Bethlehem Continues To Boost Christmas Events

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Northampton County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bethlehem keeps working to earn its Christmas City nickname.

The city may have more holiday events than ever this year: Christkindlmarkt is open for its 21st year, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites is holding holiday tours and carriage rides for its 20th year and Center City’s Christmas City Village is returning for its third year.

The continued addition of holiday attractions has only helped existing events, operators said. Christkindlmarkt, a German-style holiday marketplace put on by ArtsQuest, had two of its three best years following the debut of the Downtown Bethlehem Association-organized Christmas City Village in 2011, ArtsQuest spokesman Mark Demko said.

Christmas City Village — an open-air German-style market also known as Weihnachtsmarkt — is adding another five huts for a total of 35 this year, Downtown Business Association Manager Kara Johnson said. And Historic Bethlehem is already ahead of schedule on pre-sale tour and carriage ride tickets, according to LoriAnn Wukitsch, the organization’s vice president and managing director.

Read more: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2013/11/bethlehem_continues_to_boost_c.html

Pittsburgh’s 53rd Light Up Night Continues Grand Traditions

A map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with its neighborhoods labeled. For use primarily in the list of Pittsburgh neighborhoods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The 53rd-annual Light Up Night on Nov. 22 will offer an additional performance stage in Mellon Square, another new show in Market Square and a three-block area of Smithfield Street where you can enjoy nostalgic dancing in the street. And the Peoples Gas Holiday Market, returning for its sophomore year Nov. 23 to Dec. 23, will be twice the size of last year’s European-style Christmas market.

Mellon Square will host the new Northwest Savings Bank Stage, where Pittsburgh classic-rock bands The Elliotts and Totally 80s will perform on Light Up Night, overlooking Smithfield Street.

Nearby, at the Macy’s Stage on Smithfield Street, Gloria Gaynor will perform to coordinate with the unveiling of the famous Macy’s windows. And on Smithfield Street, visitors can “Dance Through the Decades” as they enjoy live music from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, along with laser effects and bubble machines.

Read more: http://triblive.com/aande/moreaande/4989209-74/market-street-downtown#ixzz2k0I6sLMw 
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