Lancaster County Events -
December, 2008

Here is a listing and description of some of the special December events taking place in Lancaster County in 2008.

The dates, times, and admission prices are accurate as of the time of this posting. However, it is possible that changes may occur as the year progresses.

Therefore, please check back periodically to see if there have been any updates. We plan to list more events as information becomes available.

Ephrata

Christmas at the Cloister - Spend a few moments in quiet reflection with seasonal readings and holiday music in the historic Saal.

• Location: Ephrata Cloister, 632 West Main Street, Ephrata, PA 17522
• Phone: (717) 733-6600
• Date: December 8, 2008 and December 9, 2008
• Time: Shows begin at 6:30 PM, 7:45 PM and 9:00 p.m.
• Admission: $4.00 for programs at 6:30 p.m. & 7:45 p.m.; Free for the 9 p.m. program. Seating is limited and advance tickets are required.

  Tickets are available to members of the Ephrata Cloister Associates in The Museum Store beginning November 1, 2008 or by mail with a post mark dated on or after November 1, 2008.

  Tickets are available for the general public in The Museum Store on November 8, 2008 or by mail with a post mark dated on or after November 8, 2008.

  Mail requests for tickets must include a first and second choice of program day and time, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope, a daytime contact phone number and $4.00 for each ticket.

  Checks can be mailed and made payable to: Ephrata Cloister Associates and mailed to: Christmas at the Cloister tickets,632 West Main Street, Ephrata, PA 17522. Requests will be filled in the order they are received. NO exchanges or refunds will be made.

Lantern Tours -These tours take you back in time to visits the Cloister as it may have appeared in the 1700s.

Each year’s story offers a cast of junior and senior high school students playing the roles that bring history to life.

• Location: Ephrata Cloister, 632 West Main Street, Ephrata, PA 17522
• Phone: (717) 733-6600
• Date: December 26, 2008 through December 29, 2008
• Time: Tours begin every half hour
• Admission: Reservations are required. Call the Cloister after December 1. Admission charged.

Lancaster City

The Christmas Show: Constantly compared to Radio City Music Hall, American Music Theatre’s Christmas Show is widely hailed as one of America’s best.

You will enjoy a wide variety of secular and sacred Christmas songs, ranging from outstanding a cappella renditions to powerful orchestral versions.

The comedy sketches are fun for kids ages 1 to 92. The graceful American Music Theatre dancers as well an appearance from Santa himself.

Make this holiday season the most memorable of all with Lancaster’s favorite Christmas show.

• Location: American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, PA 17602
• Phone: (717) 397-7700 or(800)648-4102
• Date: The Christmas shows run from November 1, 2008 through December 30, 2008. There will be a show every day in November except for Mondays and on Thanksgiving.
• Time:
  Saturday and Sunday Shows: 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM
  Tuesday Shows: 3:00 PM only
  Wednesday Shows: 10:30 AM and 3:00 PM
  Thursday and Friday Shows: 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM
  Note: There will not be any shows on the day of Christmas Eve, on Christmas Day, or on the day of New Year's Eve. Although there are not usually any shows on Mondays, there will be a 3:00 PM and 7:30 PM show on December 29, 2008.
• Admission: Please call for ticket prices.

A Christmas Carol : Journey back to Victorian London, 1843 for a classic tale that shows it's never too late to change.

• Location: Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, 510 Centerville Road, Lancaster, PA 17601
• Phone: (717) 898-1900
• Date: November 6, 2008 through December 23, 2008
• Time:
  Shows tend to begin at 1:15 PM, 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM with the meals beginning at 11:45 AM, 5:30 PM and 6:00 PM, respectively. Please call for details.
• Admission: Tickets vary depending seating arrangements and other factors. Please call for details.

First Friday - It is always a great time to visit Lancaster City on the first Friday of each month. Experience the downtown as 0ver 60 galleries, museums, shops, and restaurants extend their hours.

• Location: Downtown Lancaster City
• Phone: (717) 509-ARTS
• Date: December 5, 2008
• Time: 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
• Admission: Free

Country Christmas Village : Come warm your spirit at a Country Christmas Village and experience Pennsylvania German contributions to the holidays.

Warm up with some hot cider or hot chocolate and gingersnaps. Tour holiday decorated buildings and meet "der Belsnickel" - the folk character that evolved into the modern version of Santa Claus.

And, be sure to stop at the Weathervane, Landis Valley Museum Store, for unique holiday gifts.

• Location: Landis Valley Museum, 2451 Kissel Hill Road, Lancaster, PA 17601
• Phone: (717)581-0591
• Date:
  Friday, December 5, 2008 through Sunday, December 7,2008
  Friday, December 12, 2008 through Sunday, December 14,2008
  Friday, December 26, 2008 through Sunday, December 28,2008
• Time:
  Fridays and Saturdays: 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM
  Sundays: Noon until 4:00 PM

A Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas: Holiday at Landis Valley -Tour holiday-decorated buildings, sing traditional carols by the warmth of a bonfire and enjoy cookies and hot-mulled cider in the Yellow Barn.

• Location: Landis Valley Museum, 2451 Kissel Hill Road, Lancaster, PA 17601
• Phone: (717) 569-0401
• Date:
  Friday, December 12, 2008
• Time: 6:00 PM until 8:30 PM
• Admission: Free admission. Donations of canned goods will be accepted at the entrance for the Lancaster Food Bank.

Lititz

Lovin' Litiz Every Second! - A great way to see historic downtown Lititz, Pennsylvania is to visit on the second Friday of every month when the town erupts for a special celebration for everyone.

Join downtown merchants in a lively evening of shopping, live music performances, art exhibits, poetry readings, jewelry shows, special dinner menus & local food tastings, and much more.

• Location: Downtown Lititz
• Phone: (717) 627-1919
• Date: December 12, 2008,
• Time: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
• Admission: Free

Manheim

A Dickens of a Christmas - This season the Victorian Mount Hope Mansion brings you many of your favorite Dickensian characters who will lift your Yuletide spirits with joyous caroling, parlor games and intimate theater shows.

Celebrate the holiday season with timeless classics that never cease to entertain.

• Location: Mount Hope Estate & Winery, 2775 Lebanon Rd., Manheim, PA 17545
• Phone:(717)665-7021
• Date: November 28, 2008 through December 21, 2008
• Admission: $19.95 for weekend adult admission; $17.95 for weekday adult admission; $9.95 for weekend and weekday child admission.

Paradise

Deck the Halls and Clean the Kitchen : Written in 1997, this play is one of the Rainbow Dinner Theatre most requested Christmas shows.

It's a story how all of us get so swept up in decorations, shopping and preparations, that we often forget the real meaning of the season.

Deck The Halls And Clean The Kitchen reminds us all that when the big day finally arrives, our family and friends are the most important gifts we have.

• Location: Rainbow Dinner Theatre, Route 30 East, Paradise, PA 17652
• Phone: (717) 687-4300
• Date: November 11, 2008 through December 29, 2008
• Time: Please call for details.
• Admission: Please call for details.

Strasburg

Voices of Christmas - An engaging excursion of Christmases past, the show begins in Victorian times, delving into the people and stories behind Christmas traditions.

Highlighting the voices that have carried the Christmas message throughout generations and returning to the announcement of the birth of the King of Kings.

• Location: Sight & Sound® Living Waters Theatre, 202 Hartman Bridge Road, Strasburg, PA 17579 (1/2 mile from Rockvale Square Outlets, on Route 896 South of Route 30)
• Phone: (717)687-7800
• Date: November 1, 2008 through January 3, 2009
• Time: Please call for times
• Admission: $29.00 for Adults, over 18 years of age; $16.00 for Young Adults, ages 13 to 18; $12.00 for Children, ages 12 and under. Group, multi-show, and package discounts available.

Miracle of Christmas - Presenting the lives of Mary and Joseph focusing on their relationship, experience of angelic visits, and the miracle of their son's birth.

The show culminates in a joyful celebration as kings, angels and shepherds converge to welcome the infant King.

• Location: Sight & Sound® Living Waters Theatre, 202 Hartman Bridge Road, Strasburg, PA 17579 (1/2 mile from Rockvale Square Outlets, on Route 896 South of Route 30)
• Phone: (717)687-7800
• Date: November 21, 2008 through January 3, 2009
• Time: Please call for times
• Admission: $40.00 for Adults, over 18 years of age( Weekdays T-Th ); $50.00 for Adults, over 18( Weekends Fri-Sat ); $28.00 for Young Adults, ages 13 to 18; $16.00 for Children, ages 12 and under. Group, multi-show, and package discounts available.

Day Out With Thomas - Join Thomas the Tank Engine, a full-sized, operating steam locomotive, as he chugs into town with his friends. Ride a train pulled by Thomas and meet Sir Topham Hatt. There will be storytelling, live music, and more fun for kids.

• Location: Strasburg Rail Road, Route 741 East, Strasburg, PA 17579
• Phone: 717-687-7522
• Date: December 5, 2008 through December 7, 2008
• Time: All day
• Admission: $18 a person, ages 2 and up. It is strongly recommended that you purchase tickets in advance either online or by calling Ticketweb at 866-468-7630.

Home for the Holidays - Take a nostalgic glimpse at holiday rail travel. Meet costumed engineers, conductors, ticket agents and passengers representing the past century and enjoy seasonal music, festive decorations, Jack Frost Station and a Polar Express party for young children among the world-class collection of trains.

• Location: Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 Gap Road, Strasburg, PA 17579
• Phone: (717)687-8628
• Date: Saturday, December 6, 2008 and Saturday, December 13, 2008
• Time: 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM
• Admission: Included with regular Museum admission: $8.00 for Adults, ages 18 to 59; $7.00 for Senior Adults, ages 60 and over; $7.00 for Young Adults, ages 6 to 17, Free for Children, ages 5 and under.

Santa's Paradise Express - Recapture the magic of the holiday season. Potbelly stoves gently warm the passenger cars as you travel with Santa. Sing Christmas carols along with musicians as they stroll from car to car.

• Location: Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, 300 Gap Road, Strasburg, PA 17579
• Phone: 717-687-8628
• Date: December 8, 2007 and December 15, 2007
• Time: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Admission: There will be a charge of $5.00 for Non-Members in addition to the regular museum admission fee. There is no additional charge for Members. The regular museum admission fee : $7.00 for Adults, ages 18-59; $6.00 for Senior Adults, ages 60 and over; $5.00 for Youths, ages 6-17; Free for Young Children, ages 5 and under
• Note: Limited to 20 children per party. Pre-registration is required. Call 717/687-8628, ext 3008 or email info@rrmuseumpa.org in advance to pre-register.

Santa's Paradise Express - Recapture the magic of the holiday season. Potbelly stoves gently warm the passenger cars as you travel with Santa. Sing Christmas carols along with musicians as they stroll from car to car. If you listen carefully, you may even hear the sounds of ringing bells.

• Location: Strasburg Rail Road, Route 741 East, Strasburg, PA 17579
• Phone: 717-687-7522
• Date:
  December 12, 2008 through December 14, 2008
  December 19, 2008 through December 21, 2008
• Time: All day
• Admission: $16.00 for Persons 12 years of age and older; $10.00 for Children, ages 3 through 11; $4.00 for Toddlers, under 3 years of age.

To find out what special events and activities are taking place during the rest of the year, please click on any of the following links:

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November





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