Celebrate the best of the holidays in Lancaster with our detailed guide. From Lancaster natives to holiday pilgrims, our guide illuminates the city's seasonal tapestry.
Popular events this festive season include the AMT Christmas Show, where captivating performances bring holiday favorites to life on stage. Another enchanting experience is the Dutch Wonderland Christmas at the Park, featuring dazzling lights and festive attractions perfect for families. And the Strasburg Christmas Train is something you definitely don't want to miss, offering a magical ride through a winter wonderland. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Top Holiday Events In and Around Lancaster
- AMT Christmas Show, The First Noel
- Strasburg Christmas Train (Strasburg)
- Dutch Wonderland Christmas at the Park
- Christmas Spirit Light Show
- Reading's Christmas On the Mountain (Reading)
- Clipper Stadium Christmas Light Show
- Sight and Sound (Daniel)
- Polar Bear Express (Middletown)
- Christmas Lights Experience at Refreshing Mountain (Stevens)
- Christmas at Joanna (Geigertown)
See these and even more events listed below!
Lancaster Holiday Light Displays
Clipper Stadium Christmas Light Show
What to Expect:
Immersive drive-thru light display with animated lights and holiday classics.
Description:
The Christmas Spirit Light Show at Clipper Magazine Stadium features a mile-long track of hundreds of thousands of color-changing lights, animated in harmony with favorite Christmas classics. The event also includes a walking portion, Christmas Tree Lane, with over 100 decorated trees and festive activities.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Clipper Stadium Christmas Light Show
Reading's Christmas On the Mountain
What to Expect:
Spectacular light displays and live music in a mountain setting.
Description:
Reading's Christmas On the Mountain is a festive holiday event featuring stunning light displays, live music, and seasonal activities in a picturesque mountain setting.
Where: Reading | More Info: Reading's Christmas On the Mountain
Christmas Spirit Light Show
What to Expect:
Immersive mile-long track with synchronized lights and music.
Description:
The Christmas Spirit Light Show is a drive-thru light display at Clipper Magazine Stadium, featuring hundreds of thousands of color-changing lights and animated displays in harmony with favorite Christmas classics.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Christmas Spirit Light Show
Christmas Lights Experience at Refreshing Mountain
What to Expect:
Zip through Christmas lights on one of three zipline options.
Description:
Explore Refreshing Mountain's Christmas Light Experience, featuring a half-mile walk through beautifully lit trails and forest, or zip through the lights on one of three zipline options. Enjoy access to the Wildlife Center and campfire areas amidst the lights.
Where: Stevens | More Info: Christmas Lights Experience at Refreshing Mountain
Lancaster Holiday Markets and Shopping
Ice Cream with Santa
What to Expect:
Interactive family event with Santa photos and an ice cream sundae bar.
Description:
Dress your children in their Sunday best for photos with Santa, enjoy games and crafts with your family, and top off the fun with an ice cream sundae bar.
Where: Columbia | More Info: Ice Cream with Santa
ChristKindlMarkt
What to Expect:
Traditional German goods and local delicacies.
Description:
Christkindlmarkt at Reading Liederkranz is a festive holiday market featuring handmade crafts, traditional German goods, and local delicacies.
Where: Reading | More Info: ChristKindlMarkt
Village Christmas Market at Garden Spot Village
What to Expect:
Artisan handmade gifts and model train layouts.
Description:
The Village Christmas Market at Garden Spot Village offers a day filled with shopping at the Makers Market and stores, visits to the Train Room and Wood Shop, and family-friendly activities like cookie decorating and live readings of "Charlie Brown Christmas." Enjoy food from our restaurants and cafes, including the Signature Snoopy Sandwich.
Where: New Holland | More Info: Village Christmas Market at Garden Spot Village
Lancaster Holiday Shows and Entertainment
AMT Christmas Show, The First Noel
What to Expect:
Original live musical performance with international talent.
Description:
The 2023 Christmas Show, The First Noel, at American Music Theatre features a live musical experience with talented performers, showcasing beloved sacred and secular holiday music in an enchanted forest setting.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: AMT Christmas Show, The First Noel
Sight and Sound (Daniel)
What to Expect:
Faithful servant's journey through visions, dreams, and beasts in a palace filled with golden statues.
Description:
Witness the powerful story of Daniel as he navigates his new life in Babylon, facing royal pressures and dangerous choices, in this spectacular theatrical experience suitable for the whole family.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Sight and Sound (Daniel)
Dutch Wonderland Christmas at the Park
What to Expect:
Immersive holiday light and entertainment experiences.
Description:
Dutch Winter Wonderland at Dutch Wonderland features 20 rides, interactive light shows, puppet performances, and holiday character dining, creating a vibrant holiday atmosphere.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Dutch Wonderland Christmas at the Park
Nutcracker Ballet by Viktor Yeliohin International Ballet Academy
What to Expect:
Traditional Russian Vaganova Syllabus ballet performance.
Description:
The 31st Nutcracker Ballet by Viktor Yeliohin International Ballet Academy features a traditional Russian Vaganova Syllabus ballet performance with elaborate sets and costumes, showcasing the academy's full dance education.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Nutcracker Ballet by Viktor Yeliohin International Ballet Academy
A Very Electric Christmas
What to Expect:
Interactive light and sound performance featuring a young bird's holiday adventure.
Description:
A Very Electric Christmas is a captivating holiday show featuring a young bird named Max and his family as they embark on a journey south for winter. When Max gets blown off course, he ends up at the North Pole, where his adventure begins. The show includes dancing toy soldiers, caroling worms, and performing poinsettias, all set to timeless holiday hits like Nat King Cole, Mariah Carey, and Tchaikovsky.
Where: Reading | More Info: A Very Electric Christmas
Christmas at Joanna
What to Expect:
Interactive reenactors and Victorian dancing in a large, heated tent.
Description:
Celebrate the holiday season at Joanna Furnace with reenactors, Victorian dancing, and performances by the Hay Creek Valley Gold Band and Hay Creek Dancers.
Where: Geigertown | More Info: Christmas at Joanna
Perfect Harmony at The Barn at Paradise Station
What to Expect:
Unique blend of musical theater and worship concert.
Description:
Perfect Harmony at The Barn at Paradise Station features stunning original arrangements of holiday classics, blending musical theater nostalgia with church worship. Professional vocalists Ric Zimmerman, Kat Prickett, and Sarah Poague perform with a live band, accompanied by beautiful costumes and inspiring arrangements.
Where: Paradise | More Info: Perfect Harmony at The Barn at Paradise Station
Illumination at Prima Theatre
What to Expect:
Candlelit holiday concert with grand piano and skilled musicians.
Description:
Illumination at Prima Theatre is an immersive holiday concert featuring captivating renditions of beloved holiday classics in a radiant candlelit ambiance. Encircled by seating on all sides, a grand piano commands the center stage, complemented by skilled musicians and vocalists poised to uplift your soul. Witness the annual reimagining of this heartwarming concert experience.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Illumination at Prima Theatre
Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre Holiday Shows
What to Expect:
Broadway-caliber holiday performances with a full-service meal.
Description:
Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre presents holiday shows featuring Broadway-caliber performances and delicious meals, ensuring a memorable evening.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre Holiday Shows
Lancaster Other Holiday Activities
Strasburg Christmas Train
What to Expect:
Historic steam train rides with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Description:
Strasburg Rail Road offers a variety of Christmas train experiences, including Santa's Paradise Express, Night Before Christmas Train, and the Santa Claus Limited. Each ride features historic steam trains, visits with Santa, and special activities like carolers and musicians. Guests can also enjoy a traditional Christmas-fare dinner with Mrs. Claus.
Where: Strasburg | More Info: Strasburg Christmas Train
Christmas in the Village at Landis Valley Farm Museum
What to Expect:
Immersive experience of PA German holiday customs.
Description:
Explore the rich heritage of Pennsylvania German Christmas and New Year's traditions through historic decorations, unique gifts, and interactive activities at Landis Valley Farm Museum.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Christmas in the Village at Landis Valley Farm Museum
Reading Holiday Parade
What to Expect:
Colorful floats and marching bands celebrating the holiday season.
Description:
The Reading Holiday Parade is a vibrant community event featuring festive floats, marching bands, and local businesses showcasing their holiday spirit.
Where: Reading | More Info: Reading Holiday Parade
Yuletide at Wheatland
What to Expect:
Historical tour of a 19th-century mansion highlighting holiday traditions.
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 with gifts for children on a festive train ride.
Description:
Join the Polar Bear Express at the Middletown and Hummelstown Railroad for a 75-minute 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!
- Lebanon (22 miles)
- York (23 miles)
- Bel Air North (34 miles)
- North Bel Air (35 miles)
- Harrisburg (35 miles)
- South Bel Air (35 miles)
- Bel Air South (37 miles)
- Pottstown (37 miles)
- Newark (38 miles)
- Hunt Valley (41 miles)
- Cockeysville (42 miles)
- Edgewood (43 miles)
- Perry Hall (44 miles)