Bellefonte Victorian Christmas events include slate of festival food experiences

One of Centre County’s most anticipated holiday events, Bellefonte Victorian Christmas, will take over downtown Bellefonte and beyond from Dec. 13-15. From concerts to holiday shopping, there’s a full lineup of yuletide cheer for locals and visitors to partake in, but, in your attempt to pack in as much fun as possible, don’t forget to eat. Festive food experiences take center stage over the three days as well.

Some of the highlight events are already sold out, even with Bellefonte Victorian Christmas still two weeks away. However, if you didn’t manage to snag a reservation for one of the Victorian Christmas teas, which take place across six of Bellefonte’s historic homes, or you’ve found the keepsake holiday cookie crawl tins have been snatched up, there’s still more to love.

The two can’t-miss foodie experiences, organizers agree, include A Christmas Cordial, a ticketed event hosted at State Burger Co. on Dec. 13, and the likewise ticketed Christmas Express Dinner, Sat. 14.

“Both events have entertainment and good food. My favorite part about both of those events is that attendees can experience the Bellefonte community atmosphere and a bunch of Christmas cheer while they eat. It makes both events really special,” organizer Beth Schwartz said.

A Christmas Cordial features a series of special hors d’oeuvres from State Burger Co. (think fried Brussels sprouts with gochujang and malt vinegar aioli, or pumpkin empanadas with cinnamon cream sauce) paired with craft beverages from Big Spring Spirits. Tickets are $50 and available until Dec. 7. The Christmas Express Dinner takes place at the American Philatelic Society’s Sundman Hall, where a classic holiday feast is served in a railcar-inspired setting, inclusive of an old-time radio-style performance from Class Act Productions. Tickets are $55 for adults and $20 for children. Tickets for both events can be purchased on the Bellefonte Victorian Christmas website.

Additionally, Titan Hollow is hosting a murder mystery dinner theater experience at various times across the entire weekend, Dec. 12-15. Tickets for Cutthroat Christmas: Deadly Deals are available at sockandbuskintc.org/tickets, with tickets starting at $25 for adults and $20 for youth, seniors and military. Dinner must be purchased separately.

There’s also a family-friendly option for those who may want to save their cash for gift shopping at downtown storefronts.

“If a whole family wants to experience a food-related event, they can attend Breakfast with Santa at Faith Methodist Church from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. [Dec. 14],” Schwartz said. “A full breakfast is offered at that event with tickets available at the door. Adults are $6, children are $3. Free crafts and activities will be at this event, too. The highest interest activities at the breakfast are caricatures with Chip Mock and a puppet show from Adam Schwartz.”

Other favorite activities to anticipate include visiting the gingerbread houses display at Diamond Deli on Allegheny Street, where you can also grab a bite to eat during your explorations — as you can at any of the other eateries participating in the event in some form, including Happy Wraps, Big Spring Spirits and Brother’s Pizza. Several markets will also have food on offer throughout Bellefonte Victorian Christmas, including Titan Market and the Winter Market at Talleyrand Park.

Wherever the event takes you, keep an eye out for this year’s theme.

“Our overall theme for Bellefonte Victorian Christmas this year is ‘The Christmas Express,’” said Schwartz, “so vendors and events may have train-related aspects up their sleeve. This is clear from the name of our Christmas Express Dinner this year, and that event will have some nods to trains. Attendees can make a game of finding all the train-related fun throughout the weekend.”

And if you’re having difficulty deciding just how you spend your days and evenings in Bellefonte over the three-day event, Schwartz suggests heading to the event website, www.bellefontevictorianchristmas.com, to plan out what to do each day.

“There is so much going on in downtown Bellefonte throughout the weekend that you can’t experience it all,” she said. “Figure out what sounds the most fun to you and do it. It could even just be a plan to shop at the cute shops and eateries on High and Allegheny streets. There are so many people visiting, that just casual shopping like that is more fun than usual. People also can’t go wrong shopping or eating anywhere that has a storefront in Bellefonte. I may be a little partial, but I think that Bellefonte has the best eateries in Centre County.”