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December 7th

Cross-Country Skiing

Sunday, 10:00 a.m.; Ghost Town Trail

 

The Ghost Town Trail from Ebensburg to Nanty Glo is an 8-mile section of rails-to-trails that connects with 12-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.

 

Ice Sculptures

All Day Sunday; Penn Eben Park

An outstanding display of carved ice sculptures will be located in Penn Eben Park. Enjoy two ice block thrones for a memorable photo-op. During Dickens of a Christmas, ice is just the tip if the iceberg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Model Train Show

Sunday, Noon - 4:00 p.m.; 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, and the Johnstown train station.

 

Admission for this event is only ten shillings ($2.00) for adults; the little urchins are free!

 

Teddy Bear Tea

Sunday, Noon; Young Peoples Community Center

Adults and children of all ages are invited to attend the YPCC Teddy Bear Tea. Guests will be treated to a lavish high tea, including scones with jams, a variety of finger sandwiches, sugar cookies, assorted teas and fruit punch. Additionally, there will be a special visit from Santa Claus with a gift for each child, as well as holiday entertainment throughout the afternoon.  Children are encouraged to bring their favorite teddy bears to share the afternoon tea! Mom can leave kids at this event while she attends Decorating Tips With Mrs. Claus!

 

In order to cover the costs of materials, there is a $15.00 fee for this event. Period costume is encouraged, but not required.

 

Decorating Tips with Mrs. Clause (Adult Program)

Make Your Own Natural Holiday Wreath

Sunday, Noon; Young Peoples Community Center (YPCC)

 

The class will teach participants how to craft holiday wreaths, garlands and table decorations using natural materials.  Step-by-step instruction will provide even beginners with impressive results they can take home with them.  Your creations will rival those gracing the pages of the specialty magazines. 

 

The YPCC will provide all materials, supplies and equipment needed to create your decorations.  If you have any special ribbons, bows or other ornaments you would like to incorporate into the wreath, please bring them along.

 

In order to cover the costs of materials, there is a $15.00 fee for this event.

 

Sled Riding (Weather Permitting)

Sunday, Noon; 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!"

 

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.

 

Christmas Family Skate Indoors

Sunday, 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 $4 fee for this activity. Rental skates are available for $3.

Holiday Home Tours

Sunday, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Boards at Cambria County Courthouse

 

The Holiday Home Tour is one of the most popular events during our Dickens event. This year the tour follows a different format. Tour five of the area’s most beautiful and unique homes, all festively decorated for the holiday season, at your own leisure. All five homes are within walking distance of each other.

Park anywhere in the neighborhood, tour the homes in any order you wish, and take as much time as you like. The tours stop at 5:00 p.m.

At the conclusion of the tour, be sure to stop by the Cambria County Historical Society.  Then walk across the street to the Ebensburg United Methodist Church to witness the Festival of the Nativities. 

There is a $15 fee for this event.

Self-Guided Church Tours

Sunday, 1:00 p.m.; Various Churches

 

During the afternoon hours, tour at your own leisure four of the area’s churches, all decorated for the holiday season. Churches participating in the tours are Ebensburg Presbyterian, First United Church of Christ, Ebensburg United Methodist Church and First Christian Church.

 

Festival of the Nativities

Sunday, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Ebensburg United Methodist Church

The Methodist Church welcomes all to an open house, where visitors will view a display of more than sixty nativity scenes and crèches in the church sanctuary. Hot drinks will be served.

 

Holiday Open House & Art Exhibit

Saturday, 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.; Cambria County Historical Society

 

Join us for our annual open house in the holly-decked halls of the A.W. Buck House. Refreshments, tours and more. Our Christmas tree in the library is always a holiday delight. This year, the historical society joins the Ebensburg Art Alliance for an exhibit in the community room. "Cambria Victoriana" features area artists interpreting themes from Cambria County's history and/or the Victorian Era. The A.W. Buck House will also be featured as one of the Holiday Home Tours and will remain open until the tours conclude.

 

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!

Admission to the production is ten crown ($10) for adults and five crown ($5) for children. Call early to reserve your seats. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (814) 472-4333  or visit www.cressonlake.com.

 

Movie: Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol

Sunday, 2:00 p.m.; Young Peoples Community Center (YPCC)

 

A family favorite for almost forty years, this animated special marks a merry marriage between one of the screen's greatest cartoon characters, Mr. Magoo, and the heart-warming holiday tale, A Christmas Carol. Featuring the well-known lovable near-sighted bumbler, Mr. Magoo, who stars in a Broadway version of the Charles Dickens tale, impeccably cast as the crotchety old Ebenezer Scrooge.

 

Admission for this event is $3.00. Includes the YPCC bottomless pit of popcorn.

Children's Musical Production; A King is Comeing to Town

Sunday, 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.

 


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