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December 6th  Craft Fair Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Holy Name Church & 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Dauntless Fire Station
The craft fair at Holy Name Church boasts 50 vendors and is open from 8:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. There is also a bake sale and food booth. The craft fair at Dauntless Fire Station is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Breakfast With Santa Saturday, 8:00 a.m.; Young Peoples Community Center (YPCC)
Making a special pre-Christmas journey direct from the North Pole! Father Christmas (Santa) is inviting kids and their families to a breakfast exclusively at the YPCC! Come join Father Christmas, the YPCC and the Ebensburg Woman’s Club in celebrating the holidays. To help pay for the extra hay required by Santa’s reindeer to make this special trip, admission will be $6.00 for both children and adults or $15.00 per family of 3 or more. Pre-registrations are strongly suggested. Please call the YPCC at 472-4277. The fee includes breakfast, crafts, story time, and a photo with Santa.
A Dickens of A Dowtnwon All Day Saturday in Historic Downtown Ebensburg
The streets of historic Downtown Ebensburg will come alive with the Christmas spirit. Wander into a local restaurant or pub offering Dickens-era food and ale; shop for antiques and collectibles; enjoy checking out the Victorian Costumes! In “Victorian Ebensburg”, don’t be surprised if you run into Father Christmas! You will have the pleasure of walking tree-lined streets outlined by Victorian lampposts, resting on a Victorian park bench and simply enjoying an old-fashioned holiday. It’s a day right out of “Currier & Ives” in Downtown Ebensburg!
Ice Sculptures Saturday, 9:00 a.m.; In Penn Eben Park
Snow, Ice and Christmas often go together. The reason that we think of Snow and Ice at Christmas is attributed to the Victorians! It was the Victorians who gave us our “traditional” Christmas in Europe and the United States. At the start of the Victorian era (1837), Britain was in a mini ice age that was from about 1550 to 1850. During this time, in London, a winter fair was held on the frozen River Thames. When Charles Dickens was a child, Britain had very heavy snowfalls around Christmas, so when he wrote A Christmas Carol he put lots of snow and ice in it! He also put snow at Christmas in some of his other books like The Pickwick Papers. Charles Dickens' books were very popular (and still are!) so when the Victorians read the books, they thought of snow and Christmas together! One of the other reasons that Snow and Ice became popular in Victorian time is because Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, came from Germany where it was colder and he was used to lots of snow and ice being around at Christmas.
Quilts & Crafts Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; Ebensburg Senior Center
Courthouse Decorating Display All Day Saturday; Cambria County Courthouse
Cross-Country Skiing Ghost Town Trail
The Ghost Town Trail from Ebensburg to Nanty Glo is an 8-mile section of rails-to-trails that connects with 2-miles of trail to Dilltown, Indiana County! Walkers, joggers, bicyclists, cross-country skiers, etc. have the chance to experience scenic beauty at it's finest! The Ghost Town Trail will be open the entire weekend for cross-country skiing. There is additional hiking, biking, and cross- country skiing trails in and around Ebensburg, including around the reservoirs and Lake Rowena. Pony Rides Saturday, 10:00 a.m.; In Penn Eben Park
Pony rides are one crown ($2.00).
Christmas Parade Saturday, 11:00 a.m.; Downtown Ebensburg
Residents and visitors are encouraged to dress in Dickens-style costume for the parade and their afternoon in Downtown Ebensburg!
Children’s Treats Saturday, immediately following parade; Penn Eben Park
As soon as his duties with the Christmas Parade are discharged, Santa Claus will visit the gazebo in Penn Eben Park. There he will distribute free Christmas treats to all good little urchins!
Model Train Show Saturday, Noon; Municipal Building
Choo! Choo! Switch gears and visit a huge model railroad display. Harley Burkett’s HO train layout is 18’ wide and 36’ long!
While aboard in Ebensburg, remember that we are located in an area with a rich railroad heritage. Visit scenic points along the mainline in small neighboring towns of Summerhill and Cassandra. Check out www.ebensburgpa.com for other railroad related attractions within 30 minutes of Ebensburg such as Allegheny Portage Railroad in Cresson, Gallitzin Railroad Tunnels, Horseshoe Curve, Railroaders’ Memorial Museum in Altoona, the Johnstown train station, and Staple Bend Tunnel in Mineral Point.
Model railroading has become an integral part of Christmas in America Ironically, it is undeniable how much Dickens abhorred the rail system and the impending industrial revolution that was to sweep England (and the world) in the mid-nineteenth century. Dickens writes of railways as though they were the epitome of gloom and doom, catastrophic, as demonstrated in Dombey and Son. Charles Dickens seems to be mourning the death of a different life, one he will never return to. Dickens was using the railway and the death of a particular lifestyle as a metaphor for the death of young Paul Dombey.
Charles Dickens is mentioned in most books that were written on the history of the British Rail system, which is indicative of the fact that Dickens' critique of the railways and the industrial revolution must have reached far beyond the pages of Dombey and Son.
Admission for this event is only ten shillings ($2.00) for adults; the little urchins are free! Light refreshments are available.
Sounds of the Season Saturday, Noon; Penn Eben Park
A variety of singing groups will sing holiday favorites and spread Christmas cheer all afternoon long in Penn Eben Park and at the craft fair.
Children’s Activities At The YPCC! Saturday, All afternoon beginning at 12:30 (immediately following parade); Young Peoples Community Center
Come by the Young Peoples Community Center for some Merry Christmas party games. The YPCC is the place for great Christmas games that are ideal for all ages. In order to cover costs of materials, all events at the YPCC have a $3.00 fee. But a daily wristband can be purchased for only $10.00 that allows the wearer to participate in all events that afternoon! See details of each event.
"A Christmas Carol" Movie, Snacks & Tour Saturday, Noon – 4:00 p.m.; First Christian Church Fun for the entire family! Enjoy a continuous showing of “A Christmas Carol” on our large screen. Period-clad staff will serve hot spice cider and cookies and offer tours of the church. Enjoy crafts and a bake sale. Purchase home-made gobs to take home with you. Christmas Games with Father Christmas Saturday, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. (immediately following parade); Young Peoples Community Center (YPCC)
The urchins will enjoy hanging out and playing games with Father Christmas! In Dress-Up Santa, using only paper, cotton and tape, teams race to make a Santa costume. In Christmas Card Toss, throw Christmas cards into a laundry basket a few feet away. Sound easy? Think again! In the Box Game, race to open a gift wrapped in several layers while wearing oven mitts, a hat and scarf.
Admission for this event is $3.00, or daily wristband.
Ladies Early Afternoon Tea Saturday, 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.; Cambria County Historical Society
Seating is very limited and reservations are required by calling (814) 472-6674. Cost of this event is three pound ($12.00).
Sleigh and Carriage Rides & Pony Rides Saturday, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Downtown
Carriage & sleigh rides are only fifteen shilling ($3.00) per person.
IceSkating Indoors Saturday, 1:00 p.m.; North Central Recreation Center
Cambria County’s indoor skating facility will be open all afternoon and evening during “Dickens” for ice-skating. There is a fee for this activity. Rental skates are available.
In Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers, Chapter 30 is devoted to “how the Pickwickians made and cultivated the acquaintance of a couple of nice young men belonging to one of the liberal professions; how they disported themselves on the ice; and how their visit came to a conclusion.” The fee for skating is one pound ($4.00) per person. Skates are available for rent for fifteen shilling ($3.00)
Family Chat With Mr. Dickens & Victorian "Gingerbread Tea" Saturday, 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., & 4:00 p.m.; Ebensburg Presbyterian Church
For kids of all ages. One of the most delightful traditions of Victorian Society was the practice of taking tea. Join a lively 15-minute chat with Mr. Dickens who formed our ideas of the Victorian Christmas. Engage in a question and answer session, followed by a Victorian Tea and dessert downstairs. Begins each hour on the hour.
According to “The Book of Tea”, the act of afternoon tea was created by Anna, the Seventh Duchess of Bedford, in the year 1840 as “a way to quell the inevitable hunger pangs between lunch and dinner” and “became so popular among affluent classes that it … became one of the mainstays of the British way of life.” Let our period clad wait staff hover to meet your every need and set a holiday mood!
Old English Prison Tour Saturday, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Former Cambria County Prison
The English practiced a peculiar form of punishment for someone who could not pay their bills – a special prison where the offender was incarcerated indefinitely until his creditors were satisfied. The fact that a person in prison was unable to work to earn the money necessary to repay the debt did not enter into their logic. Debtors often died in these prisons due to the terrible living conditions.
Dickens’ father was constantly in debt, and in 1824 he was imprisoned in Marshalsea debtor's prison. Charles Dickens was forced to leave school at the age of 12. It was his personal experience of factory work and the living conditions of the poor that inspired Dickens to frequently write of workhouses and prisons. For example, in Oliver Twist, Dickens describes Fagin crossing "a gloomy passage lighted by a few dim lamps, into the interior of the prison". In A Visit To Newgate, he refers to “the tortuous and intricate windings” of the prison. Dickens was a true champion of the poor, and repeatedly pointed out the atrocities of the system through his novels.
Remember when the charity fundraisers came to Scrooge's office looking for a handout for the needy and Scrooge responded gruffly, “Are there no prisons... and the Union workhouses, are they still in operation?"
Sled Riding (Weather Permitting) Saturday, 1:00 p.m.; South Cherry Street
Wait until you try this! An experience unheard of anymore today, actually sled riding down a borough street! South Cherry Street stretches for five blocks between Ebensburg’s downtown and the Ghost Town Trail. During certain periods over the weekend, it will be available for sled riding, weather and conditions permitting. The hill doesn't look like much from the bottom, but from the top, it screams "Sled me!"
It was referred to as “coasting” in Victorian England. American laws have greatly restricted, and in most places prohibited, the practice, once common, of coasting on the highways. But after all, what would a Dickens Christmas be without coasting?
Warning! Riders are cautioned of the dangers inherent in sled riding. Riders are encouraged to wear appropriate safety gear, including helmets. This is not a regulated event, there is no staff available to monitor the event, and riders participate at their own risk. The Borough of Ebensburg is not responsible for injuries sustained during this risky activity. Crossing streets are barricaded, however that does not assure safe passage. The ride is bumpy at each intersection. Quality sleds should be used. There may be vehicles parked along the route. Sleds that have difficulty stopping at the bottom will cross Prave Street to a parking lot, where there will obviously be parked cars. Chirstmas Cantata Saturday, 2:00 p.m.; First United Church of Christ Enjoy the holiday sounds of the Joint Choirs of the First United Church of Christ and the South Ebensburg United Church of Christ as they perform a Christmas Cantata. The performance will feature the Combined Chancel Choirs, the Bell Choir and the Children’s Choir. Following the performance, a string ensemble will play while you enjoy a Welsh Tea and tour of the church. Although no longer a daily indulgence, the traditional Welsh tea was a mainstay. A mammoth baking session would take place once a week in most households. Welsh tea cakes and a rich tea loaf (also known as “speckled bread”) is still the centerpiece of many a Welsh table at teatime.
Cresson Lake Playhouse Holiday Production Saturday, 2:00 p.m.; Cambria County Courthouse
Those boys in Plaid are back for the Holidays! Doo-wop meets Yuletide in Plaid Tidings, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Forever Plaid. In this holiday musical, the Plaid boys continue their supernatural saga returning from the afterlife – again – to play their very own Christmas Special with a host of great holiday songs sure to get everyone feeling a lot like Christmas. Written by Forever Plaid creator Stuart Ross, this high-spirited holiday hit is sure to please audiences! Don’t be left out in the cold, put Plaid Tidings on your Christmas list now! Forever Plaid: Plaid Tidings offers the best of Forever Plaid tied-up in a nifty package with a big Christmas bow on top! Filled with Christmas standards that have all been “Plaid-erized”, the boys are back to do their Christmas Special. Thanks to a heavenly phone call from Rosemary Clooney, Sparky, Smudge, Jinx and Frankie are returning to earth in this delightful sequel of Forever Plaid. This time the 50’s doo-wop quartet tunes their heavenly harmonies on holiday songs and carols, along with a hilarious tribute to The Ed Sullivan Christmas Spectaculars featuring The Rockettes, The Chipmunks, and the Vienna Boys Choir. The boys also whip up a Plaid Caribbean Christmas, which puts the “Day-O” in Excelsis! Call early to reserve your seats for this family production. Admission to the production is ten crown ($10) for adults and five crown ($5) for children. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (814) 472-4333 or visit www.cressonlake.com.
Scrooge & Cookies Saturday, 2:00 p.m.; Young Peoples Community Center
Bah Humbug! What an unlikely duo, Ebenezer and Milk and Cookies. Kids of all ages won’t want to miss this chance to spend time with the old penny-pinching miser himself. Heck, our scrumptious cookies are sure to warm any scrooge’s appetite. Admission for this event is $3.00, or daily wristband.
Christmas Crafts With Mrs. Claus Saturday, 4:00 p.m.; Young Peoples Community Center
Let Mrs. Claus help fill your house with holiday spirit using these favorite Christmas crafts for kids. Our holiday craft ideas are a wonderful way for children to celebrate the romance of the season. With Victorian-era materials create beautiful, beribboned Victorian cones and gift bags to fill with surprises. Also create exquisite snowflakes, shimmering and sparkling in holiday windows and on Christmas trees; so rewarding to make and to give as presents. Large snowflakes can measure up to 4” across. Smaller snowflakes can be worn as pendants, and make festive additions to gift-wrapping.
In order to cover the costs of materials, there is a $10.00 fee for this event.
Movie: The Muppet Christmas Carol Saturday, 4:00 p.m.; Young Peoples Community Center
Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie and the entire cast of the Muppet universe come together in this musical-comedy adaptation of Dickens' immortal classic "A Christmas Carol. This Muppet masterpiece puts a lot of silliness into Dickens' immortal classic. Despite the zany Muppet humor, the story is still heartwarming and fun for the whole family.
Admission for this event is $3.00, or daily wristband. Includes the YPCC bottomless pit of popcorn.
Ladies Late Afternoon Tea Saturday, 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.; Cambria County Historical Society
Sign up your Red Hat Ladies, Women’s Club or just call your girlfriends for this “slightly more formal” ladies tea. It’s 1895 and Mrs. A.W. Buck is hosting this late afternoon tea in her home on North Center Street. The maid has polished the silver tea service and the kitchen staff have prepared a variety of tasty morsels. Portraits will be taken in front of the Christmas tree in Mrs. Buck’s ballroom. Victorian dress is optional.
Seating is very limited and reservations are required by calling (814) 472-6674. Cost of this event is three pound ($12.00). Christmas Bell Concert Saturday, 5:00 p.m.; Express Yourself / Pages & Light
Stop by one of Downtown Ebensburg’s newest stores, Express Yourself and Pages & Light, to enjoy a free concert by the Holy Name Bell Choir. Light refreshments will be served.
Admission to this event is free. Children's Musical Production; A King Is Coming To Town Saturday, 7:00 p.m.; Lakeside Community Church
Come along to the little town of Rumor's Mill, USA, where this morning the whole town seems to have gathered in the town square. What sparked all the excitement? A sign, posted anonymously, declaring 'A King Is Coming To Town!' Just who this King is, no one seems to know. But that hasn't stopped residents from getting ready for the upcoming event. The town reporter, Greta Van Popcorn, is on the story. Mayor Big Wheel is using the news for publicity. Sheriff Badge is trying to keep order and Barbara Booster is hoping this will get Rumor's Mill in the Top 100 Best Towns in America. Is it King Tut, King Kong, or the King of Rock & Roll? Drew and Ellie have the answer, as they want to tell the real story of Christmas.
The performances, at the church, will be at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There will be fellowship and refreshments following the performances each evening. Admission is FREE, but donations are welcome. Children’s Wassailing Tour Saturday, 7:00 p.m.; Young Peoples Community Center
Period costume is encouraged, but not required.
Adult Dickens Dance Saturday, 7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.; Bishop Carroll High School
Admission for this event is $25.00/person and includes food and drink.
Cresson Lake Playhouse Holiday Production Saturday, 8:00 p.m.; Cambria County Courthouse
Those boys in Plaid are back for the Holidays! Doo-wop meets Yuletide in Plaid Tidings, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Forever Plaid. In this holiday musical, the Plaid boys continue their supernatural saga returning from the afterlife – again – to play their very own Christmas Special with a host of great holiday songs sure to get everyone feeling a lot like Christmas.
Written by Forever Plaid creator Stuart Ross, this high-spirited holiday hit is sure to please audiences! Don’t be left out in the cold, put Plaid Tidings on your Christmas list now!
Forever Plaid: Plaid Tidings offers the best of Forever Plaid tied-up in a nifty package with a big Christmas bow on top! Filled with Christmas standards that have all been “Plaid-erized”, the boys are back to do their Christmas Special. Thanks to a heavenly phone call from Rosemary Clooney, Sparky, Smudge, Jinx and Frankie are returning to earth in this delightful sequel of Forever Plaid. This time the 50’s doo-wop quartet tunes their heavenly harmonies on holiday songs and carols, along with a hilarious tribute to The Ed Sullivan Christmas Spectaculars featuring The Rockettes, The Chipmunks, and the Vienna Boys Choir. The boys also whip up a Plaid Caribbean Christmas, which puts the “Day-O” in Excelsis!
Call early to reserve your seats for this family production. Admission to the production is ten crown ($10) for adults and five crown ($5) for children. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (814) 472-4333 or visit www.cressonlake.com.  |
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Visit our holiday craft fair at TWO locations as you begin your Christmas shopping. Over 100 
An outstanding display of carved ice sculptures will be located along West High Street. Come and watch the talented ice carving team sculpt 23 seasonal images! Enjoy two ice thrones for a memorable photo op. During Dickens of a Christmas, ice is just the tip of the iceberg.
Join the Crazy Quilters Club for this show of quilts and crafts. There are both vintage and new quilts. Browse the crafts and craft supplies. The quilters will also be offering baked goods for sale, a basket raffle and door prizes. It will be a Dickens of a Quilt Show at the Senior Center, sure to have you in stitches!
County employees do a terrific job of decorating the courthouse row offices for the holiday season. The courthouse is open to visitors all day Saturday and Sunday and is a stop that the entire family will enjoy.
The Ebensburg Christmas Parade is a grand tradition! The theme for this year’s parade is “Ghosts of A Christmas Carol”. The parade begins at the middle school, proceeds down North Center Street, turns right onto West High Street and finally north on Julian Street. The center of town is your best seat! The parade will include holiday floats, local civic organizations and churches, fire equipment, dancers, marching bands, and more. As always, a very special guest from the North Pole will signal the end of the parade and the beginning of the holiday season!
Sign up your Red Hat Ladies, Women’s Club or just call your girlfriends for this “slightly more formal” ladies tea. It’s 1895 and Mrs. A.W. Buck is hosting this early afternoon tea in her home on North Center Street. The maid has polished the silver tea service and the kitchen staff have prepared a variety of tasty morsels. Portraits will be taken in front of the Christmas tree in Mrs. Buck’s ballroom. Victorian dress is optional.
Experience an old-fashioned horse-drawn sleigh ride or carriage ride through charming Ebensburg. Your ride will take you over the meadow, through the woods to grandmother's house. Let our holiday sleigh take you back to yesteryear and become a part of your family tradition. You and your whole family will enjoy this nostalgic ride. Warm up with hot chocolate, spiced cider and coffee upon your return. 
Join us at the
YPCC where we will be gathering to stroll the streets of Ebensburg sharing with
our residents the wonderful sounds of the season. Everyone is welcome back to
the YPCC for hot apple cider and hot chocolate after caroling.
