As you walk through downtown Bellefonte every holiday season you can’t miss the sparkling lights strung along the lamp poles and the towering Christmas tree in front of the court house. You may even recognize a few people looking like they’re from the movie Scrooge. These are the Victorian actors, making an ode to Bellefonte’s history. Best of all, there are endless activities to be enjoyed throughout the season.
These events are typically on a weekend in December, Friday through Sunday, typically beginning at 6pm on Friday. This year they were on December 12 through December 14.
To kick off Victorian Christmas this year, the Bellefonte Chorale performed at St. John’s church at 10 a.m. in the “Youth in Harmony.” Afterwards, the Strings Orchestra performed at 1:00 p.m.
“It was a nice addition to our repertoire and was a good way to include our community,” senior Alex Stanton said.
Specialized activities are offered to families with kids, like Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, the Talleyrand Express Kids Barrel Train Ride also on Saturday, and Santa’s Arrival to his house on Saturday through Sunday. Many more can be found on the Victorian Christmas website.
This event is not only tailored to younger kids, but adults as well. A Christmas Cordial, It’s a Wonderful Life Holiday Dinner, and Horse Drawn Carriage Rides are all staple events for adults.
The first event on Friday was a Christmas Cordial consisting of drink tastings from breweries throughout our county, hors d’oeuvres, and a final round of sweet treats. You must be over 21 to participate in the drink tasting. This past year it took place at the State Burger.
On Saturday, the It’s a Wonderful Life Holiday Dinner attracted many for its buffet styled dinner and variety show by Class Act Productions. The buffet was catered by Nittany this year, including roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, fresh green beans, glazed carrots, cranberry relish, and rolls, topped off with dessert.
Offered Friday through Sunday, the Horse Drawn Carriage rides drive you through the town, as if you truly were living in Victorian Christmas. However, these rides can be affected by weather, so when booking next year beware of time changes.
A highlight for all ages is the Winter Market, held on Saturday at Talleyrand park. The event offers a European style open air market, Victorian themed of course. Next year will be the eighth year of business.
All of these events sell out fast, so stay on your toes for the release dates next year, if you want to participate in some of the Victorian fun for the holiday season.