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We love this festive time of year. Here’s our guide to holiday parades, official tree lighting ceremonies and more!
🎄 HOLIDAY LIGHTS
Hershey Sweet Lights
11 Boathouse Road, Hershey
800-437-7439
Dates: Now through Jan. 1, starting at 5 p.m. nightly
Admission: $19.15 (car/minivan/SUV) Mon.-Thurs., $26.15 Fri.-Sun.
Drive through two miles of lighted displays from the comfort of your car while listening to holiday music.
Koziar’s Christmas Village
782 Christmas Village Road, Bernville
610-488-1110
Dates: Fridays 6-9 p.m., Saturdays 5:30-9:30 p.m. and Sundays 5:30-9 p.m. through Nov. 24, then nightly from Nov. 29-Jan. 1 (including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day), 2019–Mon.-Fri., 6-9 p.m., Sat. 5-9:30 p.m., and Sun. 5-9 p.m.
Admission: $12 ages 11-64, $10 ages 4-10, $11 ages 65+, FREE ages 3 and under
Over one million lights decorate the gift shops, barns and landscape
The Star Barn Village Christmas Light Drive-Thru
The Star Barn Village at Stone Gables Estate
Hollinger Lane, Elizabethtown
717-902-9791
Dates: Nov. 23-Dec. 29, 5-8 p.m.
Admission: $20 for vehicles up to 8 passengers; $30 for 9-14 passenger vehicles
A 2-mile Christmas Light drive celebrating the true meaning of Christmas in lights, including the story of Christ.
Christmas Magic – A Festival of Lights
Rocky Ridge County Park
3699 Deininger Road, York
Dates: Nov. 29-Dec. 31, Mon.-Fri., 6-9 p.m.; Sat. & Sun., 5-9 p.m.
Admission: Adults, $10; Ages 4-12, $5; Age 3 and under, free
Santa Claus, Christmas trees, hot chocolate, apple cider and cookies, all along a half-mile path through the woods, illuminated with 600,000 colored lights and holiday displays. Bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots and get a coupon for a free food item. Note: Admission to Christmas Magic on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays is by timed tickets only, which can be purchased HERE. Reservations will be required, no walk-ins will be permitted Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Christmas Spirit Light Show
Clipper Magazine Stadium, 650 N. Prince St., Lancaster
Dates: Nov. 30-Dec. 31 (closed some Mondays; check website), Mon.-Thur. 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Fri.-Sun. 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Admission: $18 per vehicle Mon.-Thurs., $20 per vehicle Fri.-Sun.
The stunning light display winds around the stadium parking lot and onto the warning track. The lights will be choreographed with favorite Christmas carols. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Aaron’s Acres.
Little Buffalo Christmas Trail
1579 State Park Road, Newport
717-567-9255
Dates: Dec. 17-23, 6-9 p.m.
Admission: FREE
Thousands of lights and holiday displays along a quarter-mile trail. Live music, and Santa will be stationed at the pavilion. Hot chocolate and cookies sold in the warming hut. Bring a flashlight!
🎄HOLIDAY PARADES, TREE LIGHTINGS & CELEBRATIONS
28th Annual Christmas Parade: A Candy Cane Christmas
Nov. 22, 7-8 p.m.
Downtown Shippensburg
Presented by the DOIT (Downtown Organizations Investing Together) of Shippensburg, the parade will start on North Fayette Street and continue north for several blocks until it ends at Prince Street.
Holiday Parade in Harrisburg
Nov. 23, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Market, Front and Second Streets, Riverfront, Harrisburg
The annual holiday parade will kick off at noon and feature marching bands, dance and step teams, giant parade balloons, floats and more. They’ll also have food trucks and carnival games throughout the day. After the parade, visit with Santa and enjoy complimentary cookies and hot cocoa at Strawberry Square.
Annual Tree Lighting with Santa
Nov. 23, 7-9 p.m.
Old Town Hall Museum, 5 W. Walnut St., Marietta
Santa and Mrs. Claus help with the Christmas tree lighting at the Old Town Hall Museum.
Mechanicburg’s Annual Tree Lighting
Nov. 29 at 5:15 p.m.
Town Square, Main & Market Streets, Mechanicsburg
With music led by First United Methodist Church of Mechanicsburg, hot cocoa, and caroling at the tree beginning at 5:15 p.m. The lighting of the tree will take place at 5:30 p.m. Plus post-ceremony celebrations with refreshments and visits with Santa at Buhrig Funeral Home & Crematory, 37 E. Main St., and model train exhibits and visits with Mrs. Claus, 3 W. Allen St.
Lancaster Christmas Tree Lighting
Nov. 29 at 5 p.m., Santa arrives at 6 p.m., lighting at 7 p.m.
Penn Square, Lancaster
Santa officially arrives for the season in dramatic fashion, landing on the roof of the Convention Center in advance of the Christmas tree lighting. Children can then visit with him at the Lancaster Marriott-lobby of the Convention Center at Penn Square from 7:30-9 p.m.
Annual Christmas Tree Lighting
Nov. 30 at 5 p.m.
New Oxford
An old fashioned Christmas tree lighting and caroling. Santa will be there, and they’ll also have free hot chocolate and cookies.
Carlisle Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting
Dec. 6, 7-10 p.m.
Hanover & High Streets, Carlisle
There will be marching bands, autos and fire trucks parading through historic downtown. The parade will conclude with Santa and the annual Christmas tree lighting.
Annual Christmas in the Park
Dec. 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Lititz Springs Park, 24 N. Broad St., Lititz
Caroling and Christmas tree lighting. Attendees receive candles upon arriving, and by the end of the event, the park will twinkle with lit candles and luminaries. Will include music from the Moravian Trombone Choir and Warwick High School Concert Choir.
A Gettysburg Christmas Festival
Dec. 6-8, 2019; Christmas Parade Friday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. and official tree lighting at 7 p.m.
The festival kicks off on Friday with activities including ice skating from 3-8 p.m., ice carving at the Gettysburg Heritage Center at 7 p.m., and Santa at Lincoln Square from 5-8 p.m. The festival continues on Saturday and Sunday with FREE carriage rides from the Heritage Center from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., with other activities including ice carving and live music throughout each day. Visit website for details.
Lower Paxton Township’s Annual Holiday Tree Lighting
Dec. 6, 7 p.m.
The Friendship Center
5000 Commons Drive, Lower Paxton Township
The free community event will include Refreshments, live music, door prizes, arts and crafts for the kids, a climbing wall and Santa, of course!
Hershey Holiday Celebration in Hershey with Tree Lighting
Dec. 7, 2-6 p.m. p.m.
ChocolateTown Square, West Chocolate Ave., Hershey
Music, cookies and cocoa, ornament making for kids, Hershey’s characters, and more, all free. Santa will arrive via a Hershey Volunteer Fire Company truck shortly after 3 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., the tree will be lit by a Children’s Miracle Network child and family.
Light Up York
Dec. 7, 12-7 p.m.
Centennial Square
1 E. Market St., York
The annual lighting of the York City Christmas tree at Continental Square features lots of fun activities for families, including a scavenger hunt, face painting, model trains, photos with Santa from 1-4 p.m., live reindeer from 3-5 p.m.m and the lighting of the tree at 5 p.m.
Christmas Tree Lighting in Boiling Springs
Dec. 8, at 5:30 p.m.
Children’s Lake
Hundreds of luminaries line the lake and Santa rows his boat to the gazebo to greet the gathered kids. The Christmas tree is actually floating on the lake. Stunning!
