Christmas past will come to life this weekend at the 30th annual Bellefonte Victorian Christmas celebration.
Downtown Bellefonte will transform for events throughout the borough to a time when burning Yule logs were admired in person and yawning contests were the polite way to signal it was time for guests to go home.
The celebration will officially kick off today with a candlelight caroling procession down Allegheny Street to Bellefonte Elementary School. A free choir and band concert will be held at the school at 6:30 p.m., and a parlor party for adults will round out the evening.
Christmas and visions of the Victorian era usually go hand in hand. Whether it’s Christmas art, caroling or Christmas dinner, many say it was Dickens, author of Victorian-era classics such as “A Tale of Two Cities,” who established the connection.
The weekend festivities will feature strolling Victorian era-inspired carolers and musicians, horse-drawn carriage rides throughout Bellefonte, art and craft displays, children and adult teas, the Bellefonte Women’s Club Homes Tour and a gingerbread house contest.
And, of course, Santa will host sittings for children to share their holiday gift lists.
Schedule of events
Dec. 9• All day: Gingerbread house contest display, Diamond Deli
• 6 and 9 p.m.: Horse-drawn carriage rides, front of the Brockerhoff
• 6:30 p.m.: Opening ceremony, Bellefonte Area Elementary School
• 8 p.m.: Parlor Party for adults, Centre County Library
Dec. 10
• All day: Dickens strolling characters, carolers and musicians
• All day: Gingerbread house contest display, Diamond Deli
• All day: Civil War re-enactment groups
• All day: The Days of Victorian Christmas Game, throughout Bellefonte
• 8:30-11:30 a.m., Breakfast with Santa and Victorian Christmas Children’s Party, Lambert Hall
• 9 a.m.-5 p.m.: Arts and crafts show, Bellefonte Family YMCA and Bellefonte Elementary School
• 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.: Free shuttle bus service from Bellefonte Area middle school and high school parking lots
• 10 a.m.: Victorian High Tea and Brunch with Dickens, American Philatelic Society
• 10 a.m.: Concert by Ancient Echoes, Trinity United Methodist Church
• 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Centre County Library and Historical Museum displays
• 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Horse-drawn carriage rides, front of the Brockerhoff
• 11 a.m.: Penn State Christmas Trombones, Trinity United Methodist Church
• 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County displays
• 11:45 a.m.: Welcome Santa with the Bellefonte Area High School Brass Band, Diamond
• Noon-4 p.m.: Santa’s House, Diamond
• Noon: St. John the Evangelist Folk Choir, Trinity United Methodist Church
• 1 p.m.: Child’s Victorian Tea and art activities, Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County
• 1-3 p.m.: Children’s activities at the library
• 1 p.m: Toot-In-Common, Trinity United Methodist Church
• 2-7 p.m.: Bellefonte Women’s Club Homes Tour, throughout Bellefonte
• 2 p.m.: Callanish, Trinity United Methodist Church
• 3 p.m.: Child’s Victorian Tea and art activities, Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County
• 3 p.m.: Gingerbread house demonstration, Diamond Deli
• 3 p.m.: Nittany Valley Symphony Youth Flute Choir, Trinity United Methodist Church
• 4 p.m.: Victorian Christmas Singers concert, St. John's Episcopal Church
• 5-7 p.m.: Dinner with Dickens & Company, American Philatelic Society, 100 Match Factory Place
• 7:30 p.m.: Bellefonte Community Band Christmas Concert, First Presbyterian Church
• 8 p.m.: Parlor Party for adults, Centre County Library
Dec. 11
• All day: Dickens strolling characters, carolers and musicians, throughout Bellefonte
• All day: Gingerbread house contest display, Diamond Deli
• All day: Civil War re-enactment groups, throughout Bellefonte
• All day: The Days of Victorian Christmas Game, local shops and restaurants
• 10 a.m.: Victorian High Tea and Brunch with Dickens, American Philatelic Society
• 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.: Free shuttle bus service from Bellefonte Area middle school and high school parking lots
• 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Arts and crafts show, Bellefonte Family YMCA and Bellefonte Area Elementary School
• 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Horse-drawn carriage rides, front of the Brockerhoff
• Noon-4 p.m.: Santa’s House, Diamond
• Noon-5 p.m.: Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County displays
• Noon-4 p.m.: Centre County Library and Historical Museum displays
• 2 p.m.: A Child’s Victorian Tea and art activities, Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County
• 2 p.m.: Penn State Graduate Woodwind Quintet, Trinity United Methodist Church
• 3 p.m.: Penn State Aster Piano Trio, Trinity United Methodist Church
• 7:30 p.m.: Bellefonte Victorian Christmas Community Choir
Visit www.bellefontevictorianchristmas.com/daily_schedule.php for more information.
