
Photo by Shawn Hessinger/Lehigh Valley Source
Bethlehem, Pa. -- From the Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem family holiday marketplace to the festivities and fireworks of First Night Bethlehem on New Year’s Eve, visitors to historic Bethlehem, Pa.--the Christmas City--will discover more than 40 different family-friendly events and attractions celebrating the magic of the holiday season.
Bethlehem’s 2009 Christmas City celebration gets underway Nov. 27, 2009, with the opening of Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem and the City of Bethlehem’s official tree lighting ceremony at Payrow Plaza. The festivities continue daily through Dec. 31, when thousands gather to welcome in the New Year during the annual First Night Bethlehem music and arts celebration.
At Christkindlmarkt--named one of the top holiday markets in the world by Travel and Leisure Magazine
--guests are invited to explore aisles of exquisite handmade works by more than 75 of the nation’s finest artisans, listen to the heart-warming sounds of live Christmas music, and sample a variety of delicious food. The event--which takes place Nov. 27-29 and Dec. 3-6, 10-13, and 17-20--is also home to jolly old St. Nicholas--who’s eager to greet children and hear their holiday wishes--as well as entertaining ice carving presentations, glassblowing demonstrations, and Germany’s Käthe Wohlfahrt, renowned for its authentic German ornaments, nutcrackers, and collectibles. Christkindlmarkt hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays; the event is located at Spring and Main streets in downtown Bethlehem.
This year’s Christmas City celebration will be even sweeter with the addition of PEEPS® Fest, the dynamic, new celebration of the confection that’s won the hearts and tastes buds of young and old throughout the nation. The family-focused event, presented by Just Born Inc.--the Bethlehem company that manufactures PEEPS--and ArtsQuest, will take place Dec. 30-31 at Spring and Main streets.
Highlights of the inaugural PEEPS Fest include PEEPS Olympics for kids, photos with the PEEPS mascot, smore making and a variety of music, art, and family fun. Several of the city’s restaurants will partner with the festival to offer special desserts made with PEEPS during Christmas week. In addition, the event will showcase a variety of dioramas created by area school children as part of the first Lehigh Valley PEEPS Scholastic Diorama Competition.
For those interested in Bethlehem’s rich history and holiday traditions, the Christmas City also features numerous opportunities to learn about the customs and heritage of the Moravians who christened Bethlehem on Christmas Eve 1741.
At An Old-fashioned Moravian Christmas, presented by Central Moravian Church, the charming story of the early Moravians comes to life through music, song, and story. Performances feature organist Rebecca Kleintop Owens on the Moller/Walker pipe organ, as well as select appearances by Mainstreet Brass Quartet and Central Moravian Choir, making this a must-see show for Christmas City visitors. Showtimes are 2 p.m. Dec. 3-5 and 10-12, and performances take place in historic, 200-year-old Central Moravian Church, Main and Church streets.
Other attractions that focus on early Bethlehem and the holidays include the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem; the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts, which exhibits exquisite china, dollhouse, and textile collections; and Bethlehem by Night Bus Tours that showcase the lights, sights, and sounds of the Christmas City.
Visitors looking for a quiet, quaint way to discover Bethlehem can embark on lantern-led Old-Bethlehem Walking Tours of the historic district, presented by Historic Bethlehem Partnership. On these tours that take place daily Nov. 27-Dec. 23 and Dec. 26-30, guides in period dress lead groups through Bethlehem’s charming historic district to discover what life was like in the early Moravian town on the colonial frontier and experience the city’s collection of beautifully preserved 18th-century Germanic style buildings, which is unsurpassed in the nation.
This year’s Christmas City celebration also features the special 10th anniversary presentation of the popular “Christmas City Follies,” presented by Touchstone Theatre. An area tradition, the shows offer music, wit, and holiday hijinks all wrapped in a wonderful vaudevillian package. Shows will take place inside the Christkindlmarkt tents at Spring and Main streets. Dates are Dec. 26-27, with 7 p.m. evening shows and special children’s performances at 2 p.m.
On Dec. 31, Bethlehem’s holiday festivities go out with a bang, with the music, magic, and fun of First Night Bethlehem. This annual celebration of the arts features more than 30 musical and children’s performers at various venues throughout the city’s downtown. Fun family activities such as ice skating, snowman building, ice carving, and arts and crafts are also featured. The activities get underway with the First Night Bethlehem 5K at 1 p.m., and they’re capped off at midnight by the dropping of the Just Born PEEP and a spectacular fireworks display welcoming the New Year.
Tickets for many 2009 Christmas City events are now on sale on the official Christmas City Web site, www.christmascity.org. Select events, such as Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem and First Night Bethlehem, are offering special savings on tickets purchased prior to the start of the holiday season.
For complete information on all of Bethlehem’s holiday events and attractions, visit www.christmascity.org.