The Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites the public to enjoy 51 trees and 18 wreaths during the final week of Festival of Trees at the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center, 15 South Main Street in downtown Chambersburg. Decorated trees and wreaths are displayed in the elegant lobby and second floor Great Room of the 11/30 Visitors Center, which was formerly the 1865 National Bank of Chambersburg and functioned as a bank until 2015. Two old vaults are decorated for the holidays. One shows a village covered in snow and ready for Christmas. The other is the video vault, decorated like grandma’s house and showing old-fashioned Christmas specials, like “Frosty the Snowman” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
Festival of Trees offers a chance to view the trees and wreaths, vote for your favorite, and even bid to take one home. All proceeds of voting and the auction will benefit the Cumberland Valley Breast Care Alliance. Take a sneak peek here. December 2 is the final day of Festival of Trees. Voting closes at 7:45 PM, so votes can be counted to announce the tree and wreath with the most votes as well as the winners of each tree.
Other Festival of Tree activities include:
Cumberland Valley Model Railroad Club Christmas train display.
Accepting donations for Sharing the Heart of the Holidays items, all to benefit Franklin County neighbors that need a little extra help this holiday season.
Coloring contest for children with a first prize of $50 and three honorable mentions of $20. Stop in at the visitors center to color the picture, or download it here and drop it at the visitors center.
Take-away crafts–a new one for each day of Festival of Trees.
Letter-writing to Santa, followed by a reply from Santa.
Drawing to win a Franklin County Holiday Basket with locally crafted arts, holiday ornaments, local foods, tickets to a 2022-23 Capitol Theatre show, and much more. Total value exceeds $400.
Santa will visit the 11/30 Visitors Center from 5 PM to 7 PM on December 2. Stop by for a photo or just to say Merry Christmas!
December 2 is First Friday throughout downtown Chambersburg. It is Candle Night. Luminaries will line the downtown streets as Christmas lights glisten above. Chambersburg Council for the Arts is hosting a luminary walk, beginning at 5 PM. Brussels Café, 55 North Main, is holding a Christmas Market from 1 PM to 8 PM with artisan vendors, Ugly Sweater Contest at 6 PM, and carolers in Chambers Fort Park from 7 PM to 7:30 PM. The Cocoa Crawl is back, too. Special Cocoa Crawl mugs go on sale at 5:45 PM and cocoa tasting begins at 6 PM at participating merchant–including Black & Blush Boutique, ReMix, Franklin County Visitors Bureau, Hammer & Stain, Denim Coffee, Cheerful Flowers & Gifts, YP Jewelers, Boost Mobile, and Willow & Birch. Many downtown merchants have specials, doorbusters, and giveaways.
The businesses of downtown Chambersburg present Christmas on Main, December 6, from 5 PM to 8 PM. Celebrate the beauty of the season and the holiday spirit with the Cocoa Crawl, Kinder Christmas Market, and the final evening of Festival of Trees.
Cocoa Crawl
Cocoa Crawl is a chance to taste special hot cocoa recipes served by downtown businesses and organizations. At 5:45 PM, Cocoa Crawl mugs go on sale on the square in front of F&M Bank. Participants can sip, stroll, shop, and enjoy the beautifully decorated Main Street of Chambersburg. At the end of the evening after tasting all the cocoas, vote for favorite your favorite.
Kinder Christmas Market
Kinder Christmas Market is a special Christmas Market. It gives young artisans a chance to showcase their talent and try their hand at entrepreneurship. These wares are extra-special gifts to share original art with friends and family, plus support young talent and build their confidence.
Festival of Trees at the 11/30 Visitors Center
Be sure to visit Festival of Trees at the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center, located next door to Central Presbyterian Church. Enjoy the beauty of more than 30 trees and wreaths, decorated by county-wide businesses, organizations, and groups. Vote for your favorite or bid on one to take home. Children can color a Ben Franklin holiday page or make a candy cane or wreath ornament. At 6:30 PM in the lobby of the 11/30 Visitors Center, enjoy the 2019 A Cappella & Unplugged winners—For F4ith—as they sing selections from their holiday cd—A Faith-Filled Christmas. (The cd will be on sale for $10.) At 7 PM, Marla Hart, a 2019 A Cappella & Unplugged finalist, will perform holiday favorites, including fun, jingle bell songs and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
Plus, Santa will be downtown from 5 PM to 6:30 PM. Holiday music along Main Street will be proviced by Rick Summers and James Buchanan Alumi Chorus,
As December begins, Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites visitors to enjoy the season with two fun events going on in the county; the Annual Cocoa Crawl and Renfrew’s Christmas on the Farm. Both events highlight the beauty and history of Franklin County, from delicious new traditions under sparkling lights to the honoring of traditional pastimes.
Stroll downtown Chambersburg from 6pm to 8pm on December 1 for the 4th Annual Cocoa Crawl. Enjoy the twinkling lights and Christmas tree as carolers and other music groups perform as hot chocolate is being served by local non-profit groups and downtown merchants.
Bundle up and buy a commemorative mug to cast a vote for the best hot chocolate and enjoy the many different takes on the classic drink. Voting also enters participants into winning downtown dollars and gift certificates for local places Totem Pole Playhouse, Capitol Theatre and upcoming IceFest events!
Looking to experience a traditional Christmas? Renfrew’s Christmas on the Farm on December 1, 2 and 3 takes visitors back in time to what a Christmas would have been like on the restored 1800’s Pennsylvania German farmstead. A one-act play in the visitor’s center depicts one such family and visitors can enjoy apple cider and warm cookies as they explore the grounds.
Enjoy the festivities 5:30pm to 8:30pm on December 1, 2pm to 8pm on December 2 and 1pm to 5pm on December 3. In German culture, Christmastime is a very celebrated time of year. It was the German immigrants that brought holiday traditions to America that we know today, such as putting trees inside the house and decorating them. Renfrew pays tribute to their Pennsylvania German heritage by embracing that holiday spirit, and decorating the entire museum house inside and out, transforming itself into a winter wonderland. Characters in every room interpret the holidays. Twinkling lights and beautiful antiques fill each room and live music performs throughout the three-day event and the museum remains decorated throughout December for the season.
These and many more holiday happenings are going on in Franklin County!
