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Bellefonte Victorian Christmas Returns with Traditional Favorites, New Fun

Bellefonte Victorian Christmas

After last year’s cancelation, Bellefonte Victorian Christmas now celebrates its 40th year, with long-standing traditions, new fun for the family and extra pandemic-related precautions in place. The fun kicks off with a special opening ceremony on Thursday.

“Our opening ceremony is usually on Friday night, with concerts,” says long-time organizer Sally Houser. “But because the schools have closed their buildings to the public, we can’t have them there, and they’re not allowing the students to have their concerts. So, what we’re doing is we’re having a special ceremony on Thursday evening. Everyone is invited to come, but we especially want people who have been either on the Victorian Christmas Committee or who have chaired the Victorian Christmas Committee to come that night, because we’re going to honor them.” 

The special ceremony begins at 6 p.m., with a concert from the Bellefonte Community Band on the balcony of the Brockerhoff House, followed by the opening ceremony at 6:30 p.m. The “official” Bellefonte Victorian Christmas event, however, will still kick off Friday, Dec. 10, as planned, at First Presbyterian Church, with performances by the Nittany Knights and Bellefonte Victorian Christmas Community Choir starting at 6:30 p.m.

Also new for the 40th anniversary, event coordinators have created a surprise, commemorative Christmas ornament, which will be available for purchase both at event information booths and at Plumb’s Card & Gift Shop. 

Another new addition to this year’s festivities takes place at The Gamble Mill. The venue will offer a warm-up spot for attendees, with hot beverages such as hot chocolate and cider. Belle Mercantile will also have a model train exhibit on display throughout the event. 

To allow for greater social distancing, some of the Victorian Christmas holiday vendors will be set up in outdoor spots around downtown Bellefonte. Some activities beyond those mentioned above have likewise been moved to new locations for this year. Houser suggests all guests check the event guide or website before attending, to be sure they don’t miss their favorite Bellefonte Bellefonte Victorian Christmas traditions. 

Her top tip for both new and returning attendees? “Make sure to ride the shuttles this year. Because we have some of the vendors outside, some of the [parking] areas are going to be closed. [Attendees] need to park at Bellefonte High School and ride the shuttles down. They’ll run continuously.”

Shuttle service will drop off attendees both on Allegheny Street and at the corner of North Allegheny Street and Linn Street. Shuttle service will not only be available to ferry attendees to and from downtown, but also to The Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology for the school’s Festival of Trees, an event which displays more than 60 decorated Christmas trees, as well as to Titan Market.

For a can’t-miss Bellefonte Victorian Christmas experience, Houser recommends attendees plan to snag tickets for the Fezziwig Dinner and Holiday Party, which includes a traditional Christmas dinner and celebrations led by the favorited, 10-person Dickens acting troupe. The event takes place in the St. John the Evangelist Church auditorium at 6:30 p.m., Dec. 11. 

“It’s a bit smaller than what we’re used to, so tickets are really going to be limited this year,” says Houser. Approximately 130 tickets are available and can be purchased by visiting or calling Plumb’s Card & Gift Shop at (814) 355-9404

For more information about this year’s event, including a full schedule, visit www.bellefontevictorianchristmas.com