Newtown To Usher In Holiday Season With Big Weekend Celebration

NEWTOWN, PA — Newtown will usher in the season with a weekend packed with events, culminating in a big holiday parade.

The events kick off with the town’s annual tree lighting on Friday, Dec. 6 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Newtown Fire Association, 14 Liberty Street.

Santa is scheduled to arrive in a fire truck around 7 p.m. Santa may arrive earlier than 7 so an early arrival is recommended. BC Discoveries Dance and Theater Arts Company and the Goodnoe Elementary School Choir will provide free entertainment.

The Newtown Experience is organizing the event.

The holiday fun continues on Saturday, Dec. 7 with the 61st Newtown Holiday Open House Tourfrom 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The self-guided walking tour will feature six private residences and six public buildings, including the First National Bank, the Newtown Fire Association’s Fire Museum, the Newtown Friends Meeting, Newtown Library Co., the NHA Research Center and the Court Inn.

One of the houses on this year's Newtown Holiday House Tour.

Advance tickets can be purchased at the Newtown Book & Record Exchange, 102 S. State Street, and online at the association’s website.

The cost is $35 for non-members and $30 for members, which includes entry to the Half-Moon Inn owned by the Newtown Historic Association.

Once inside the restored 18th-century building, tour-goers will enjoy period musical entertainment, hearthside colonial cooking demonstrations, and more.

On the day of the tour, tickets can be purchased at the Half-Moon Inn, 105 Court Street, and at the Stocking Works, 301 South State Street, Newtown.

Picture-taking and high-heeled shoes are not permitted inside the houses. For additional information, call the Newtown Historic Association at 215-968-4004 or visit the website. All proceeds from the tour benefit the Newtown Historic Association and its programs dedicated to the preservation of Newtown’s historical heritage.

Also on Saturday, Dec. 7 the Newtown Presbyterian Church invites the public inside for its annual chili luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch includes chili (meat or vegetarian), salad, cornbread, beverage, and dessert. The public is invited to eat in or take out. The cost is $14 for adults and $5 for children. Tickets will be available at the door.

Additionally, there will be cookies and handmade items available for sale. Proceeds will be used for the ongoing environmental needs of the Chancellor Street church building.

St. Luke’s Church on Washington Avenue in Newtown also presents a Christmas Charity Bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The bazaar offers hot lunches, baked goods, raffle baskets, silent auctions, knitted/crocheted goods from the Prayer Shawl Ministry, and much more. Proceeds will benefit local charities.

The weekend reaches a holiday crescendo on Sunday, Dec. 8 when the annual McCaffrey’s Food Markets Newtown Holiday Parade steps off at 2 p.m. from the Stocking Works and heads north on State Street to Washington, Washington to Sycamore and Sycamore to Durham Road where the parade concludes.

Presented by the Newtown Business Association, the parade will feature the Council Rock North and South marching bands, string bands, floats, community groups, and much more. Judging will take place on North Sycamore Street next to the Green Parrot Restaurant.

To encourage shopping throughout the holiday season, the borough council has waived the three-hour parking restrictions on State Street and in the municipal lots Thursday to Sunday. The free parking continues through 6 p.m. on Dec. 31.

The Grinch joined members of the Newtown Rotary Club in last year's parade.