Celebrate the Season

Delaware County is filled with magic during the holiday season. From cutting down your own tree and dazzling light displays, to outdoor ice-skating rinks and live holiday performances on stage.  Get in the spirit with some of our favorite seasonal offerings.

 

See holiday light displays.

There are few Delco holiday traditions more cherished than a visit to Rose Tree Park’s Festival of Lights.  For more than four decades, dozens of lighted trees and festive displays have illuminated the winter evenings.  The glimmering walkways and grounds create a magical atmosphere throughout the month of December as visitors young and old frolic amongst figures such as Charlie Brown & the Peanuts Gang and Santa & his reindeer.  On select weekend evenings the festival will host the return of the Delco Holiday Village; giving visitors an opportunity to shop and peruse an al fresco holiday market for the perfect gifts and treats.

Once you’ve made the pilgrimage to Rose Tree Park, hop in the car, put on some holiday tunes, and take a drive through our towns, boroughs, and municipalities.  Delco decks the halls, or in this case, our houses, main streets, storefronts, and historic sites, with holiday lights and cheer for everyone to enjoy.  There’s even an app –  developed by a Delco Dad! –  you can download to plan your perfect light-seeing trip!

 

 

Cut your own Christmas tree.

Arasapha Farm is home to one of the spookiest and scariest attractions (Bates Motel) in the United States during the Halloween season.  But, during the holidays, the monsters and ghouls are long gone, and this family farm is a great place to bundle up and make some memories.  A free hayride to the Christmas Tree Forest is included where you can find amazing Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, and Norway Spruce trees.

Linvilla Orchards, Delaware County’s favorite family-friendly farm, transforms into a Winter Wonderland during the holidays.  Take your whole family on a hayride to the Christmas tree fields to select your tree. They provide a saw, haul your tree back, shake the loose needles, wrap it up and even tie it to your car!

 

 

Visit with Santa.

With tree lighting ceremonies, holiday breakfasts, story times and photo opportunities scheduled throughout December, it seems like Jolly Old St. Nick will be spending lots of his spare time in Delco.  Here are a few of the places you can find him this season:

 

 

Lace up and hit the ice.

Centered around a state-of-the-art outdoor ice skating rink, Flight on Ice hosts TWO family fun locations to Delaware County this holiday and winter season. Food and beverage vendors, cozy fire-pits, Instagram-worthy experiences, and festive lights and decor, are just some of the offerings you can expect at these Delco winter wonderlands.

 

 

Catch a live holiday performance.

Here in Delaware County, there are loads of live productions and performances guaranteed to fill you with the holiday spirit. From A Christmas Carol to The Nutcracker, and everything in between, Delco serves up terrific festive fun for the whole family. With our world-class theater companies and creative talent, you’re sure to find something that will get you in the mood for celebrating this holiday season.

 

Photo credit: Wide Eyed Studios

 

Get in the holiday spirit with local libations.

We guarantee you will find a little holiday cheer in a local-made brew or glass of wine.  Luckily, Delco has you covered on both counts.  Beer lovers can head to Sterling Pig Brewery, 2SP Brewing Company, Larimer Brewhouse, Iron Hill Brewery, and Four Fingers Brewing Company.  Or, if you consider yourself more of an oenophile, Grace Winery, Penns Woods Winery, John Robert Cellars, and Vino Bambino Winery,  can recommend a bottle or two to suit all your holiday hosting needs.  Eat, drink (responsibly!) and be merry!   

 

 

Experience holiday (model) train fun.

Model trains have become a ubiquitous part of the holidays and Delco embraces this beloved holiday tradition and the heart-warming nostalgia they deliver. Brandywine Museum of Art celebrates 50 golden years of the Brandywine Railroad.  A holiday favorite since 1972, the Brandywine Railroad features trains running on 2,000 feet of track and contains more than 1,000 pieces, including locomotives, passenger and freight trains, and trolleys that pass through a small village, a farm, factories, a drive-in movie theater and even a carnival.  A dazzling array of both toy and scale model trains can be seen chugging through the varied scenery, including those made by Lionel, Williams, Atlas, Mike’s Train House, K-line and others. Interactive components are also incorporated into the display to allow for further engagement.

The Historic Grange Estate is an architectural history lesson covering more than 300 years of Delaware County’s history and the holidays are an especially enchanting time to step inside and imagine Christmases past. Model train lovers won’t want to miss the Cobbs Creek Lines Holiday Railroad, a magical land of Lionel and o gauge trains housed in the Estate’s Carriage House. Visitors of all ages will delight in this immersive, fun-filled, and fantastic display.

 

 

Take a Holiday House Tour.

Whether you are looking for some decorating inspiration for your own home, or you just want to spend a leisurely afternoon enjoying beautiful houses and estates in their holiday finest, you won’t want to miss these opportunities to see firsthand just how Delaware County decks its halls. A number of local organizations welcome guests to tour homes and historical sites during the most wonderful time of the year.

 

 

Shop at a holiday market. 

Take a break from the big-box stores and spread the holiday cheer to our local artists, crafters and small businesses. They offer plenty of one-of-a-kind gifts, from handmade jewelry to gourmet snacks and local wines. We’ve compiled a list of jolly markets happening in Delco this holiday season.  Check them out below!

 

 

Want to know more about everything Delco? We’re your source for where to stay, what to do and more in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. We’re Visit Delco, and we’ve got you covered from Philly to the Brandywine. Contact us at (610) 565-3679, by email, or online.