Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites everyone to “come home to Franklin County” for the 2023 holiday season. The word holiday brings memories of home, family, and traditions. Even if Franklin County PA is not truly home, it is a good place to call home. The five main communities of Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, Waynesboro, and the smaller places in between like Fort Loudoun, Rouzerville, Mont Alto, Shady Grove, and Quincy glisten with lights and pretty decorations of the season. There is no better place to find the joy of the holiday season than Franklin County. Come home to enjoy great moments, including:
- Festival of Trees at the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center, 15 South Main Street in downtown Chambersburg. More than 70 trees and wreaths are decorated for the public to enjoy. Visitors are invited to vote for their favorites and even bid to take a tree or wreath home. Runs through noon on Saturday, December 2; winners announced 1:30 PM December 2.
- Christmas on the Farm at Renfrew Museum & Park on Friday, December 1 and Saturday, December 2, 3 PM to 8 PM. Step back to an earlier time and experience the simple beauty of a 19th century Christmas with wagon rides, house tour,
- Candle Night & Cocoa Crawl in downtown Chambersburg on Friday, December 1, 5PM to 8 PM. More than 700 luminaries along Main Street, carolers, small town shopping, and Santa. Cocoa Crawl mugs go on sale at 5:45 PM.
- Santa is on the square of Chambersburg in front of the 11/30 Visitors Center on Friday, December 1 from 4 PM to 9 PM; Saturday, December 2 from 2 PM to 4 PM and 5 PM to 7 PM; and Sunday, December 3, from Noon to 3 PM. Sunday activities include cookies and hot chocolate, scavenger hunt of downtown, and ugly Christmas Sweater Contest.
- Heritage Christmas in downtown Greencastle on Friday, December 1, and Friday, December 8, at 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM celebrates a community Christmas with carriage rides of downtown, pictures with Santa, shopping, kids’ scavenger hunt and lots of good food.
- Chambersburg Christmas Market, 55 N Main Street and 40 Spring Street, on Saturday, December 2, 10 AM to 8 PM with craft vendors, food, live entertainment, carriage rides, and Santa.
- Shippensburg Christmas Parade is set for December 2 at 5 PM along King Street. The theme is A Gingerbread Christmas.
- Conococheague Institute, 12995 Bain Road in Mercersburg, celebrates Colonial Christmas on Saturday, December 16, 10 AM to 4 PM. Discover holiday traditions, enjoy colonial cooking and crafts as well as games and songs. Also included is a large book sale.
- Fort Loudoun Christmas is set for Saturday, December 16, Noon to 5 PM. Santa is coming! Enjoy fort tours, axe throwing, kid’s games, blacksmithing, fur trade display, garrison drill, and the Belsnickel.
- Shippensburg History Center presents “A Stewart House Christmas” on Saturday, December 9, 11 AM to 3 PM. Make an ornament, join a scavenger hunt, and write a letter to Santa surrounded by the majesty of the 18th century limestone home of Dr. Alexander Stewart.
Along with special events on particular days, Franklin County has beautifully decorated homes, driving, and walking tours, plus Tiny World—a magical, miniature community that is a must-see for the holiday season. Discover more of Franklin County holiday happenings here.