Jim Thorpe, in Carbon County, Pennsylvania is celebrated for its picturesque scenery, its mountainous location, its architecture and as the Gateway to the Poconos.
It is also hugely popular at this traditional time for its Olde Time Christmas Celebration when its streets bustle with the sounds and joy of a Christmas of yesteryear, straight out of a Dickens novel.
Jim Thorpe’s Olde Time Christmas Celebration is spread out over three weekends. Be part of the holiday festivities starting December 2-4th, December 10-11th, and December 17th-18th.
Street carolers sing in chorus while horse-drawn carriages transport riders through Jim Thorpe’s beautifully adorned Victorian streets. Decorated store fronts invite visitors inside to discover unique items and ideal gifts for their loved ones.
Rub shoulders with Dickens characters. If you bring family and friends dressed in Victorian hats or capes, you could be rewarded for dressing in character with a Scrooge dollar given out by Jim Thorpe’s strolling Ambassadors of Christmas (put Scrooge behind you and spend those Scrooge Dollars which is legal tender in Jim Thorpe during Olde Time Christmas).
There are train rides with Santa, live Nativity plays, historic district ghost walks, a Gingerbread House Contest, expanded shopping hours, and seasonal dinner specials at Jim Thorpe’s many restaurants. Grab a mug designed by a local artist and take around to participating merchants for gifts and treats.
In addition, ticketed entertainment takes place each Saturday night of Olde Time Christmas at the Mauch Chunk Opera House, one of the finest downtown music venues in Pennsylvania. This year the timeless Dickens story has a new adaptation – A Coal Country Christmas Carol with all the elements of the original Scrooge, Marley and Tiny Tim placed inCoal Country.
It’s easy to get to Jim Thorpe. It’s only an hour-and-a-quarter from Philadelphia, two hours from New York City and 35 minutes from the Lehigh Valley. For more information on Jim Thorpe visit www.jimthorpe.org/
For more information about top events in Pennsylvania take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Pennsylvania.