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Ring In The Season With Community Events
The Hazleton holiday season kicks off with Hazleton for the Holidays, featuring a range of family-friendly events hosted by the City of Hazleton and various local organizations, including CAN DO, the Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress (DHAP), the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce and many others.
Mayor’s City Hall Tree Lighting
& CAN DO Community Christmas
Wednesday, December 4 ; 5 – 9 p.m.
The festivities begin on December 4 with the Hazleton Holiday Celebration, comprising of the Mayor’s City Hall Tree Lighting and the 31st Annual CAN DO Community Christmas. The tree lighting at City Hall starts at 5 p.m., accompanied by complimentary hot chocolate served by students from Immanuel Christian School. Across the street at the Hazleton Public Library, a special character story-time featuring Frosty the Snowman adds to the festive cheer.
Following the tree lighting, the CAN DO Student Action Committee will host the 31st annual CAN DO Community Christmas at Christ Lutheran Church from 5 to 9 p.m., featuring performances by local student groups throughout the Hazleton Area School District. After the concert, attendees can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus and enjoy refreshments provided by Keystone Job Corps and Niagara Bottling.
CAN DO Community Park Tree Lighting
Friday, December 6 ; 4:30 – 8 p.m.
On December 6, the celebrations continue with the 4th Annual CAN DO Community Park Tree Lighting at 5 p.m. at CAN DO Community Park, where visitors can enjoy a living nativity scene by Holy Annunciation Parish, live music and hot chocolate. This event will also see the lighting of a grand 22-foot Christmas tree.
That same evening, the Hazleton Art League will host the opening of its exhibition Reclamation: From Coal Dust to Hope by Robert McCormick from 5 to 8 p.m. Visitors can also enjoy free photos with Santa at the Hazleton LaunchBox, supported by Amazon AVP1 and the Pennsylvania State Police.
DHAP’s Annual Wassailfest & Downtown Hazleton Night Market takes place from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Wassailfest, a traditional event designed to celebrate the holiday spirit and support local businesses, offers attendees the chance to sample unique beverages throughout Downtown Hazleton with the purchase of a $10 collectible mug.
Hazleton’s Christmas Village
at CAN DO Community Park
Sundays, December 8, 15 & 22 ; 2 – 7 p.m.
December 8, 15, and 22 will feature Hazleton’s Christmas Village and the City of Hazleton’s Annual Santa Parades, where Santa and Mrs. Claus will travel through the city streets, concluding at CAN DO Community Park. From 3 to 7 p.m. on these Sundays, local vendors will sell unique holiday items, with photo opportunities with Santa starting at 5 p.m.
Adding to the festive lineup, the Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts, in partnership with Drama in Motion Studio of Performing Arts, will present The Nutcracker Ballet on December 6-8, followed by the holiday variety show Season’s Greetings From: PTPA on December 15 at 3:30 p.m.
With these events and more, Hazleton for the Holidays promises a season full of warmth, music and community joy. For comprehensive details, visit HazletonForTheHolidays.com.
