check for dates and times.

Illick’s Mill Rd

Mix together a batch of fruitcakes with some wonderful and interesting characters and you have a recipe for some fun filled and touching holiday cheer as a runaway boy comes to admire and appreciate the inhabitants of this nutty little town. It is a story of alienation, understanding, and reconciliation.

The Happy Elf

December 1 – 16. Check for dates and times.

57 River Street, Sand Island , Bethlehem

Eubie is the happiest elf at the North Pole. More than anything else, he longs to be part of Santa’s sleigh team. Instead, he’s stuck checking the naughty-or-nice lists. But this Christmas Eve, he notices something strange: in the entire town of Bluesville, not a single person has been nice. So, with a pinch of elfish magic, help from his friends, and his unending holiday spirit. Eubie sets off to turn all of those children from naughty to nice in just one day! Based on the beloved holiday song “The Happy Elf” by Grammy Award Winner Harry Connick, Jr., “The Happy Elf” is a new holiday classic for the entire family.

Christmas in Nazareth

December 15

Various locations. Check for details.

Families will enjoy an afternoon filled with activities for all ages. Enjoy a live nativity with animals at Moravian Hall Square, make an ornament with C. F. Martin & Co. out of guitar sound holes at the Old Martin Homestead, and meet Santa Claus at the Memorial Library for Nazareth and Vicinity!

A Chapin Family Christmas

December 15

101 Founders Way, Bethlehem.

Join Tom, Steve and Jen Chapin; The Chapin Sisters – Abigail, Lily and Jessica; and other Chapin Family members as they celebrate the holiday season. These delightful performances feature traditional holiday songs re-styled by The Chapin Family, original songs of the season and classics by the late, great Harry Chapin such as “W.O.L.D,” “30,000 Pounds of Bananas” and “Cat’s In The Cradle.”

The Nutcracker

December 15 & 16

Zoellner Arts Center, 420 East Packer Ave. Bethlehem

Presented by Pennsylvania Youth Ballet & Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley, with special guest artists Ashley Bouder (New York City Ballet) and Matthew Dibble (Twyla Tharp Company).

Rita Coolidge- A Rita Coolidge Christmas

December 15

325 Maury Rd.

Tickets can be purchased at the Penn’s Peak Box Office (walk-up only), Roadies Restaurant (walk-up only) or through Ticketmaster. For more information call 866-605-PEAK!

A Christmas Carol with Gerald Charles Dickens

December 16

Moravian Book Shop, 428 Main St., Bethlehem.

Gerald Charles Dickens, the great-great-grandson of author Charles Dickens, will return for a performance of his namesake’s masterpiece, A Christmas Carol. Mr. Dickens presents a unique interpretation of the work, taking on over 25 separate characters as he brings the tale to life.

Big Dipper New Year’s Eve Daytime Party at America on Wheels Museum

December 29

5 North Front St., Allentown

Fun for the whole family noon-3pm. Reservations preferred. Admission: $10 adults/ $7 seniors/ $6 students (16-13) / Children 12 & under FREE.

The Cupcake Bowl

December 29

SteelStacks Campus, First & Founders Way, Bethlehem

Bakeries from throughout the region are coming together for a sweet, new special event, The Cupcake Bowl, designed to raise money to support arts education programming for area young people.

Big Dipper New Year’s Eve Daytime Party at America On Wheels Museum

December 29

America On Wheels Museum, 5 North Front St., Allentown

Fun for the whole family at America On Wheels.

Christmas City

Year Round

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Christened “Bethlehem” on Christmas Eve 1741, Bethlehem is a city rich in tradition and celebrations. From the majestic history of the Historic Moravian Bethlehem District to the post-industrial revitalization of the Bethlehem Steel plant into an arts and cultural campus, the Christmas City has something for everyone, all year long. Follow the Bethlehem star to the Christmas City this year for your holiday celebrations!

PEEPS® Fest

SteelStacks Campus, First & Founders Way, Bethlehem

At PEEPS® Fest, children and their parents will enjoy live music, arts & crafts, movies, s’more making, photos with the PEEPS® Chick and more! Highlights include the PEEPS® Family Disco Party in the Musikfest Café; character breakfast featuring the PEEPS® Chick and other area mascots; and a family-friendly New Year’s Eve Party.