Holiday cheer is here, Chester! Discover all the top festive happenings with our guide. From Chester locals to international travelers, our guide ensures a joyful and memorable season.
Among the highlights this year is the Christmas Village in Philadelphia, a charming open-air market that features unique gifts and seasonal treats. With festive lights and delightful aromas filling the air, it captures the essence of the holidays. Another attraction, A Very Retro Christmas, takes visitors on a nostalgic journey with vintage decorations and classic holiday themes. And you definitely won't want to miss GingerBread Lane at the Reading Terminal Market, where stunning gingerbread houses showcase the creativity of local bakers. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Top Holiday Events In and Around Chester
- Christmas Village in Philadelphia (Philadelphia)
- Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show (Harrisburg)
- GingerBread Lane - Reading Terminal Market (Philadelphia)
- A Very Retro Christmas (Kennett Square)
- Christmas Lights Experience at Refreshing Mountain (Lancaster)
- Christmas Spirit Light Show (Lancaster)
- Washington Crossing the Delaware Reenactment (Washington Crossing)
- Polar Bear Express (Middletown)
- Yuletide at Wheatland (Lancaster)
- Mifflinburg Christkindl Market (Mifflinburg)
See these and even more events listed below!
Chester Holiday Light Displays
A Very Retro Christmas
What to Expect:
Vintage holiday decorations and lights in a mid-century setting.
Description:
Longwood Gardens presents A Very Retro Christmas, featuring vintage holiday street scenes, classic ornaments, and mid-century decorations. Guests will marvel at holiday trees draped in shimmering tinsel and throwback baubles, while enjoying a sophisticated holiday party scene in the Music Room. The event includes a 24-foot grand fir, an 18-foot-tall rotating tree, and thousands of colorful poinsettias and other floral finery throughout the Conservatory. Outdoor highlights include over half a million twinkling lights, a restored 1969 Longwood Farms truck, and a holiday Garden Railway.
Where: Kennett Square | More Info: A Very Retro Christmas
Christmas Spirit Light Show
What to Expect:
Immersive drive-thru light display with synchronized lights and music.
Description:
The Christmas Spirit Light Show is a drive-thru light display at Clipper Magazine Stadium in downtown Lancaster, PA. As you journey through the mile-long track, you will be immersed in hundreds of thousands of color-changing lights, animated and dancing in harmony with your favorite Christmas classics.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Christmas Spirit Light Show
Christmas Lights Experience at Refreshing Mountain
What to Expect:
Family-friendly walking tour and ziplining through extensive Christmas light displays.
Description:
Explore Refreshing Mountain's Christmas Light Experience, featuring a family-friendly walking tour through beautifully lit trails and thrilling ziplines amidst hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights. Enjoy access to the Wildlife Center and campfire areas.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Christmas Lights Experience at Refreshing Mountain
Chester Holiday Markets and Shopping
Christmas Village in Philadelphia
What to Expect:
Historic German Christmas market with European food and rides.
Description:
Christmas Village in Philadelphia is an authentic German-style holiday market at LOVE Park and City Hall, featuring over 120 vendors offering unique gifts, European cuisine, and festive activities.
Where: Philadelphia | More Info: Christmas Village in Philadelphia
Delco Holiday Village
What to Expect:
Local vendors and food trucks complement the annual Festival of Lights.
Description:
Delco Holiday Village is a seasonal event in Rose Tree Park featuring local vendors, food trucks, and illuminated displays. Visitors can stroll through the park to enjoy the festive atmosphere and support local businesses.
Where: Media | More Info: Delco Holiday Village
Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show
What to Expect:
Unique gifts and local handmade items.
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 treats. Enjoy festive dance performances, heavenly voices, and merry instrumentals from local musicians and dance groups. Explore Christmas Tree Lane, a festive display of decorated trees, and discover local handmade items at the Mini Makers Market.
Where: Harrisburg | More Info: Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show
Dickens of a Christmas Celebration
What to Expect:
Victorian-themed holiday market with live performances and local vendors.
Description:
Wellsboro's Dickens of a Christmas Celebration transforms Main Street into an early Victorian marketplace with over 160 artisans, crafters, and food vendors. Strolling musicians, performers, and dancers create a festive atmosphere, while local churches host luncheons and concerts. The event includes a Peace Walk, community Christmas tree lighting, and visits from Santa Claus.
Where: Wellsboro | More Info: Dickens of a Christmas Celebration
Mifflinburg Christkindl Market
What to Expect:
Authentic German crafts and traditional food in an outdoor setting.
Description:
The Mifflinburg Christkindl Market is an authentic outdoor German Christmas market featuring over 100 vendors selling handmade crafts and traditional German food and drinks. The event includes live performances, festive decorations, and a 15-foot-tall Christmas Pyramid.
Where: Mifflinburg | More Info: Mifflinburg Christkindl Market
Chester Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Yuletide at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire
What to Expect:
Holiday-themed performances by unique cast characters.
Description:
Celebrate the holiday season at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, where fantastical characters, mouthwatering delicacies, and exquisite beverages come together in a festive celebration.
Where: Manheim | More Info: Yuletide at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire
Bellefonte Victorian Christmas
What to Expect:
Unique blend of historical charm and modern holiday fun.
Description:
Bellefonte Victorian Christmas is a festive holiday event featuring special ticketed events, arts and crafts shows, horse-drawn carriage rides, and family activities. Enjoy music and entertainment, including concerts and a murder mystery comedy, while exploring local shops and dining options.
Where: Bellefonte | More Info: Bellefonte Victorian Christmas
Chester Other Holiday Activities
Gingerbread competition and display at Peddler's Village
What to Expect:
Unique gingerbread creations competing for cash prizes in six categories.
Description:
The Gingerbread Competition & Display at Peddler's Village features over 100 creative gingerbread creations crafted by the public, competing in six categories. The event is a holiday tradition since 1984, with free admission and display hours from November 15 through January 19, 2025.
Where: Lahaska | More Info: Gingerbread competition and display at Peddler's Village
GingerBread Lane - Reading Terminal Market
What to Expect:
Miniature gingerbread houses and shops created by a Guinness Book World Record holder.
Description:
Gingerbread Lane at Reading Terminal Market features a whimsical display of miniature gingerbread houses and shops, created by Chef Jon Lovitch, a Guinness Book World Record holder. This free exhibit is open daily from 8am to 6pm, transforming Arch Court into a delightful holiday attraction.
Where: Philadelphia | More Info: GingerBread Lane - Reading Terminal Market
Valley Forge Beer and Cider Festival
What to Expect:
Unique blend of local and international brews.
Description:
The Valley Forge Beer and Cider Festival is a celebration of local craft beers and ciders, featuring popular breweries and cideries from around the world. Enjoy a variety of beers and ciders, live music, and a fun-filled atmosphere.
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 local artistic talent and cultural life.
Where: Phoenixville | More Info: Firebird Festival
Washington Crossing the Delaware Reenactment
What to Expect:
Historic reenactment of a pivotal Revolutionary War event.
Description:
Thousands gather to witness the reenactment of George Washington's daring 1776 Christmas night river crossing, featuring reenactors in Continental military dress and replica Durham boats.
Where: Washington Crossing | More Info: Washington Crossing the Delaware Reenactment
Yuletide at Wheatland
What to Expect:
Guided tour of a historic mansion highlighting holiday traditions of the mid-1800s.
Description:
Explore Christmas traditions as they were experienced in the late 1800s at President James Buchanan's historic home, Wheatland. Discover how Buchanan's niece and nephew celebrated the holiday season during the early years of the Second Industrial Revolution.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Yuletide at Wheatland
Polar Bear Express
What to Expect:
Santa visits every child on the train.
Description:
The Polar Bear Express at the Middletown and Hummelstown Railroad offers a 75-minute train ride through Swatara Creek Valley. The conductor shares a special Christmas story, and Santa boards the train to give gifts to every child from infant to 11 years old. Snack concessions are available on board.
Where: Middletown | More Info: Polar Bear Express
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- Springfield (6 miles)
- Drexel Hill (8 miles)
- Whitman (12 miles)
- Wharton (12 miles)
- Wilmington (12 miles)
- Pennsport (12 miles)
- Philadelphia (13 miles)
- Sewell (13 miles)
- Center City (13 miles)
- Wayne (14 miles)
- Radnor (14 miles)
- Camden (14 miles)
- Pennsauken (18 miles)
- Cherry Hill (18 miles)
- Norristown (19 miles)
- Voorhees (21 miles)
- Sicklerville (23 miles)
- Abington (23 miles)
- Newark (24 miles)
- Mount Laurel (25 miles)
- Jackson (27 miles)
- Bensalem (28 miles)
- Willingboro (29 miles)
- Bridgeton (30 miles)
- Vineland (31 miles)
- Pottstown (32 miles)
- South Vineland (33 miles)
- Vincentown (33 miles)
- Middletown (33 miles)
- Millville (35 miles)
- Levittown (35 miles)
- Trenton (41 miles)
- Ewing (41 miles)
- Mercerville-Hamilton Square (45 miles)