Winter Holiday Events Near Montclair: Tree Lightings, Light Shows

MONTCLAIR, NJ — There is no shortage of things to do in or near Montclair to get the winter holiday season off to a rollicking good start.

Christmas and Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, intersect this year, with Hanukkah running from Dec. 18 to 26. Christmas will take place on Dec. 25, but you don’t have to wait to start taking in all the sights and sounds of the holidays.

In Montclair, the town’s annual tree lighting event will return at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1 on Church Street.

“The event will have plenty of activities for kids, a giant snow globe, a candy lane inflatable, holiday characters, an acapella singing group, and, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus will make a special visit,” organizers said. Read More: Montclair Holiday Tree Lighting To Return For 2022

Here are a few other events near Montclair that are worth checking out:

• A holiday tradition in Nutley is returning for its 60th year in 2022. Santa and Mrs. Claus will come to town on Friday, Nov. 25 at the Park Oval via helicopter at 2 p.m. (gates open 1 p.m.) Nearly 4,000 people attend the event every year, according to the Nutley Chamber of Commerce. Read More: Santa Is Coming To Nutley (And He's Taking A Helicopter)
• In Bloomfield, local business owners and the Bloomfield Center Alliance will welcome shoppers to Bloomfield Center to participate in the third annual Holiday Hunt event on Saturday, Nov. 26, which will include music, activities and prize giveaways. Read More: Family Friendly Holiday Event In Bloomfield Returns For 2022
• A popular winter village with ice skating, go-karts and heated “igloos” will return for the 2022 holiday season in Newark. Read More: Newark 'Winter Village' Has Ice Skating, Heated Igloos, Shopping
• An “immersive drive-thru Christmas light show” is returning to Newark for 2022. Dasher’s Lightshow will reopen on Friday, Nov. 25 at the Newark Moonlight Cinema, 220 Orange Street. It runs until Saturday, Dec. 31, and will be open seven days a week starting at 5 p.m., with the last entry at 10:30 p.m. Read More: Drive-Thru Christmas Light Extravaganza Returns To Newark
• In West Orange, holiday revelers will be able to see Santa at the West Orange Christmas Tree Lighting on Saturday, Dec. 3. Kids can also visit Santa at the popular “Holiday Lights Spectacular” at the Turtle Back Zoo, which runs until Saturday, Dec. 31. Read More: Popular Holiday Lights Show Returning To Turtle Back Zoo For 2022
• Each year, workers turn on thousands of holiday lights at Millburn's Taylor Park so that people can take a "Winter Walk" among them. The annual Winter Walk carnival and lighting celebration is scheduled this Sunday, Nov. 20, from 2 to 6 p.m. After that, people can stroll through the park, lit by thousands of lights, through Jan. 15. Read More: Winter Walk Among Thousands Of Lights In Essex County Through Jan. 15
• More than 50 years ago, toymaker Ernie Camuso built a beloved light display for the holidays in Livingston. As organizers prepare for it to reopen, some of the events have been announced.
  The display typically runs from early December through New Year's. Read More: Events Announced For Major Livingston Holiday Display

This article contains reporting from the Patch national desk

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