Navigate the holiday festivities in Altoona with our expert guide. Locals and travelers alike, explore the holiday magic of Altoona with our comprehensive guide.
Popular Events: Experience the enchanting displays at Longwood Gardens Christmas, where vibrant lights and festive flora create a captivating atmosphere. Another highlight is the Christmas Village in Philly, featuring charming vendors, delicious treats, and unique gifts for the season. And the Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show is something you definitely don't want to miss, offering a vast array of holiday items under one roof. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
Please contact us if you have suggestions or corrections!
Join the Altoona Discussion!
Top Holiday Events In and Around Altoona
- Christmas Village in Philly (Philadelphia)
- Longwood Gardens Christmas (Kennett Square)
- Kraynak’s Christmas Display (Hermitage)
- Washington Crossing the Delaware Reenactment (Washington Crossing)
- Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show (Harrisburg)
- Christmas Magic in York (York)
- Mifflinburg Christkindl Market (Mifflinburg)
- Dickens of a Christmas Celebration (Wellsboro)
- Olde Time Christmas in Jim Thorpe (Jim Thorpe)
- Bellefonte Victorian Christmas (Bellefonte)
See these and even more events listed below!
Altoona Holiday Light Displays
Duncansville Tree Lighting
What to Expect:
Community tree lighting ceremony with festive atmosphere.
Description:
The Duncansville Tree Lighting event is a community gathering where a beautifully decorated tree is illuminated, symbolizing the start of the holiday season. Residents and visitors come together to celebrate and enjoy the festive atmosphere.
Where: Duncansville | More Info: Duncansville Tree Lighting
Longwood Gardens Christmas
What to Expect:
Spectacular holiday light and horticultural displays.
Description:
Longwood Gardens Christmas features hundreds of thousands of lights, imaginative outdoor landscapes, and stunning horticultural displays, all set amidst the beautifully reimagined gardens.
Where: Kennett Square | More Info: Longwood Gardens Christmas
Kraynak’s Christmas Display
What to Expect:
300-foot indoor display of themed Christmas trees with life-like characters.
Description:
Kraynak’s Christmas Display features a 300-foot indoor starlight avenue with uniquely designed artificial Christmas trees, each with a specific theme and enhanced by surrounding scenery and life-like animated characters.
Where: Hermitage | More Info: Kraynak’s Christmas Display
Christmas Magic in York
What to Expect:
Half-mile ADA-accessible trail with over 600,000 twinkling LED lights.
Description:
Christmas Magic in York County, PA, features a half-mile ADA-accessible trail with over 600,000 twinkling LED lights and animated scenes, offering a picturesque holiday experience.
Where: York | More Info: Christmas Magic in York
Altoona Holiday Markets and Shopping
Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show
What to Expect:
Indoor holiday shopping with over 600 specialty shops.
Description:
The Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show is an extensive holiday shopping event featuring over 600 specialty shops selling unique gifts, holiday decor, apparel, toys, and more. Enjoy festive dance performances, heavenly voices, and merry instrumentals from local musicians, dance groups, and school bands. Stroll through Christmas Tree Lane, where each tree is decorated by a vendor, and explore the interactive vendor list to support local businesses.
Where: Harrisburg | More Info: Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show
Dickens of a Christmas Celebration
What to Expect:
Victorian-themed marketplace with live performances and local vendors.
Description:
Dickens of a Christmas Celebration is an annual event in Wellsboro where Main Street transforms into an early Victorian marketplace. The event features over 125 craft and food vendors, strolling musicians, dancers, and street corner thespians. Local churches host luncheons, concerts, and special services, while Hamilton Gibson Productions presents "A Christmas Carol" at the Coolidge Theater and Warehouse Theater. The event concludes with a Peace Walk and community Christmas tree lighting.
Where: Wellsboro | More Info: Dickens of a Christmas Celebration
Mifflinburg Christkindl Market
What to Expect:
Oldest outdoor German Christmas market in the United States.
Description:
The Mifflinburg Christkindl Market is an authentic outdoor German Christmas market featuring traditional crafts, food, and drinks. It offers a unique blend of German heritage and holiday traditions.
Where: Mifflinburg | More Info: Mifflinburg Christkindl Market
Christmas Village in Philly
What to Expect:
Historic, two-tiered Christmas carousel and extensive European food selection.
Description:
Christmas Village in Philadelphia is an authentic German-style Christmas market featuring over 120 vendors offering international gifts, ornaments, and European food specialties. The event includes a historic Christmas carousel, Ferris wheel, and kids' train, along with live music and festive lights.
Where: Philadelphia | More Info: Christmas Village in Philly
Altoona Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Bellefonte Victorian Christmas
What to Expect:
Historical reenactments and traditional holiday activities.
Description:
Bellefonte Victorian Christmas is a festive holiday event featuring a variety of activities, including arts and crafts shows, horse-drawn carriage rides, live nativity scenes, and musical performances. The event celebrates the traditions of Christmases past while offering modern-day fun for all ages.
Where: Bellefonte | More Info: Bellefonte Victorian Christmas
Altoona Other Holiday Activities
Glow Up Night
What to Expect:
Community-driven holiday celebration with tree lighting and fireworks.
Description:
Join us for an evening of music, singing, movies, and fun activities for kids, topped off by the Christmas tree lighting and fireworks in Downtown Altoona.
Where: Altoona | More Info: Glow Up Night
Winterfest
What to Expect:
Community-driven celebration with local artisans and live music.
Description:
Winterfest is a community event featuring local artisans, live music, and seasonal activities that bring together residents and visitors to celebrate the holiday season.
Where: Hollidaysburg | More Info: Winterfest
Yuletyme Christmas
What to Expect:
Community-driven craft and vendor show with local artisans.
Description:
The Tyrone Yuletyme Christmas event is a community-driven celebration featuring a craft and vendor show at the Tyrone Armory. Local artisans and vendors will showcase their wares, offering a variety of handmade items and seasonal goods. The event aims to bring together the community in a festive atmosphere.
Where: Tyrone | More Info: Yuletyme Christmas
Valley Forge Beer and Cider Festival
What to Expect:
Unique blend of local craft beers and ciders.
Description:
The Valley Forge Beer and Cider Festival is a celebration of local craft beers and ciders, featuring popular breweries and cideries from across the country and around the world. The event offers both afternoon and evening sessions, with limited VIP tickets available. It also supports the local Committee Benefit Children (CBC) by contributing to their efforts to improve the quality of life for children and families facing cancer, leukemia, and serious blood disorders.
Where: Oaks | More Info: Valley Forge Beer and Cider Festival
Firebird Festival
What to Expect:
Community-built 20-foot-tall Phoenix structure.
Description:
The Firebird Festival is an annual celebration in Phoenixville, PA, honoring the Phoenix with a 20-foot-tall structure built by community members. The event features regional performers, craft vendors, and gourmet food trucks, fostering collaboration between local artistic talent and cultural life.
Where: Phoenixville | More Info: Firebird Festival
Washington Crossing the Delaware Reenactment
What to Expect:
Historical reenactment of a pivotal Revolutionary War event.
Description:
Thousands of people gather to witness the reenactment of George Washington's daring 1776 Christmas night river crossing, featuring hundreds of reenactors in Continental military dress and replica Durham boats.
Where: Washington Crossing | More Info: Washington Crossing the Delaware Reenactment
Olde Time Christmas in Jim Thorpe
What to Expect:
Classic holiday traditions in a historic Victorian setting.
Description:
Jim Thorpe's Olde Time Christmas transforms the historic town into a Victorian holiday destination with classic traditions. Enjoy horse and carriage rides, holiday shopping, and special train rides with Santa. The event features strolling carolers, local artisans, and a variety of family-friendly activities.
Where: Jim Thorpe | More Info: Olde Time Christmas in Jim Thorpe
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- State College (34 miles)